Order to demolish former Quik Mart at prominent intersection tabled yet again

By WVUA 23 News Reporter Kennedy Payne

If you live in Tuscaloosa, you’ve undoubtedly passed the long-since former Quik Mart gas station on the corner of 15th Street and McFarland Boulevard in Tuscaloosa.

The building was among the thousands damaged in the April 27, 2011, tornado that decimated the city. Ever since then, the Quik Mart has been closed. For years, it was left in disrepair, with empty holes that were once windows and a mess of metal where gas pumps once sat.

The dilapidated building has long been a topic of discussion for the Tuscaloosa City Council, with city-mandated demolition on the table.

Tuesday night’s meeting was the latest instance of demolition being brought before the council, and once again the decision has been tabled. This time for 120 days instead of 60.

Since February, those empty holes have been covered — first with plywood and now by vinyl siding painted a stark white. The gas pump remnants have been removed and the building looks almost, but not quite habitable.

According to the city, the property still has 41 code violations.

The next time the Quik Mart’s fate will be up for discussion is Jan. 9, 2024.