Millerton’s former Getty to throw back to yesteryear

MILLERTON — In between his upcoming campaign for the North East Town Board and his business in Millerton, Associated Lightning Rod Company owner Rob Cooper has set his sights on the former Millerton Getty gas station on Route 44 with the intention of restoring the facility as an old time Mobil gas station.

“He’s going to refurbish the property and have it look so much better than it used to,” said North East Planning Board Chairman Dale Culver.

Located at 107 Route 44, across the street from CVS, the former gas station was previously occupied by Millerton Service Center from 1989 to 2003. Leasing the building from Getty Petroleum, Millerton Service Center owner Mike Lyman described the facility as “a very busy gas station.”

When Getty Petroleum began raising the rent to “an unreasonable amount,” Lyman decided to terminate the lease and moved his business to its current location on 52 South Center Street in 2003. With the property deteriorating, Getty Petroleum contacted Lyman in 2010 to ask if he could come back to Route 44 and help get the station running again.

“They gave it to us the second time rent-free to get the place up and running,” Lyman recalled.

Following his return to the facility at 107 Route 44, Lyman tried his best to manage the station. However, as a result of management issues, Getty Petroleum decided to close the building around 2013.

Channeling his interests as a collector of vintage gasoline signs, oil cans from the 1950s and 1960s and other similar memorabilia into the run-down facility, Cooper said he was interested in building a place where he could display the items he had collected. While his collection features memorabilia from other gasoline trade names like Esso and Texaco, he said the building would be strictly Mobil, envisioning a sign spelling out Mobil at the front of the building, red pegasus logo and all.

Like many models for old time gas stations, Cooper said his project will feature old gas pumps set on an island, though they will serve for aesthetic purposes only. While the gas pumps won’t be operating, he said he’s considered installing an electric charging station somewhere on the property, adding that it will be the only functioning component there. As far as the building’s structure is concerned, Cooper explained that he won’t be changing the structure, though he plans to remove the small addition that was installed years ago. Additionally, he intends to do some painting and panel work on the building and install glass doors to the building. With no current plans for the facility’s interior, Cooper will be focusing on restoring the exterior as an old-time Mobil gas station.

Because the facility was previously used as a gas station, Cooper said he had no issues with the North East Planning Board when he presented his idea. He officially purchased the building about six months ago, though he didn’t disclose how much he paid for the building.

Since his weeks will soon be busy with campaigning for  Town Board with fellow candidate Lana Morrison, Cooper said his work on the gas station will be completed as a weekend project.

“We’ll see how much work I can get done between now and November,” he said, adding that he’d like to have the gas station finished by either next spring or summer.