New gas station threatens historical log cabin

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Some neighbors of a proposed gas station are furious they’re running out of time to stop the development from coming into their area on the city's northwest side.

They live near 51st Street and Michigan Road, and soon their new neighbor will be a 24 Hour Phillip's Gas station and Quickie Mart.

Many of them have lived there two decades or more. But last week they learned the owner of the land had sold it to a developer. And the developer was able to move ahead because the land is zoned for commercial use.

Pastor Richard Johnston, a neighbor, is worried. His home sits directly across the street, and he gets his water from a well, which will now be underground neighbors of the new gas storage tanks going in.

"I'm concerned for the safety of my family," said Johnston. "That I'm going to have gasoline coming into my water supply. That's a great concern to me as well as the runoff of the site."

The same issues concern Nick Sloan, who took up a petition at his school to stop the station from being built.

"I care about this partially because it would just bring crime to the area and gas could spill."

The only thing that could slow down the gas station is what's inside a building sitting on the lot. It's believed to be the last remaining log cabin built along Michigan Road in the 1830's.

"Finding out that there's a log cabin from the 1830's, which by the way is about the same time the road was built is an incredible historic find," said Jim Grey of the Historic Michigan Road Biway Commission.

Pictures prove it. The logs used to build the structure are still in place. This building has been an office site, floral shop and an interior decorator headquarters in recent years.

There's another neighbor who is not happy with the gas station idea. It’s millionaire, Christel DeHaan, who lives a short distance away.

The developer has notified the residents he will work with them and possibly disassemble the log cabin, so it can be moved.

But the permits are in place and he plans on breaking ground for the gas station Wednesday September 8th.