Buying Closed Gas Station

[26 Inf]

I've had my eye on a small corner gas station for over a decade, it closed about 5 years ago and has just been listed for auction.

I want it for a non-business reason, kind of a fancy garage/man cave.

Could any of you suggest where I could look to see what liability - if any - I'd have for the underground tanks?

Thanks.

[Alex V]

Not knowing the jurisdiction, its hard for me to say.

I designed a Cap One bank which was placed on a site of a formal gas station. The tanks had to be removed (removed by land owner - Cap One leased the land) The soil also contained residual petrochemical contaminants. We chose to encapsulate. We used GeoSeal 3-part vapor barrier as well as an under-slab passive ventilation system. This consisted of perforated pvc pipe in a gravel bed running under the slab in a lattice pattern, combining into a collector pipe and exhausting out through the slab on the side of the building. We also had to install test wells for the DEP to check on a regular basis to ensure the the ventilation system was working and there was no build up of harmful vapors. This was a lot easier than replacing all the soil on the site nearly 20 feet deep.

NJ DEP has very specific regulations regarding dealing with contaminated soil, I am sure your local authority does as well. If there were tanks there, 99% there is contamination. Tanks always leak, just a matter of when, not if.

I recently did a project on a site which is one of the worst contaminated in NJ. When I called the NJ DEP to discuss the project the knew the site and it went from a 1 on 1 phone call to a 8 person conference call quickly. I proposed the same system, they approved. It was installed and seems to be doing well.

[tog]

I'd definitely check with the EPA concerning the tanks. IIRC, the rules changed some years back and many stations had to rid themselves of their underground fuel tanks and install newer ones with monitoring systems if they wanted to stay in business. The older stations that were no longer in business had to remove their underground tanks and have the holes filled in. As stated above, contamination of the soil brings its own headaches. Should be easy to find something in a search.

[Outlander Systems]

I would consult with an environmental engineer to determine soil toxicity, etc.

[Firefly]

This...is an interesting topic. I've seen an old gas station converted into a small AME church. They just kept the ports. No idea about the tanks or legality/liability. Maybe just fill em with concrete if you can't/won't use them.

Provided you had Mr. Pibb on tap, I would gladly buy a day pass to 26's 'Cool Cat Lounge'

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Why not something not on a corner and without the enviro hazzard? I would think that there is little infrastructure left in the building and it would be easier to build than to renovate? What am I missing?

Plus, you'll have people coming in and asking for directions, food, to use your bathroom, fix their car- even rob it.

[GH41]

Have the seller include the building/planning/zoning department permit approval for what you want to do with it as part of the sale. There may be a reason it's been sitting for five years.

[Outlander Systems]

If it's in Fulton County, Georgia, you can simply bribe the planning/zoning staff with expensive booze, or by providing a wedding venue for their children.

True story, bro.

Have the seller include the building/planning/zoning department permit approval for what you want to do with it as part of the sale. There may be a reason it's been sitting for five years.

[AnthonyCumia]

I've had my eye on a small corner gas station for over a decade, it closed about 5 years ago and has just been listed for auction.

I want it for a non-business reason, kind of a fancy garage/man cave.

Could any of you suggest where I could look to see what liability - if any - I'd have for the underground tanks?

Thanks.

All the other guys are right, EPA/Soil issues are the most dire thing you would have to worry about.

If you do buy it and fix it we expect photos.

[26 Inf]

Why not something not on a corner and without the enviro hazzard? I would think that there is little infrastructure left in the building and it would be easier to build than to renovate? What am I missing?

Plus, you'll have people coming in and asking for directions, food, to use your bathroom, fix their car- even rob it.

It is an older square panel building, trips my trigger. It was open as a small convenience store/station up to 5 years ago. Repaint the old standard colors and striping - faded but still visible.

I plan to park the vehicles I rarely drive in the bays, use the rest for a man cave to have garage nights with my buds, maybe run the lift about 3 feet up and use it as the base for a slot car track.

No business plans - although that was my first interest - my wife has disabused me of the idea. If you guys saw a sign that said 'Dogs Collars and Bones' with a smiling guy holding a root beer mug, what would you think it meant? Wife said no one would get it, they'd think it was a pet store. She didn't like my them song for the ads either - 'Dinner ain't for nothing, and the drinks are free.' I was going to get Dire Straits to play the opening. No fvcking vision. I told her she was the reason I don't light the grill with $100.00 bills and was still on my second trophy wife.

Any how I called the state department of health and environment - apparently it is the one department our moron of a Governor hasn't shutdown. They don't want those tanks in the ground so they give fairly good incentive to get them out.