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.
Do you think the building would be better off being preserved? Tell us your thoughts below…
13 Responses
I kinda like the idea, to be honest. There’s not much activity on that corner, and with all of the GT traffic, I’m sure that gas station will get plenty of business. The only downside is the razing of the historic bookstore, but maybe they can pay homage to it in their new name. “Engineer’s Pit Stop” or “Engineer’s EZ Mart”, or something along those lines. Maybe try to keep part of the wall and use it in a historic plaque or marker in the new building.
Or rather reuse the existing building for the market and reconfigure the site to work with the pumps accordingly. Not demolishing the building isn’t going to kill this deal if he’s really wanting to invest into the community.
Anyone else think this could’ve made a great Trader Joe’s?
Not surprised that Pasha didn’t tell the truth about his plans for the project. Beware, he doesn’t pay his bills either.
This is pathetic. With all the available parking lots in Atlanta, why would you ever demolish a historic building to pave more asphalt?
I think the idea is a terrible one. I would hope that Atlanta will show some pride and preserve our historical landmarks so future generations will have some sense of our history. It will take only a day to tear down something that we can never replace. Many years from now, another gas station or convenience store will have done little to improve our neighborhood or our city, But preserving the Engineer’s Bookstore in a building that has stood for 86 years and developing it for a use more reflective ot it’s history will be something countless thousands will enjoy every single day as they drive by. And they’ll be thankful that we had the foresight to preserve one of the buildings that are part of our local heritage. Let’s take the high road Atlanta…
Dear Atlanta…please don’t allow anymore of your history to be demolished for gas stations or other such nonsense. You only get one chance at preservation, and when it’s gone, it’s gone forever.
You want to see what happens when the quest of the dollar goes to work in any community just look at north east Houston Texas ..40 years ago the was a sleepy little town called Humble ,just outside of Houston proper.. but Houston had the ETJ (Extra Territorial Juristiction ) of all the surrounding property. Then Houston takes over and there is no more lumber pond (replaced by Home Depot , office max etc. etc.. across the way a mall etc, etc, ) It all could have been made into a quaint little shopping area while keeping the existing barns and ice houses but the quest for a dollar destroyed our history.. Now we can show pictures of what it was to our children…Downtown Galveston was a different story …George Mitchell bought the downtown and refurbished all the old buildings and now it is the way it was in the early 1900’s.. making money for t’s owners and something to be proud of. Once you get into the replacing old buildings with new, more modern structures you loose..just plain loose..
How about use the building for a small food store?
Seriously, they can just make a new, refurbished bookstore instead of a stupid gas station.
It should be noted that that gas stations map is incomplete. When I was a student, I frequented the gas stations at 10th & Northside, 10th & Spring, AND North Ave by the Connector bridge across from The Varsity. Not to mention the new one on 14th at Atlantic. PLEASE add all of those to your map – it will help make our case!
When I first moved to Atlanta in 1994 and lived in the Artery, having the original buildings intact hugely informed my thinking about history and continue to have an influence today. I’m writing to object to the demolition of the Engineer’s Bookstore at 748 Marietta Street NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30318 in Fulton to make way for a common gas station and convenience store.
This demolition would be a devastating insult to future generations understanding of the historic industrial energies of Atlanta’s past by irreversibly detracting visually from a distinct, vibrant, well-cared for and prized historic building fabric. The east side of Marietta Street in the 1960s -1980s has already been devastated by Georgia Tech Expansion, but at that time there was scant knowledge of the irreplaceable value that respected and well documented older buildings in a historic fabric add to a city. A gas station at this location would 100% overturn the huge energy and investment by the Marietta Street Artery Association into this area over the past two decades. This important neighborhood vision is an urban community of adaptively re-used former industrial buildings, and appropriately designed new structures, with a focus on developing for a pedestrian and bicycle scale that weaves sustainably into downtown. Neighborhood planning projects include:
Upper Westside LCI Update, 2009: Change zoning to meet planned future land use
Connect Atlanta, 2009: Marietta Street is a core bicycle connection
Cycle Atlanta Corridor E, 2015: Marietta Street is a core bicycle connection
PATH Foundation Tech Parkway Greenway, 2016: under construction
Not only would the community lose an amazing storefront with decades of character and history, and a recognized building within a National Register Historic District, but a gas-station is an incompatible use within the planned corridor and could easily be relocated with no harm done.
Please help us preserve this historically and visually important building!
Love that building. An Atlanta landmark to Tech students over the last 20 years. A Georgia landmark to professionals of all trades. This was “The” place to get books and materials for professional licensing. Would be an heirloom piece for sure.