Tesla Opening Expected Before Christmas

WARMINSTER, PA —Bucks County's first Tesla dealership and service center may open before Christmas, township officials said.

Township Zoning Officer Mike Italia told Patch Italia Monday that he has issued a certificate of occupancy, but that the township has not received word of a firm date or notice of a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Warminster Township Engineer Craig Kennard said at Thursday night's supervisors' meeting that he expected the dealership to open "within a week."

Italia had said that officials were working with Tesla on a "final punch list of items."

"Realistically I would say before Christmas but a handful of the items are contingent on them getting it wrapped up," Italia said.

After a short work stoppage in May to resolve some issues with the township, Tesla is on a fast track to get its dealership open at the old Pathmark property on York Road as it originally intended by year's end.

Italia said he doesn't see that goal not being met.

"There’s nothing outstanding that is overly complicated, just final touches," he said about the punch list of items.

Township officials and the dealership have not announced an opening date yet.

The Tesla dealership would be the first in Bucks County. Tesla has dealerships in King of Prussia, Devon, and Lawrence, N.J.

The project's cost is estimated between $6-8 million.

The 56,000-square-foot building sits on 9 acres across the street from Archbishop Wood High School and near Street Road. It had been considered by Lidl for another grocery store.

Its operating hours would be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and closed Sunday.

There would be a service area with space for two rows of parking, an alignment center, a storage area for tires, windshield wipers, fluids, and other auto supplies.

The front would feature a waiting area and showroom featuring two Tesla vehicles people can examine, a car wash area, and two loading areas for deliveries.

Service and repairs would happen in the building by appointment only. The repair area would have 18 lifts. Vehicles would be purchased online with appointments made for pickup.

Tesla, the car company led by CEO Elon Musk, models itself on clean energy and designs and manufactures electric vehicles, battery energy storage from home to grid-scale, solar panels, and solar roof tiles.

The Tesla dealership and repair garage service center could add 30-40 local jobs.

Drake Motors Partners representatives said that Tesla wants the project completed and the dealership opened by year's end.

(Photo by Dino Ciliberti/Patch) Tesla's dealership and service center on York Road in Warminster is nearly complete.