Long-abandoned Northampton gas station is finally gone for good

For decades, an abandoned gas station and repair shop sat along Lake Avenue in Northampton, slowly becoming a familiar eyesore for anyone passing by.

Now, it’s gone for good.

The Town of Southampton purchased the roughly one-third-acre property at 3841 Lake Ave. for $420,000 on Aug. 26, ending nearly a year of planning and negotiations to acquire the long-vacant site.

The property had been home to a gas station and repair shop dating back to 1950 but had been defunct for decades. Before the town completed its purchase, a 1,214-square-foot building, concrete pads, remnants of the old sign and asphalt parking lot were removed under permits issued earlier this year.

The plan now is to let nature take over, mostly.

The property sits near Wildwood Lake within several environmentally sensitive areas, including Southampton’s water quality improvement priority area, aquifer protection overlay district and the Central Pine Barrens Core Preservation Area.

A portion of the site will also be used for a Highway Department stormwater remediation project connected to neighboring Lakeview Drive, which town officials say will help reduce runoff entering Wildwood Lake.

“The purchase is a win on several fronts,” Southampton Town Supervisor Maria Moore said. “We have removed a long-standing eyesore, preserved open space, and protected groundwater, while also addressing runoff.”

Moore noted that despite the property’s small size, its location next to Wildwood Lake made preserving it particularly important.

“Instead of another intensive commercial use, we are giving the land a chance to return to a natural condition and helping protect the surrounding environment for generations to come,” she said.

Community Preservation Director Jacqueline Fenlon said allowing the former commercial property to return to a natural state will reduce development near Wildwood Lake while improving the character of the surrounding community.

“This may be a small property in size, but this is a huge step in the right direction for the environment and community,” Fenlon said.

Southampton’s Community Preservation Fund contributed $332,500 toward the $420,000 purchase, with the remaining $87,500 coming from the town’s general fund reserves.

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Top: The Northampton gas station property had been home to a gas station and repair shop dating back to 1950 but had been defunct for decades on Lake Avenue. (Credit: Town of Southampton, courtesy)