On Canton Road across from the Lakemore Plaza Shopping Center, the former Starfire Express gas station has remained vacant for the past decade. Since the 1970s, this facility served as a gasoline filling station until previous owners abandoned the business in 2009. Despite being vacant for ten years, the property still contains an abandoned retail building, canopy, four (4) dispensers, and four (4) out-of-service underground storage tanks (USTs).
BJAAM Environmental, Inc. (BJAAM) professionals installed one hand auger next to the existing dispensers to determine if a release had occurred at the site. A soil sample was collected, and results indicated chemicals of concern above laboratory detection limits. These results ultimately led the Bureau of Underground Storage Tanks to issue a new release (N00002) for the site and was designated a Class C status.
On February 11, 2019, the Summit County Land Reutilization Corporation was awarded an Abandoned Gas Station (AGS) Assessment/Corrective Action Grant of $213,000. The eligibility of the site to receive an AGS Grant was made possible with the help of BJAAM and the Summit County Land Reutilization Corporation, property owner and grant applicant. Summit County has plans to remove the abandoned eye sore and USTs to assist in the redevelopment the site.
