Old Gas Station Spot May Get New Lease of Life After Violent History
The old RaceTrac location near the Georgia State University campus might be sprouting fuel pumps again after it closed earlier this year due to a string of violent acts. This site was infamous for being a hotbed for crime, precisely, four shootings within a year’s time span, which included the tragic death of a 21-year-old man.
The Shady Past
The area surrounding the previous gas station was notoriously renowned for attracting a heap of trouble. City Council Member, Michael Julian Bond, commented, “The previous gas station was a magnet for negative activity.” Back in February, images showed an enormous gathering of cops around the gas station located at the junction of Piedmont and John Wesley Dobbs avenues. This was the aftermath of a shooting incident that resulted in a 21-year-old losing his life. Prior to this tragic event, another shooting had claimed the life of a 19-year-old female.
Hope for a Safer Future
These unfortunate string of events eventually led to the closure of the gas station. However, currently, buzzing discussions indicate that a new owner might pump life back into the gas station. Steve Pearson, a local, commented, “I can’t cuss right now, but this junk is crazy. I think that if they do reopen it, then it should be like top, tight security.”
Given the history, locals are understandably concerned about the safety situation surrounding the establishment. Many demand that high-caliber security should be a top-priority while considering re-opening the station.
A local resident named Darnell Reed comments,” A lot of law enforcement presence. Having 24 hours security.”
What Next?
Atlanta Councilwoman, Liliana Bakhtiari, thinks that there’s still a lot to take care of before green-lighting the proposal. She mentions, “There are many conversations taking place right now concerning the issues and naming them, but what is the plan to solve them?”
Bakhtiari also adds that there is a collaborative effort in place among the prospective new owners, her team, neighborhood groups, and police agencies to lay down groundwork, which includes setting some strict rules for the establishment such as no loitering on the property, carding everyone, restraining certain alcohol sales, not permitting individual package sales, etc.
We reached out to the possible new business owner for further comments but got no response. It’s clear that there’s still a lot of discussions and groundwork to be done before the old RaceTrac gas stop can start flowing again. But the community is hopeful that with the right measures and precautions, this place can shake off its troubled past and serve the folks securely.
