Posted July 2026 | By Eric Engelbert | Updated as the project moves through the approval process.
A Car Wash Is Slated to Become 66 For-Sale Townhomes on South Bristol
A developer has proposed replacing the Bristol Car Wash at 2402 South Bristol Street in Santa Ana with 66 for-sale townhomes. The project, called The Residences at South Bristol, is being brought forward by KF Future, LLC and would sit on a 2.71-acre site in south Santa Ana, a stretch of Bristol Street that is seeing significant development attention as the city works through its housing goals.
As of July 2026, the project is in the city review process and still needs Planning Commission and City Council approval before construction can begin. Two community meetings have been held to gather neighborhood input, and the project team is working through city staff review. This blog covers what is being proposed, what the site looks like, and where the project stands in the approval process.
The Site: Bristol Car Wash on South Bristol Street
The property at 2402 South Bristol Street is currently operated as Bristol Car Wash, also known historically as Bristol Speedwash. The car wash occupies a 2.71-acre lot on Bristol Street between West Alton Avenue and West Segerstrom Avenue in south Santa Ana. The site has a single APN (412-191-04) and sits in a stretch of Bristol Street that transitions from commercial uses along the arterial to residential neighborhoods on the parallel streets behind it.
KF Future, LLC closed on the property on February 6, 2025. The sellers listed on the transfer document were KF Future, LLC and Bristol Speedwash, Inc., which suggests KF Future may have held an existing interest in the property and acquired Bristol Speedwash's remaining stake to consolidate full ownership before moving forward with the development application. The transfer tax on the deed is recorded as exempt, which means no sale price was publicly disclosed through that filing. The purchase price is not available from public records.
Bristol Street is one of the major north-south arterials in Santa Ana, running through both the city and into Costa Mesa to the north. The south section of Bristol has seen growing development interest as the city updates its General Plan to prioritize residential infill on underutilized commercial sites. This project is one of several along the Bristol corridor. A short distance to the north, the Related Bristol Specific Plan at 3600 Bristol Street was approved by the Santa Ana City Council in October 2024, a $2.9 billion mixed-use project that includes up to 3,750 residential units on a 41-acre site. The 2402 S. Bristol project is smaller and separate, but it reflects the same momentum reshaping this corridor.
Project Details: What Is Being Proposed
The proposal calls for demolishing the existing car wash and building 66 for-sale townhomes across the 2.71-acre site, along with new paseo areas, common open space, sidewalks, and private drive aisles. The project includes a Density Bonus Agreement, which allows the developer to exceed standard zoning limits in exchange for setting aside a percentage of units as deed-restricted affordable housing.
| Address | 2402 S. Bristol Street, Santa Ana, CA 92704 |
|---|---|
| Project Name | The Residences at South Bristol |
| Site Size | 2.71 acres |
| Total Units | 66 for-sale townhomes |
| Market-Rate Units | 62 |
| Affordable Units | 4 units deed-restricted for very low-income households (5%) |
| Unit Sizes | 1,617 to 1,881 SF |
| Bedrooms | 3 to 4 bedrooms per unit |
| Parking | 145 spaces (exceeds state minimums) |
| Common Areas | Paseos, open space, sidewalks, private drive aisles |
| Prior Use | Bristol Car Wash (Bristol Speedwash) |
| Land Acquisition | February 6, 2025 (sellers: KF Future, LLC and Bristol Speedwash, Inc.) |
| Purchase Price | Not publicly disclosed (transfer tax exempt) |
| Applicant | KF Future, LLC |
| Development Consultant | CREDE Group (Irvine) |
| City Planner | Cristian Santana, Associate Planner |
| Application Type | Density Bonus Agreement / Vesting Tentative Tract Map |
| Current Status | Development Project Review |
The very low-income affordability threshold in Orange County for a family of four is roughly $79,100 per year as of 2026. The four deed-restricted units will be required to remain affordable for a set period under the terms of the density bonus agreement. The remaining 62 units will be sold at market rate.
Where the Project Stands: Approvals Still Needed
The Residences at South Bristol is in the Development Project Review stage with the City of Santa Ana as of July 2026. This is early in the discretionary approval process, meaning the project has been submitted but has not been approved. It still needs a full environmental review, Planning Commission consideration, and City Council approval before construction can begin. No construction timeline has been set.
The project team held two Sunshine Ordinance community meetings at McFadden Intermediate School, the first on January 26, 2026, and the second on March 19, 2026. These meetings are required by the city to give nearby residents a chance to hear about the project and ask questions before the formal hearing process begins. Community members raised concerns at the meetings, primarily around traffic on Bristol Street, parking availability, the project having only a single entrance and exit, and the proximity of new buildings to neighboring properties and backyards. The project team responded that the Public Works department would weigh in on circulation, and they committed to looking at design modifications and landscaping to address privacy concerns.
Because this project uses a Density Bonus Agreement and requires a Vesting Tentative Tract Map, the full approval package will go through Planning Commission and then City Council. There is no confirmed date for those hearings as of this post.
About the Developer and Project Team
The applicant of record is KF Future, LLC, a private entity proposing this development. The project is being managed and presented by CREDE Group, an Irvine-based national real estate development advisory firm with offices at 18301 Von Karman Avenue in Irvine. CREDE provides development management and forward planning services across a wide range of property types and has a national portfolio spanning multifamily, industrial, hospitality, and mixed-use projects. Michael Johnston, CREDE's Director of Forward Planning, has served as the project's primary representative in community meetings and city filings for this project.
CREDE Group has 210-plus team members and describes itself as a full-service development advisory firm active across all major asset classes. Their involvement as the consultant on a 66-unit for-sale townhome project reflects the kind of team that smaller private investors often bring in to navigate the entitlement process for residential infill projects in California.
Pricing: Not Yet Released
No pricing or floor plans have been released for The Residences at South Bristol as of July 2026. The project has not yet received city approval and is still in the early review stage. Pricing will not be set until the project moves closer to entitlement and construction. I keep up on new ownership housing projects like this across Santa Ana and Orange County and research price information as it becomes available. Check back here for updates or reach out directly.
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