West Hollywood Chevron Auto Repair Shop is Closing in Two Months for Redevelopment

Mechanics at the West Hollywood Chevron Auto Repair Shop at 1107 N. La Cienega Boulevard say they have been given notice that the station will be closing in two months to make way for a new car wash and expanded convenience store. The repair shop has been at that location for well over four decades.

The West Hollywood City Council approved the redevelopment of the service station at the northwest corner of La Cienega Boulevard and Holloway Drive in the summer of 2020. The vote was 3-1-1, with Councilmember Lauren Meister dissenting due to environmental concerns and Mayor Pro Tempore John Heilman abstaining because he lives nearby.

The project, approved by the Planning Commission in March, involves demolishing the existing 1,724-square-foot Chevron building and replacing it with a 2,584-square-foot commercial building housing a 24-hour convenience store selling beer and wine, and a 900-square-foot automated car wash.

The redevelopment plan also includes 13 new trees, landscape planters, and accessibility improvements, with existing gas pumps and canopy remaining operational. Traffic concerns were addressed by removing the easternmost driveway on Holloway Drive and restricting access to a landscaped area.

West Hollywood resident Jerome Cleary, who was running for city council when the project came before the council, filed an appeal citing issues with traffic mitigation, additional alcohol sales, public noticing, environmental regulations, and parking sufficiency. Despite these concerns, the council found no new evidence supporting the appeal and therefore rejected it.

Public opinion on the project was mixed, with 16 emails to the council, 13 opposing the project. Some residents voiced concerns about increased traffic and safety, while others supported the new car wash. Property owner Ben Pouldar assured the council that the automated car wash would efficiently process 20 cars per hour.

The Chevron Auto Service station is the last standing repair shop on West Hollywood’s westside. There currently three open in mid-city and three in WeHo’s eastside.

Although the property owner does not currently have permits to demolish, the mechanics at the service station told WEHO TIMES that they have seen contractors come and go with blueprints and that they have been given notice to vacate by the end of August. They stated that the gas station will not be closing and continue to operate during some of the construction.