GAS UP

Gas has been on everyone’s minds lately, and the recent purchase of the Admiral gas station at 336 Fulton St. downtown has given residents another reason to be concerned. However, while some residents are worried about being able to fuel up conveniently in a city with only three gas stations, the response has been overblown and misdirected.

True, the availability of gas stations in Grand Rapids is limited,
but most thriving cities don’t have gas stations within their boundaries, and those that do exist are few and far between.

But there are plenty of other opportunities to get gas — or cigarettes, or pre-class snacks — in the areas just outside of Grand Rapids and on common commuter routes, so the inconvenience should be minimal for those who plan ahead.

Grand Rapids is actively trying to distance itself from the “dying city” moniker that earned it national attention in Newsweek, and part of that process is replacing businesses that add little value with those that will help the city grow into a thriving business hub.

Replacing the Admiral station — an eyesore at best — with something that will add value is a smart move for the city, and for Grand Valley State University.

Even if the property ends up as a parking lot for the new Seidman Center for Business, that property is going to contribute to economic growth and bring in greater numbers of future GVSU students, widening GVSU’s already almost $700 million economic impact in the area.