THE APPLICATION OF GASOLINE STATION HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURAL INTERPRETATIONS TO PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL SITE ASSESSMENT PROJECTS

The environmental site assessment industry, under the legal charge of due diligence, completes many property assessments annually in the State of Illinois. The Illinois State Geological Survey (ISGS) conducts hundreds of such assessments annually on an contract with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). Most of these assessments are being conducted due to a known or suspected history of underground (fuel) storage tanks (USTs). The most common occurrence of USTs involves gasoline stations. Therefore, the diligent environmental professional should strive to develop research and interpretive skills to generate both an efficient and confident assessment of gasoline station sites. The initial historical site assessment often directs subsequent characterization efforts and significant expenditures which taxes both private concerns and public agencies. By increasing the level of awareness of environmental professionals relating to gasoline stations, improvements in both quality assurance and research efficiency are addressed. This presentation reviews numerous architectural and historical trends and features relating to the vehicle fuel retailing industry throughout the 20th century and is conducted with an emphasis towards the needs of environmental professionals. Many of the features and trends which are presented in connection with this gasoline station overview can be used to direct both the depth and breadth of site history investigations.