Old Gas Station as a Home?

I recently ran across some photos of an old Pure Oil building still standing in northern Georgia. I was lookin' at the first two photos shown and realized that it had the possibility of being a really distinctive home. Then I later found the other two photos.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone on this site has done such a thing. Has anyone here ever done this or know someone who has? I'm intrigued with the possibility of doin' this in the future.

 

That would be really cool. Great looking building.
A car nuts dream.

 

I would be sure to check and see if the tanks had been removed and signed off on. Could be a MAJOR expense, with the removal, soil testing, etc.
Larry T

 

In the last two photo's it's hard to tell that the building was a gas station. I'd try to keep as much of the original look as possible on the outside and just convert the interior to be more homey. There's a couple of beauties here locally still standing that I'd love to own, built in the late thirties/early forties.

 

thats pretty cool but i agree it doesnt look much like a station anymore. still cool though.

 

I agree, any older gas station that still has the tanks in the ground would be very expensive to deal with. especially if they leaked.

Yep, I would want it to look as much as possible like the original structure, even with old signs etc. That would be so cool. Service bays and all.

 

I agree. The last two pictures just served to get me thinking. I've always had this fantasy of restoring or, at least, reproducing a gas station to be used as a shop. But when I saw these pictures, I thought about the possibility of living in one. The only real problem I see is most are really close to the road ... I would not like that.

 

PM clemdaddy here on the HAMB - Clem and Kim started with an old Sinclair station in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It was featured on HGTV - great place to hang out, party, etc...

http://www.hgtv.com/home-improvement/fill-er-up/index.html

 

Especially if it still looked like a gas station. You might be busy telling people where the real gas station is.

 

There is a feller a few blocks from Mom's house that is done as a gas station complete with wrecker. The pumps are purely asthetic but its real cool. I'll see if I can scare up a picture.

 

Anybody remember Rotary Stations...the ones where the owner lived upstairs? They always were nice looking...

 

I used to rent a gas station in Delta Pa. and the landlord told us he was selling his house and he was going to remodel the garage into a family home.Being it was almost 4000 sq ft. right in the middle of town with other homes all around i guess it was a good choice. It did turn out nice...
(I guess renting to car guys didnt help as we were there all the time)


Steve

 

I agree with keeping the facade architecturally looking like the gas station with the Portico intact. I think it could be really bitchin.

Several years back someone on the east coast took an old Stude (?) dealer and made a home. It was awesome.

 

I would absolutely love to have a shop like that. Enough space for an office, upstairs storage (or upstairs office, depending), rest room, covered canopy to park your car under daily, or wash the car... I'd much rather have an old gas station as a shop than a house.

-Brad

 

I have seen a couple of gas stations home conversions on HGTV...pretty cool but I know alot of interruptions occur with people wanting to get air, maps, bathrooms, etc...

 

I have always thought that would be cool to convert an old gas station to live in. Either that or an old fire station!
You might have to apply for a zoning changed as well. It would be cool if you could still have the pumps functional for personal use, but with all the regulations who knows?
I think i remember seeing something like this on "offbeat america" or "whats with that house" or one of those shows on the home channel

 

I know where that's at! Didn't know it was on HGTV!

 

Clem's place is awesome...plan on partying there soon if all goes well!

 

I actually looked into buying a closed fire station in No. Hollywood back in the seventies but the LA building dept would not approve it to used as a private residence, no idea what the thought it should be used as. It would have been very cool, the front of our shop now kinda looks like a fire station.
Across the country many of the rural gas stations really were homes, we have one in Merced, gas pumps were out front covered by an awning, a small office and one car shop and the home in the rear, today the pumps are gone and the whole thing is the home, but if you look close you can still tell of it's former life.

 

I've seen a couple stations converted to retail spaces. Perfect because of their locations right next to the street. Living in them may be a hassle especially if you're right in traffic, like most of them are. Still, I fantasize about driving my car into those service bays with the big glass roll up doors and plopping myself in the couch conveniently located near by!

 

If ever in Sacramento, CA take a short ride up I-5 to Woodland. That is where you will find Reiff's Gas Station (reiffscasstation.com)-his house is part gas station, part dinner, part movie theater and lots of oil gas pumps and more. Need to call ahead (530-666-1758), as he has another business for income. While in Woodland check out the great Heidrick AG History Center & Hay's Truck Museum.

 

If I weren't married I'd buy an old warehouse and convert it to a shop/living quarters. A few years ago there was a Hamber that did just that. I was always jealous when he posted about working on his car in the living room and having the kitchen/dining room a few paces away.
The gas station idea would work also but with all of my junk (accumulated treasures) I'd have to buy and convert a half dozen of them.

Frank

 

mY WIFE WOULD KILL ME.bUT IT IS COOOOOOOOOOOOL

 

I'm currently doing something similar but,ass backwards!
I'm converting an old farmhouse (c.1860) into my new garage/workshop.
Would've been cheaper and easier to knock it down and build new but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

 

There is a old Pure station building on the front street in Douglasville Ga.
The station used in the Miss Daisy movie is in Lithia Springs,Ga. and its for sale.

 

Mark, That is a FANTASTIC looking building, I''m envious of you!

Nick.

 

I seem to remember some old Gulf stations from the 30s which were brick construction with an apartment above station. Believe one still exists in Trinity TX.

 

ypu, id totally do that also. cept i think my girl would be cool with it. just a matter of findin one in an area id like to live in....

 

In Mt. Shasta, CA there's an amazing station used as a private residence. It was one of eight Richfield stations built in the state and the only one built in the style of a Norman castle. Richfield had hoped to corner the market on both auto and airplane fueling and the station still has the 125' "beacon" tower in front of it. The station was built in 1930.

The building is located on a short stretch of old Highway 99 just south of town.

 

You wouldn't be if you saw it,Nick.It's a real shit hole!
Wet rot,dry rot,rotten lintels,rotten pointing,a rotten roof truss,the roof is 'nail sick'.Try finding a roofer who will do ,or even knows how to do dimminishing course slates!Should have knocked it down and had a big bastard car park!LOL.