TITUSVILLE, Fla. – A local mall is using an aggressive strategy to get a gas station to stop a leak that the mall says is contaminating its property and contributing to a pause in construction of a new mall in its place.
Tuesday, management at the Titusville Mall used heavy construction equipment to build a barricade of dirt, gravel, and culvert pipes between its parking lot and a Cumberland Farms.
General manager Mark Frank told your Titusville Community Correspondent James Sparvero the leaks have been coming from the gas station for 40 years.
“For four years, we have been trying to get them to clean up their leaks and spills that have been going on for decades,” Frank said. “We figured, finally, we’re gonna get their attention by blocking two of their entrances to our property.”
A bulldozer dumped the dirt, and then another construction vehicle laid down the culvert pipes.
Private security looked on from the Cumberland Farms’ side of a red line in the road to be sure nothing was dumped on the gas station’s property.
“We’re doing something,” Frank said. “I don’t believe it’s petty. I actually think it’s pretty clever.”
Frank said contamination from the leaks is part of the reason why constructing a new mall on the property has been put on hold.
In 2022, the city approved the modern shopping development that includes restaurants, apartments, a hotel, and a living facility for seniors.
Now, Frank’s hoping the city hears his complaints.
“I mean, we have a lot of money riding on getting this mall complete,” he said.
Employees at Cumberland Farms didn’t want to be a part of this story.
News 6 and ClickOrlando.com will add if their corporate office responds to the leaks and what the mall is doing,