After year of renovations, local gas station opens with new name
By Kim Wilmath
For The Herald

At the Pure gas station, all the underground pipes were replaced during a renovation effort for the past year while the station was closed.

HIGH SPRINGS - The Pure gas station on First Avenue is open for business after being closed more than a year for renovations.

Carolyn Depka, manager of Pure, said the station closed in December when Almond Oil Co. bought it from Delco Oil. The station reopened April 14.

Chris Almond, vice president of the company, said revamping the old station cost about $500,000.

All the old underground pipes were replaced with newer, double-walled ones. Almond said the change makes the station more environmentally friendly because it would prevent any chemicals from leaking into the ground.

He said because the station's equipment was nearly outdated according to current Environmental Protection Agency standards, the station would have had to make the changes within a few years anyway. Renovating while the station was closed during its change of ownership made it easy.

In addition to the pipes, he said new fire detection mechanisms also were installed. Heat sensors around pumps will automatically activate extinguishers in the case of fire-level temperatures.

In a couple weeks, the station will complete construction on a new 24-hour commercial fueling area for business owners and city officials, who will use special credit cards to gain access to the pumps after hours and pay for gas.

Finally, within about a month, the station will allow customers to buy diesel or agricultural fuel wholesale and have it delivered, Almond said.

Besides all the equipment updates, he said, the gas station has a whole new look.

"We spent a lot of money on imaging," he said.

A new paint job outside and inside and more current-looking pumps make the old station seem brand new, Almond said.