SOMERS POINT — A city board has its sights set on two former gas stations on Route 9 that have become eyesores.
“We’re trying to get information on the status of several of the old gas stations in Somers Point,” Economic Development Advisory Commission member John Helbig said.
Councilman Kirk Gerety said EDAC met April 23 and discussed the former gas stations at Somers Point-Mays Landing Road and at the corner of New York Avenue.
Gerety said EDAC divided duties this year, with one group addressing a property in need of development and the other focusing on tourism.
One group, consisting of Gerety, Vice Chairman Rob Hopkins, John Helbig and Max Slusher, is working on a couple of gas stations as its primary project.
“We looked at properties in town, and several really need attention,” Gerety said.
Helbig said the idea is not only to improve the aesthetics but “to bring them back and repurpose them in a way to serve the community and be something we can be proud of instead of looking the way they do now. They look like contaminated sites.”
Gerety said EDAC wants to be brought up to speed on what’s been done, what’s left to be done and the timeframe for when it would be complete.
Helbig said the state has brownfields programs that could help the owners pay for remediation if necessary, noting EDAC and City Council may be able to help “get them back to some productive use.”
Councilman Sean McGuigan said he had a “substantive conversation” with owner Tim Wallace on April 24
“Now we can sit down and find out where they’re at,” Gerety said, noting EDAC hopes to learn if there is anything it can do to help.
“With the tools in our tool bag, we may be able to expedite what needs to be done,” he said.
Gerety said the gas station at Somers Point-Mays Landing Road was a “vibrant business” for many years but is now underutilized. He said Wallace, whose family owns The Crab Trap restaurant, Pier 4 Hotel and Wallace Trucking, took over the business in 1976. He called it “one of the places where we all got gas and hung out. It was a pretty good social stop.”
Gerety said he would like to see “something other than a closed gas station” at the site, noting the lot is small. He said it may be appropriate for a small park or low-intensity office, adding Great Bay Country Club may be interested in purchasing it.
“Being right there on the corner, we figured that would be a good project to take on and see if our committee can do anything to make a difference,” Gerety said.
– STORY and PHOTOS by CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff