Carvana‘s long-planned Columbus Customer Care Center appears to be moving forward, with new permits indicating work is continuing on the company’s signature vehicle vending tower development.
According to Columbus Business First, the Tempe, Arizona-based online automotive retailer has received additional permits for its planned facility at 8350 Lyra Dr., near the Interstate 71 and Polaris Parkway interchange.
Carvana purchased the approximately 7.77-acre site in 2022 for $6.2 million, with plans to build one of its automated vehicle vending towers. Initial site work began that year and included the demolition of the former Magic Mountain Fun Center and excavation for the project’s foundation. Construction later stalled, and the company remained quiet about the development.
The project resurfaced last year when Carvana submitted plans for a new Customer Care Center that would include offices, customer service space, vehicle delivery bays and the company’s signature automated vehicle display and delivery tower.
According to the previously filed plans, the eight-level tower will hold four vehicles on each of its top seven floors. Customers who purchase vehicles online will be able to collect them by inserting a commemorative token into the vending machine system, which then automatically retrieves and delivers their vehicle.
Recent building and electrical permits suggest the project remains active, although Carvana has not confirmed when construction will be completed or when the facility will open.
The Columbus location would become Carvana’s first vehicle vending tower in Central Ohio and its second major investment in the region. The company also operates an inspection and reconditioning facility in Heath, which opened in 2020.
Nationwide, Carvana operates 39 vehicle vending towers, with the closest locations to Columbus currently in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Louisville.
What Now Columbus has reached out to Carvana for additional information regarding the project’s timeline and future plans. This story may be updated as more information becomes available.
