By Donald Wittkowski
One of three abandoned gas stations that spoil the appearance of Ocean City’s main entryway is inching toward a grand makeover into a new real estate office.
Meanwhile, the city is in confidential negotiations to possibly acquire the two other stations as it attempts to remove the blight.
Despite the city’s desire to clean up the sites, the rusting and ghostly hulks of the old Exxon, Getty and BP stations stubbornly cling to their locations at the foot of the Ninth Street gateway.
The old Exxon station at the corner of Ninth Street and Bay Avenue is one of the first things that visitors see as they arrive. The Getty and BP buildings on the opposite side of Ninth Street confront visitors as they leave town.
Frustrated that these eyesores remain standing, city officials have repeatedly said this is not the impression the tourist-friendly town wants to make on visitors.
“We’ve been working for a very long time to meet our goal of cleaning up the Ninth Street gateway, and we continue to do everything we can,” Mayor Jay Gillian said. “Abandoned properties are not what we want people to see when they first enter Ocean City.”
However, plans are underway to demolish the Exxon station and redevelop the property into a new office for the Keller Williams real estate firm.
Eric Booth, sales agent for Keller Williams, said the company is under contract to buy the Exxon site but won’t close the deal until the station’s old underground gasoline storage tanks are removed. The purchase price has not yet been disclosed.
Booth noted that an application has been filed for the regulatory permits to extract the storage tanks. Once the tanks are taken out, Keller Williams will complete the purchase and move ahead with plans to build what Booth described as a multimillion-dollar office.
George Wray Thomas Architecture & Engineering of Somers Point is finishing designs for the new Keller Williams office, which Booth estimates will take about six months to build.
Keller Williams will then have a new hub perched at one of the most prominent locations in town. Booth believes the project would help transform the Ninth Street corridor.
“It improves it dramatically,” he said. “Our business in Ocean City is based on tourism and making their experience great. I think it’s exactly what Ocean City needs coming into town.”
A real estate office is the type of project that would complement the commercial character of the Ninth Street gateway, Booth said. He would like to see other professional offices replace the old Getty and BP stations on the other side of the street.
Ocean City Solicitor Dorothy McCrosson said negotiations continue for the city to acquire the old gas stations, but she declined to disclose more details.
According to Booth, the city is “actively pursuing” the Getty and BP sites, but is letting Keller Williams move forward with its purchase of the Exxon station.
Keller Williams represents the owner of the BP station and recently listed the property for sale at $475,000, Booth said.
The mayor has proposed spending $1.5 million for various property acquisitions this year within the city’s $98.5 million capital program. To avoid tipping its hand in negotiations, the city has not yet revealed how much it is willing to spend to buy the old gas stations.
If negotiations fail, the city has other options. City Council approved an ordinance last June that gives the city more power to acquire abandoned properties considered a nuisance. It grants the city the right to take control of abandoned sites, borrow money for their renovation or rehabilitation and then recoup those costs through property liens at the time of sale.
