Former Clark gas station faces foreclosure possibility

The former Clark gas station at the corner of South Main and Sycamore streets is facing possible foreclosure and a City Council Policy Committee plans to review the process.

Council took no action on foreclosure and members said they are reluctant to buy the property because of possible issues with contamination from underground storage tanks no longer on site.

“Corrective action would have to be taken before we would purchase it,” City Manager Tim McLean insisted.

A sign in front of the abandoned station reports the site is up for public auction. McLean said the company that owned it was in arrears of $13,000 in unpaid taxes.

The old Clark station once was a Unocal 76 station in the 1980s and before that it had a long shelf life as Jim and Merle Lohrberg’s Sunoco gas station. It was the first gas station in Wayland to move to self-serve, in 1976.

The last time the city agreed to sell a property instead of have it foreclosed by Allegan County was a house at 640 W. Superior St. A couple bought it for $7,500 and since then has been slowly but surely making improvements.

In other business at Monday night’s meeting, the City Council:

• Was told by City Engineer Mickey Bittner that Peters Construction intends to start work on paving and sidewalks at East Maple Street east from North Main to Steeby Elementary. Bittner told the council prospects are good for the work to be completed by Labor Day. He also noted that later this summer and into the fall there will be patchwork done on small portions of North and South Main, West Superior and 133^rd Avenue.
• Approved the hiring of Max Antel as a summer employee for the water and sewer department. Mayor Pro Tem Jennifer Antel abtained from the vote.
• Noted the council’s first meeting in July will be on Wednesday, July 5, because the July 4 holiday falls on a Tuesday.
• Approved an increase of $5,800 to Wightman & Associates for costs associated with the East Maple Street project.

PHOTO: The site of old Clark gasoline station, which has been closed for more than a decade and may go into foreclosure.