It’s not hard to miss the abandoned gas station at 5731 Baltimore Ave. when you drive into Hyattsville from the north.

It lies at the southern edge of Riverdale Park just as you enter the new Arts District Hyattsville, a reminder of the car dealerships that used to be in the area.

The Hyattsville Wire recently caught up with Mitchell Troy, environmental compliance specialist with the Maryland Department of Environment, to learn more about the state of the property.

According to a report on the Maryland Department of Environment’s website, in March 2008, certified contractors removed seven gas tanks from the property. The soil was then tested for contaminants including organic compounds, benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes, also known as the “BTEX” test.

“If there was any contamination, they remediated it,” Mitchell said.

So what is the future of the property? That remains to be seen.

Last February, owner Jey Edward of Silver Spring proposed putting a Dunkin Donuts on the site, but Riverdale Park officials argued that was not appropriate for the zoning.

In April, the city considered a plan to acquire the property through eminent domain, but it is unclear what the current status is and Edward is still listed as owner on state property records.