MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Representatives of the developer who proposed a Murphy USA gas station at the corner of Government and Broad Streets went in front of the City of Mobile Architectural Review Board Wednesday, but after hearing the public’s concerns, they have decided to table the project for the time being.

A huge victory for those who live in the historic district and are fighting against the gas station.

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“Our tank is full,” resident Bill Boswell said. “It’s not full of gas. It’s full of renewable energy. Every time this comes up, there is going to be a crowd in that auditorium.”

Boswell has been spearheading the Government Street collaborative mission and made sure the Government Plaza auditorium was packed full of residents against the proposed gas station holding signs that say, “Dump the Pump.”

“We are not anti-developer,” Boswell said. “We want development; we need it for our city. We need the tax dollars from businesses.”

The developer first proposed this idea in December but pulled their proposal before the original ARB meeting.

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Since the gas station would replace the abandoned CVS Pharmacy that sits in the Oakleigh Historic District, the developer needs to get approval from the ARB before they can move forward with construction. Needing approval on the overall design of the building to ensure it remains consistent with the rest of the neighborhood.

Wednesday, those representing the Murphy USA gas station addressed the board for the first time.

“Anything we can do, to better meet the guidelines to go above and beyond the guidelines we will,” Murphy USA Application representative Wesley Miller said.

“Our challenge is not to try to build a historic structure on this site,” Murphy USA Application representative Casey Pipes. “That’s not the goal; that’s not the requirement of the code. That’s not a requirement of anything going on here.”

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However, those on the review board had concerns with the proposal.

“But what we are charged with and what the guidelines provide again, is compatibility with the residences and the structures that surround it and the historic district itself, I see that as a disconnect,” ARB member Cameron Traylor said.

This disconnect is something historic district residents feel as well, raising concerns about light pollution, traffic, environmental issues and crime.

“With the uptick in crime and with it happening at gas stations pretty regularly, I want to be as far away from that as possible,” resident Cory Harris said.

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This is a private developer project, and the City of Mobile cannot directly say no to the idea of the gas station.

“I plan to ensure that the mechanisms we already have in place to preserve historic districts are fully utilized so that any proposed development fits seamlessly into the fabric of this important neighborhood,” Mayor Sandy Stimpson said. “I have full confidence in the Architectural Review Board’s ability to do its job.”

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