Developer wants to redevelop 86-year-old property into EZ Market Midtown.
A historic icon on Marietta Street could soon be replaced by a gas station and convenience store.
The Marietta Street corridor between West Midtown and Downtown Atlanta is arguably the segment with the most room for growth. Several historic buildings line the street, many which sit empty today.
One of those buildings formerly housed the Engineer’s Bookstore, which shuttered on May 13 after over 20 years at the location. The structure has stood there since 1930.
On July 12, the new owner of the property, Omair Pasha, sent an email to NPU E announcing his plans to redevelop the property into a gas station and convenience store, EZ Market Midtown.
Max Mandelis, the selling agent for the previous owner, told What Now Atlanta (WNA) that Pasha revealed his plans to her that Tuesday night. These plans include demolishing the existing building, constructing a new one against the south-facing wall of the Hotel Roxy, and adding gas pumps to the lot.
This stands in contrast to what Pasha told WNA in a phone conversation that morning, when he said he did not plan to raze the building. The developer has not responded for comment since then.
The property is currently zoned I-1 (light industrial), making the use as a gas station and convenience store possible without rezoning or the issuance of a special use permit. In addition, Pasha submitted an application for a Beer & Wine License, and as a result, he must appear before NPU E leadership in a public meeting August 2.
Not everyone is happy with the plans. The property is a part of the Means Street National Register Historic District. Additionally, surrounding it are residences, an adult drug and alcohol rehabilitation center and house of worship at the Salvation Army, and a prominent university campus. It’s possible that the alcohol license could be denied based on the property’s proximity to those institutions.
“As many of you know, the Means Street area has a history with the fossil fuel industry. Fortunately for us, that was in the 1880’s. To even propose the idea of inserting a gas station at this location today goes far beyond a quantum leap backwards,” Bill Gould, Co-Founder of the Marietta Street Artery Association told neighbors in an email the morning of July 13.
Chris Faussemagne, the Land Use Co-Chair of the Marietta Street Artery Association, called the plans to raze the building to build a new gas station “unfortunate” while the rest of the area finds “new uses for existing buildings and transitions to alternative forms of transportation,” referring to the current PATH project under construction nearby.
Pasha has developed several convenience stores and gas stations around town, including the EZ Market on Northside Drive.
“Please know that we have made significant investments in the Midtown/Downtown Atlanta market and are fully cognizant of the urbanisation (sic) and therefore, our sites are developed with careful consideration and complete awareness that our business will be a part of a community. We have built similar developments in the HomePark and Loring Heights communities which have been highly successful, all while being mindful,” Pasha said in the July 12 email to NPU E.
The situation is a classic example of another property falling victim to Atlanta’s faulty zoning codes. As part of an overall code rewrite, the city is currently reviewing proposed changes to the industrial zoning classification to restrict the designation to truly industrial uses.
Subsequently, properties such as the Engineer’s Bookstore and the neighboring Salvation Army would be rezoned to a designation more reflective of their true uses. It’s highly unlikely that the re-write process would be finished soon, but it if were to happen, a gas station would either not be permitted at all or would need a special permit.
UPDATE 7/19 9:48 PM: Omair Pasha today responded for comment with the following:
Yes, that building will be replaced with a new, modern convenience store and gas station. This new store is in keeping with our commitment to providing clean and safe service stations as our company has done in other locations around the city. While we are and will continue to be sensitive and responsive to community concerns, when we decided to move forward with redeveloping the site, we considered an adaptive reuse of the existing building, however, it became apparent that it was not an option. Before we decide to invest in a property, we diligently prospect every site. Having done so, it is clear that Georgia Tech students and faculty (and the surrounding community) need the kind of facility that we build in close proximity to the campus particularly in light of the fact that no such store is near that side of the campus. In addition, our plans include an attached retail space for a QSR (Quick-service restaurant) in line with the convenience store. While I recognize that some community members may have reservations, we feel that this development will bring a much needed amenity to the area and we look forward to serving to community.
UPDATE 7/24 7:15 PM: A petition to save the store is live.
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