Local Gas Station Seeking 24-Hour Operation

Several local residents urged the Hempstead town board on Tuesday to deny a gas station’s request to become a 24-hour convenience store, saying the move will cause more traffic and trouble in the area.

Quickmart, located at Ok Petroleum on Wantagh Avenue near the intersection of Hunt Road in Wantagh, and its owner, IBO Corporation, had its request to become a 24-hour operation heard at Tuesday night's Hempstead town board meeting in the Nathan H. Bennett Pavilion. The gas station is located across the street from MacArthur High School in Levittown.

“As it stands now, the quality of life is already being affected,” said David Gaffner, who lives in the vicinity of the gas station. “I don’t see how traffic won’t be increased by turning this into a convenience store. I hope you guys turn this down.”

Gaffner added that rowdy kids hanging out at Quickmart have forced him to come out of his house at 1 or 2 in the morning to chase them away.

IBO Corporation is seeking variances to allow the extension of its current, small convenience store into an area currently used as auto repair bays. It also seeks an exemption from having the required nine parking spots and have only six instead.

But residents say that the existing gas station already causes trouble for its cross street, Hunt Road, by bringing in traffic and people who apparently do illicit things. Councilman Gary Hudes pointed out that numerous arrests have been made near the location, and that after ignoring the Town’s request to landscape the property for eight years, the work was finally done a month before the application.

“I’m afraid if this convenience store goes in, traffic will get worse,” said Wayne Dugan, who lives three houses from OK Petroleum. “There’s going to be problems. Having a place open 24 hours will invite the kids and people to sell drugs or do whatever.”

Richard Prisco, a Great Neck attorney who represents IBO Corporation, said there may have mistakes done in the past, but the company will try to change its way.

“We want to do our best to make this a better property,” he said. “We want to try to do the best we can to be a good neighbor. We want to do what’s right to move forward.”

The Town board will vote on the request at a future meeting.

Town Supervisor Kate Murray asked that neighbors who couldn’t make it to the meeting to send letters in about the request for the public record. She also expressed skepticism on the proposal.

“You’re asking this board to take a leap of faith,” she said, “despite the seven years of being, frankly, a bad neighbor.”