Board grants variance to preserve Gordon gas station

Aug. 24—SUPERIOR — A historic one-of-a-kind gas station will get a second chance to serve the community in downtown Gordon.

Douglas County's Board of Adjustment on Wednesday, Aug. 23, approved a variance that will allow the gas station to be moved from its current location on South Packer Avenue to Douglas County Highway Y between the American Legion and Gordon Town Hall. Variances do not go to the county board for approval.

Land for the new location was donated by Ellie Connolly. John Sime and Julie Phelps have stepped up to personally finance the project and assume ownership of the building. Sime and Phelps plan to turn the building into Gordon Station, an ice cream parlor and tourist shop with plant sales outdoors.

"This project is sort of eight years in the making," said Brian Finstad, who served as the agent for the variance application submitted by Connolly.

In order to save the building, Finstad said they had to get the lot and the building donated.

The building is currently owned by ICO, which is planning to sell the property for redevelopment. Finstad said if the building isn't moved, it would be demolished.

The building is believed to be the last surviving model of a catalog order building constructed by the Butler Manufacturing Co. of Kansas City, Missouri.

"The company built gas stations and diners," Finstad said. "The Band Box Diner in Minneapolis is the last of the diners and we're pretty sure this is the last of the gas stations."

The company suspended construction of the prefabricated buildings during World War II and never resumed building them.

The prefabricated steel building was designed to be easy to assemble. The company designed the insulated, double steel panels to lock together, according to a 1939 catalog about the Butler Boulevard Stations.

Constructed in 1937, the building was originally located at County Highway Y along U.S. Highway 53 until it had to be moved to allow for reconstruction Highway 53, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. After the move, the original owner, Art Nelson, became affiliated with Shell and the business was known as Art Nelson's Shell Station until it was sold in 1969, the historical society's website states.

The variance approved by the board would allow relaxation of the lot size and width requirements, and will allow the building to be placed within the minimum setback of County Highway Y.

The proximity of a planned patio to the roadway prompted board members to place a condition that bollards are used to protect the public in the event a vehicle goes off the road. The board did allow large, heavy planters to be used as bollards to improve the aesthetics.

Finstad said the condition was workable but wouldn't likely be necessary.

Downtown Gordon is a 25 mph speed zone.

Board members questioned whether the project would need more than the two years allowed under the law, but Finstad said the project is ready to go once the variance was granted.

Judy Aspling, a 29-year resident of Gordon, said she was confident the project would get done quickly because Finstad is involved.

"The possibility of it not getting done ... Brian here is an engine," Aspling said. "If you want to have any idea how quickly he can get things to turn —

the fire tower

is standing because of Brian. It will happen, and it will happen quickly."

The building is tentatively scheduled to be moved intact on Sept. 15, Finstad said.

"We think it's essential to preserve this local part of our history," said Jan Jenson of the Gordon-Wascott Historical Society. "And this project is most definitely in the public's best interest ... Now is the time to make this project happen."