Georgetown residents have an opportunity to make their voices heard on the possible loss of another gas station — the Georgetown Exxon at Wisconsin Avenue and Q Street, NW.
The land, owned by D.C. gas station king, Joe Mamo, is up for sale. The business on that land – which is the Georgetown Exxon gas and service station – does not have the right of first refusal, as is customary with D.C. tenants. The business has no real dog in this possible departure, as it runs other service stations in D.C. and Arlington.
Here is the question: does Georgetown care enough to speak up about the loss of something as ordinary but as necessary as a service station?
Already, Key Bridge Exxon at 3601 M St., NW, is slated to be swept aside for condos. Lukoil (Georgetown Getty) at 2715 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, is also set to depart. The west side property is owned by EastBanc., Inc. (It was purchased from Mamo.) EastBanc also purchased the Lukoil property at the east entrance of Georgetown across from the Four Seasons.
If Georgetown Exxon departs, that would leave Georgetown Shell as the only gas station in Georgetown. With the loss of car repair bays at the Exxon, there would be fewer gas pumps in town. How much of a loss? An industry insider surmised that with Key Bridge Exxon (120,000 gallons monthly), Lukoil (40,000 gallons monthly) and Georgetown Exxon (40,000 gallon monthly) gone, that would leave Georgetown Shell pumping the last gas in town. That’s a lot of gas for a small corner business to pump – in fact, it cannot do it.
No deal has been inked, as far as we know. There is time to speak up and ask the District Council to get involved on behalf of Georgetowners who want Georgetown Exxon to stay. The council can find ways to help. Citizens should contact Ruth Werner at the office of Ward 2 councilmember Jack Evans by calling 202-724-8058 or emailing rwerner@dccouncil.us. (Werner asked the community to comment on this issue during a meeting of the Georgetown-Burleith Advisory Neighborhood Commission.)
Comments may also be sent to this newspaper at Editorial@Georgetowner.com.
