Classic car restoration business moving to East Allen

Allentown car restoration business gets approval to move to East Allen Township

By Kevin Duffy
Special to
The Morning Call
AS PUBLISHED June 22, 2017

EAST ALLEN TOWNSHIP — An Allentown classic car restoration business will soon relocate to East Allen Township.

Kenneth Beck, owner of K&T Vintage Sports Cars, will be shifting gears to a new facility at 6584 Ruch Road after obtaining conditional-use approval by the Board of Supervisors on Thursday.

The new location is a vacant warehouse in the township's light industrial business park zoning district.

A refurbisher of British-made models including Austin-Healeys, Triumphs and Jaguars, Beck needed conditional-use approval because his operation most closely applies to standards applicable for an auto repair and body shop. which falls under the light industrial/heavy commercial zone as defined in the township's ordinance, township solicitor Joseph Piperato III said.

"We felt it was the closest use that would apply," he said.

Beck initially went before supervisors during a conditional-use hearing June 14, during which the board heard testimony and viewed exhibits. They granted approval during Thursday's meeting by a 4-0 vote.

Chairman Roger Unangst was absent.

The 14,400-square-foot warehouse will allow Beck a greater amount of space to work on more cars at a time, he said during his initial presentation.

The business has nine employees but may expand to include as many as 14 as one of the conditions of approval.

"That would probably give us several years of growth," Beck said.

Other conditions imposed by the board include no retail uses beyond allowing for occasional vehicle sales; maintaining hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with limited weekend hours; providing a maximum of six service bays and no more than 14 employees, and no parking, loading, queing or staging on Ruch Road.

Larry Fox, an attorney representing Beck, said the list of conditions was acceptable.

"They all look great to us and we're ready to sign," he said.

No extensive renovations of the building are planned and the business should be up and running before the end of the year, Beck said afterward.

Kevin Duffy is a freelance writer.

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