The BP station at Libbie and Grove avenues sold for about $1.2 million. (Photo by David Larter)
A developer who this year saw his plan for a large mixed-use project at Libbie and Grove avenues squashed by neighbors’ protests is now the proud owner of a gas station.
Scott Boyers
Scott Boyers, a developer and broker with the real estate firm CBRE, bought the BP station at 5711 Grove Ave. from Woodfin Heating Inc. for about $1.2 million on Nov. 30.
“Right now it’s just going to continue to operate as a BP Station,” Boyers said. “We’re OK with keeping it as a gas station. It makes money, they’ve been part of the neighborhood for years and they’ll be there for the foreseeable future.”
BizSense reported in June that Boyers had filed a special-use permit to build a 109,000-square-foot building on the BP site with 10,000 square feet of retail and 20 apartments. But some vocal residents and businesses thought the plan was out of scale for the block, eventually prompting Boyers to back off his plans.
Boyers said in October that he still plans to develop the property but that it would be more in line with the look of the smaller storefronts in the area.
“If we do go forward with a development, my investors and I agreed it will be something closer to what we can do [under current zoning],” he said.
Boyers said he would wait for the economy to improve before pulling the trigger on the new development.
Councilman Bruce Tyler, currently locked in a too-close-to-call election recount with Jon Baliles, said residents in his West End district want to maintain the look and feel of the area.
“I think we are looking for something that fits in architecturally and keeps the town-like atmosphere it has now,” Tyler said of Boyers’s previously proposed development. “It doesn’t need to be changed.”
Boyers has other plans for the Libbie and Grove area as well. He told BizSense last week that he would break ground early next year on an $8 million, 15-unit high-end condo building called the Tiber at the corner of Libbie and Guthrie avenues.
The BP station at Libbie and Grove avenues sold for about $1.2 million. (Photo by David Larter)
A developer who this year saw his plan for a large mixed-use project at Libbie and Grove avenues squashed by neighbors’ protests is now the proud owner of a gas station.
Scott Boyers
Scott Boyers, a developer and broker with the real estate firm CBRE, bought the BP station at 5711 Grove Ave. from Woodfin Heating Inc. for about $1.2 million on Nov. 30.
“Right now it’s just going to continue to operate as a BP Station,” Boyers said. “We’re OK with keeping it as a gas station. It makes money, they’ve been part of the neighborhood for years and they’ll be there for the foreseeable future.”
BizSense reported in June that Boyers had filed a special-use permit to build a 109,000-square-foot building on the BP site with 10,000 square feet of retail and 20 apartments. But some vocal residents and businesses thought the plan was out of scale for the block, eventually prompting Boyers to back off his plans.
Boyers said in October that he still plans to develop the property but that it would be more in line with the look of the smaller storefronts in the area.
“If we do go forward with a development, my investors and I agreed it will be something closer to what we can do [under current zoning],” he said.
Boyers said he would wait for the economy to improve before pulling the trigger on the new development.
Councilman Bruce Tyler, currently locked in a too-close-to-call election recount with Jon Baliles, said residents in his West End district want to maintain the look and feel of the area.
“I think we are looking for something that fits in architecturally and keeps the town-like atmosphere it has now,” Tyler said of Boyers’s previously proposed development. “It doesn’t need to be changed.”
Boyers has other plans for the Libbie and Grove area as well. He told BizSense last week that he would break ground early next year on an $8 million, 15-unit high-end condo building called the Tiber at the corner of Libbie and Guthrie avenues.
I was really hoping this would have gone through, but with condos instead of apartments. It would have been good for businesses in the area, and I for one feel it would have been good for the neighborhood, if done correctly……but you know Richmond the old Richmond joke…..How many Richmonders does it take to screw in a light bulb? 3. 1 to screw in the lightbulb & 2 to fight to keep the broken one in.
I am with you Taylor it would of been nice to have some change in that area but those residents are just so darn stubborn and want things to stay the same. Nice joke I had actually never heard that one!
I mean, obviously a brightly lit old 1970s gas station is infinitely better than having new residents and businesses to add to the mix of the Libbie and Grove area.