Town Acquires Former Northampton Gas Station Property • Southampton, NY
Town Acquires Former Northampton Gas Station Property
Advances open-space, groundwater protection, stormwater goals
After nearly a year of planning and negotiation, the Town of Southampton has purchased a long-abandoned Northampton gas station property, removing decades-old blight and a potential environmental hazard.
The Town closed on the third-acre property, located at 3841 Lake Avenue in Northampton, on August 26 for $420,000. It was previously home to a gas station and repair shop built in 1950, but had been defunct for decades. Prior to the purchase, a 1,214-square-foot building, concrete pads, sign remnants, and asphalt parking lot were removed pursuant to an administrative wetlands permit issued in February, as well as a building/demolition permit issued in March. The parcel can now revegetate on its own, returning the small but environmentally significant site to a more natural state.
The majority of the sale price was paid through the Town’s Community Preservation Fund (CPF) for open-space conservation and groundwater protection purposes. It is located within the Town’s water quality improvement priority area, as well as the aquifer protection overlay district and Central Pine Barrens Core Preservation area. A portion of the property will also support a Highway Department stormwater remediation project associated with adjoining Lakeview Drive. Doing so will help reduce the likelihood of runoff entering Wildwood Lake, further advancing the Town’s water quality protection efforts. The CPF contributed $332,500 toward the acquisition, with the remaining $87,500 coming from the Town’s general fund reserves.
“The purchase is a win on several fronts,” said Town Supervisor Maria Moore, who credited and thanked the Town’s CPF team for making it happen. “We have removed a long-standing eyesore, preserved open space, and protected groundwater, while also addressing runoff. For decades, this property sat abandoned next to Wildwood Lake. It may be small, but its location makes its protection especially important.”
“The recent CPF acquisition will now allow nature to reclaim this environmentally sensitive property, which is impacted by surrounding freshwater wetlands, and reduce development near Wildwood Lake. Transforming a former commercial site to a natural space, improving the community character and removing the impacts and disturbance related to the former gas station structures were some of the goals of this purchase. This may be a small property in size, but this is a huge step in the right direction for the environment and community.” Said Community Preservation Director, Jacqueline S. Fenlon.
The supervisor added that the demolition and purchase were important first steps. However, the real value of the acquisition is in what comes next: “Instead of another intensive commercial use, we are giving the land a chance to return to a natural condition and helping protect the surrounding environment for generations to come,” Moore concluded.
