Gas Station and Convenience Store Proposed for Former Roseburg Rite Aid Building

ROSEBURG, Ore. - The former Rite Aid building in downtown Roseburg could be converted into a convenience store, gas station and multi-tenant commercial property under a proposal scheduled to go before the city’s Historic Resource Review Commission.

The project is proposed for 444 SE Stephens Street, near the intersection of Stephens Street and Washington Avenue. It appears on submitted construction plans as “Khan Oil Roseburg.”

Architect Scott McDonald submitted the application on behalf of property owner Sohail Khan. Plans call for remodeling a portion of the former Rite Aid into a convenience store while retaining additional space in the building for other commercial tenants.

A new fuel canopy and gas pumps would be constructed on the east side of the property, near SE Stephens Street. The proposal also includes underground fuel tanks, changes to parking and traffic circulation, and a relocated trash enclosure.

The former pharmacy drive-through canopy on the north side of the building would be removed. The existing trash enclosure would also be demolished and replaced with a new enclosure near a driveway on the northern portion of the property.

Although the building was constructed in 2006 and is not considered a historic structure, it is located within Roseburg’s Downtown Historic District. Exterior alterations within the district must undergo review to determine whether they are compatible with the surrounding area.

City planning staff is recommending that the Historic Resource Review Commission approve the proposal with several conditions.

Those conditions would require the new fuel-canopy columns and trash enclosure to use brick matching the former Rite Aid building. The canopy roofline would also need to match the style and color of the building’s existing parapet.

Proposed lighting would have to use fully shielded fixtures designed to prevent glare from reaching neighboring properties or the public right of way.

The commission is scheduled to consider the application during its meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, at Roseburg City Hall. The meeting agenda also lists public access through the City of Roseburg’s Facebook page.

No decision has been made on the proposal. Wednesday’s hearing concerns the project’s compliance with historic district design standards, and the development would still be subject to other applicable city reviews and permitting requirements before construction could begin.

The Historic Resource Review Commission Meeting packet can be found here.