Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The City of Howell is taking legal action against the owner of an abandoned gas station that’s long been an eyesore in the community.

Howell Gas & More is located at 401 E. Grand River at the corner of Barnard Street.

Mayor Bob Ellis tells WHMI the gas station has been abandoned and neglected for many years. He said they’ve tried to reach out to the property owner to get some improvements done but have basically gotten nowhere.

Ellis said it’s becoming a safety hazard and they’ll be taking the matter to court to get an order to demolish the structures on site.

The station has been sitting vacant for more than a decade and pending litigation comes after years of delays and revoked permits regarding the dangerous building.

Back in 2019, the City revoked renovation permits that had been issued to the owner, Fadi Kajy of Wixom-based FPD Properties, following several delays that had repeatedly kept the station vacant. The owner was previously cited by the city for making repairs without a permit as well as for allowing junk to accumulate on the property. There were alleged plans to remodel and re-open the gas station but those never came to fruition. It was formerly a Citgo station and Kajy purchased the closed gas station in 2014.

Ellis said there have been times that the gas station canopy didn’t seem stable and they were worried about falling debris. He said the owners put up a fence for a period of time and sort of secured the site but long term “it’s an eyesore that needs to go”.