COLUMBUS, Ind. — The city has demolished a vacant convenience store and gas station on Second Street.
Redevelopment director Heather Pope said that the city purchased the property, located at 867 Second St., from Ricker’s Holdings LLC in March for $340,000.
Prior to demolition, the city had to remove 10 underground storage tanks — ranging from 6,000 to 20,000 gallons — from the site. This was done using funds provided by the Petroleum Orphan Sites Initiative. Pope said that the Petroleum Orphan Sites Initiative, which was established by the Indiana Brownfields Program, funded the total cost of tank removal.
However, the Petroleum Orphan Sites Initiative did not fund the demolition of the convenience store, which was torn down by the Columbus Department of Public Works this week. Pope said that the department of public works workers are also leveling the site.
“The redevelopment commission doesn’t have any immediate plans for the property but just wanted to clean it up and hold on to it until, at some point in the future, we may need it,” she said.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
