No to Gas Station, Yes to Collaboration

As community members and taxpayers, we are appalled to see the potential sale of the Calahan property in the heart of Key Center for the development of yet another gas station that does not serve a community need. Instead, we believe there should be a community process to determine the use of the front porch of the Key Peninsula.

Key Center is our one true “town” on the KP, and we envision it as a place that welcomes people to gather and belong — a vibrant, walkable center that reflects the Key Peninsula’s character and pride.

This property is at the heart of the community. A single vehicle-oriented use would have an outsized visual and social impact. Research has shown that when prominent community sites are developed for industrial uses — like gas stations — they signal neglect and disinvestment, accelerating perceptions of blight and discouraging local investment.

Rather than inviting people in, a gas station would erode our town’s sense of place, reducing its appeal to residents and visitors. While we understand why a market-rate offer is appealing, we believe that selling the property to a gas station developer sells out our community.

There is great potential in this property to serve as a community space where people can gather and congregate. We are initiating meaningful community engagement about the future of this property, one where local voices and stakeholders are involved in shaping a shared vision for what the “doorstep” of our town can be.

We, the Key Center Commons Working Group, are local friends, neighbors, business owners, and longtime community members, advocating for a process that takes the voices of taxpayers and the broader community’s needs into consideration. We bring the expertise and capacity to support and partner with the Key Peninsula Fire District to ensure this cornerstone property benefits the community for decades and beyond.

Key Center Commons Working Group

Dr. Lysanna Anderson, Home

Sarah Anderson, Lakebay

Madeleine Spencer, Longbranch

Dr. Anne Junod, Glen Cove

Matt Hildreth, Glen Cove

Anna Brones, Home 

Caren Halvorsen, Glen Cove

Alexandra Carter, Glen Cove

Michele Gorman, Longbranch