(The Center Square) – Months of dialogue between residents and city officials over a proposed gas station in Shreveport’s historic Highland neighborhood raises questions about responsible development and homelessness challenges as leaders look to stem decades of suburban exodus.
The Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) unanimously approved a special-use permit Wednesday for the Southern Stop Market, a proposed gas station at the corner of Kings Highway and Highland Avenue that will sell beer and wine.
Homeowners worry that the ripple effect of adding another gas station would bring more social challenges to the area, along with increased traffic congestion and safety concerns.
The developer revised the site plan to better reflect the neighborhood’s character, incorporating architectural elements from nearby buildings and a pedestrian-friendly design, according to the application.
The case was originally approved by the commission, then appealed to the City Council, which sent it back to the original body. The commission approved it again Wednesday with conditions.
Business owner John Atkins, whose family has lived in the area since 1907, opposes the station because their approval does not take into account the challenges facing Highland. He told the planning commission that the city’s population has abandoned their neighborhood.
Opponents believe allowing a gas station with alcohol sales will exacerbate the problem of homeless and transient individuals trespassing, camping and loitering. The perception that the neighborhood is unsafe and deteriorating is driving homeowners away, they say.
Another gas station located in the area was cited as an example, with residents describing trash fires and encampments during the meeting’s public comments.
“Gutting the center of your city is untenable for the future of this town, if you’re not getting an increased population,” Atkins told The Center Square. “There is a perception that it’s lost and no one wants to put their money in there.”
“My line is Kings Highway,” he said. “If it crosses that point, what is to keep it from going further south, and then people will keep moving out to the suburbs. It’s getting harder and harder to keep the neighborhood afloat.”
Shreveport’s population has declined steadily since peaking at about 206,000 in 1980, falling to roughly 176,000 in 2024, according to census data.
In recent months, city officials have pointed to that trend while exploring ways to attract development. They hope to bring new development to city neighborhoods like Allendale and the Cooper Road.
However, the long-term solution for this area of Highland isn’t straightforward, as opponents say the gas station will make problems worse, whereas supporters aim to re-develop a longstanding vacant lot with a practical commercial business.
“This is the best shot to get that site back into commerce,” architect Jeff Spikes told the commission. Spikes is the project’s principal designer for M&M Capital Investments.
“As a resident of Shreveport, as a mother, as a working professional, as somebody who really, really loves this neighborhood, it makes no sense to have three gas stations back to back,” said Andia Augustin-Billy, associate professor of French and Francophone studies at Centenary College.
College and medical students looking for an apartment near campus are told not to search north of Kings Highway, Atkins said, adding that he doesn’t want that perception to spread farther south.
MPC staff concluded that a special permit was warranted for approval based on the corridor’s commercial zoning designation. There are no specific codes governing the proposal, so the recommendation relied on existing zoning classifications, Stephen Jean, MPC interim executive director, told The Center Square.
“For the MPC, any development is better than a concrete lot but what do we want for this area over the long-term?” Atkins said. “We have to get some real development in the center or we’re not going to have the center.”
He prefers a planned urban development project, which is a mix of housing – apartments or townhomes – with retail shops or office space.
