A laundry service powered by bicycles is seeking to establish operations in one of Chelsea’s industrial areas. The City will present a proposal to the City Council on Monday requesting a zoning modification to accommodate this business.
At Monday’s meeting, City Manager Tom Ambrosino submitted a request to alter zoning regulations in the Industrial Zoning District to permit the laundry business to operate in Chelsea. Currently, industrial laundries are prohibited across all zoning districts in the city.
“The City has been working with a developers who is seeking to locate an industrial laundry facility in the City,” “The business has the potential to generate significant jobs. The developer has found a potential site in the City’s Industrial Zoning District, but our current zoning ordinance does not allow for this use anywhere in the City.”
The proposal would revise zoning ordinances to allow commercial or industrial laundry operations within the Industrial District.
No specific address has been identified for the potential laundry facility, though the Industrial District encompasses a relatively limited area.
According to Council President Leo Robinson, the company in question is Wash Cycle Laundry, which operates out of Philadelphia.
Since 2010, founder Gabriel Mandujano has utilized bicycles to transport laundry and dry cleaning services throughout Philadelphia. According to Momentum Magazine, Mandujano explained that his team begins operations at the industrial laundry facility around 6 a.m., then conducts deliveries by bike throughout the city during morning hours, with additional evening delivery routes also completed via bicycle.
Mandujano noted that the majority of his workforce comes from prison re-entry initiatives and welfare-to-work programs.
He pointed out that cargo bikes address numerous challenges including traffic issues, gasoline consumption, and congestion.
The bicycles are electric-assisted, according to Mandujano, enabling cyclists to transport heavy loads more effectively.
Wash Cycle Laundry holds the laundry contract for the Philadelphia Eagles. The company maintains locations in Washington, D.C. and Austin, TX, and appears to be expanding into the Boston region through Chelsea.