Small Town News

Medical Lake gas station goes up for sale

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The owners of a long-vacant gas station in mid-town Medical Lake have listed the property for sale at $259, 000 or for lease at $1, 500 per month.

The property, located at 106 S. Lefevre St., includes 14, 384 square-feet of land and a 1, 680-square-foot service station built in 1959 by Fritz Gilbreth. The station includes two covered islands with three gas pumps each, a four-dopr service bay and a handheld car wash and vacuum station. It was remodeled in 1974, a few years before Gilbreth's son Gary took over the business, operating it as a Cenex station before selling it for $134, 000 in 2006.

Cantu Commercial Properties realtor Sam Morse, who is handling the sale, said owners Rachhpal and Ajit Nagra recently decided against opening

a convenience store at the site. The Nagras live in Veradale, Wash, and also own the Conoco gas station/convenience store at 710 East Highway 902, according to the Spokane County Assessor's office.

Morse said he's had "a ton of calls" on the property since listing it early this month.

"Everything's in good operating order and it wouldn't take much to bring fuel station in," he said, noting that the building could also be remodeled to

accommodate a restaurant or other business.

The Washington Department of Ecology requires gas station owners to conduct periodic maintenance of underground fuel storage tanks in order to assure they're in good repair and have no leaks. Mike Blum, Ecology's statewide coordinator for the underground storage tanks program, said the owners of the Medical Lake station have keptup-to-date on tank inspections since it was placed on a "temporary closure" list in 2006.

Anyone who wishes to reopen the gas station would first be required to undergo another inspection and reapply to receive and dispense fuel at the site, Blum said.

If fuel pumps are shut off permanently Ecology requires the underground tanks to either be cleaned and removed or filled with a "solid inert material," such as a weak cement slurry or polyurethane foam. All piping except vent lines is then capped or removed from the ground.

Ryan Lancaster can be reached at ryan@chenevfreepress.com.



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© 2011 Cheney Free Press Cheney, Washington. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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