Waterville May Soon Get a New Gas Station / Convenience Store

People often joke about the sheer number of a certain business an area has.

Yes, we're looking at you chain coffee shops!

But, there is no denying that having a couple more gas stations is beneficial to a given area.  This is especially true on busy streets and roads where crossing traffic can be a real pain in the butt.

Yes, we've all been there!  You need a pack of gum, a coffee, or maybe you need a gas fillup, but going to a gas station would require you to cross a busy road.  Then, after you've made your purchases, you'd need to fight traffic to get back on the road in the correct direction.

Well, it looks like that dilemma may soon be a lot less common for people in the Waterville area.

According to an article on the KJ website, the construction of a new Rusty Lantern store in Waterville is being proposed.  If constructed, the store would sit near the intersection of Main Street and North Street in Waterville

The proposed 24-hour market would feature a kitchen preparing fresh food for takeout and a cozy seating area with a fireplace, said Curtis Neufeld, an engineer representing First Priority Capital LLC.  The Irving gas station would have three fueling pumps, allowing up to six customers to fill their vehicles at once.

Neufeld told the Planning Board on Tuesday that the buildings at 220, 222, and 224 Main Street would be demolished to make room for the project.  Those properties, owned by businessman Bill Mitchell, currently house apartments and offices.

According to Neufeld, Mitchell and First Priority Capital plan to assist tenants whose leases expire in the spring in finding new housing. If the project is approved, construction would begin as soon as possible.

If construction were to start in the spring, it is expected that the store would open in late summer.

Plans show the store would cover about 5,150 square feet and operate with three shifts, employing up to five workers per shift.

Of course, some people are not happy about the project.  They do not object to the convenience that the new store would bring, but they have concerns about the people living in the apartments that would need to be demolished.  Given how tight the housing market it is, there are concerns that some of those people may not be able to find a place to live.

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