Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Bethesda gas station sells for $3,000,000 (Photo) #DC #Westbard

The W Express gas station at 5143 River Road has been purchased by Woodbridge-based Petroleum Marketing Group for $3 million, according to Maryland real estate records. Mid-Atlantic Petroleum Properties, LLC of Germantown was the seller. This is somewhat positive news for drivers concerned about Bethesda's few remaining gas stations being flipped into luxury apartment buildings.

PMG is a major mid-Atlantic gas station owner and petroleum dealer, so it's not simply a real estate investor trying to flip properties in the new Wild West of Montgomery County zoning and planning. While it would not be immune to a new Westbard Sector Plan that would incentivize the demolition of gas stations (as the November 2014 draft of the plan has), the company is more likely to stick with gas for the near term at least.

The impact of gas station closures on the price you pay at the remaining Bethesda stations is clear. W Express is in close proximity to several competitors, unlike the overpriced gas you'll find at downtown Bethesda's remaining stations. In fact, W Express currently has the lowest gas price in Bethesda, according to GasBuddy.com - $2.47 (cash), as of this morning.

Keeping these stations in operation along River Road is of benefit to drivers and businesses in the greater Bethesda area, as gas prices are a major factor in consumer spending power.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good news for once! Thanks, Robert!

Anonymous said...

photo?

Anonymous said...

The Giant gas station in Chevy Chase is the same price as the W, and often cheaper, and that's before the Giant grocery discount. Although it doesn't have a Bethesda address, it's closer to downtown Bethesda than the W.

Anonymous said...

Shell takes Giant points also, so it makes their higher prices more reasonable.

Many manufacturers recommend Top Tier Detergent Gasolines, and Shell is among them.

http://www.toptiergas.com/

Citgo, Sunoco and others are not certified Top Tier.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the purchase is purely speculative and the new owners plan to raze the station in a couple of years in order to build more highrise buildings? $3million may seem like a bargain, who knows?

Anonymous said...

I could see that corridor being all high rises on either side of River Road up to Little Falls parkway.

Bull said...

Is that the place that always has the old Land Rovers lined up?

Anonymous said...

Liberty on bradley blvd/arlington has many land rovers parked

Robert Dyer said...

12:43: So does the Montgomery County Planning Department... And an "urban school" in an industrial area. "No athletic fields, just brownfields, kids!"