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City seeks to close south-side hotel on nuisance charges

IBJ Staff
July 12, 2011
Keywords
Arts & Entertainment, etc., City Government, Government & Economic Development, Hotels, Local Government, Public Safety, Real Estate & Retail, Tourism & Hospitality, Travel
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The city of Indianapolis wants to shut down a far south-side hotel and has filed a lawsuit against it owners to start the process.

Sean Bruske of Upland, Calif., and Indianapolis-based not-for-profit Reuse America Inc., owners of the Traveler’s Inn at 602 E. Thompson Road, face public nuisance charges and are accused of operating without a proper business license, as required by city ordinance.

The suit, filed on Monday, said that since July 2008 city police have made more than 1,200 runs to the hotel to respond to criminal, public safety and nuisance complaints.

“The activities that occur at Traveler’s Inn demonstrate the motel’s inability to operate a responsible business and provide a safe environment for overnight guests,” said Helen Marchal, a city prosecutor, in a written statement. “These property owners have created a public nuisance by allowing their property to become a hot spot for crime.” 

Charles Shafer, a board member for Reuse America, told local TV station Fox59 that his group acquired the property last year and has turned it into an affordable extended-stay hotel for low-income families. He said police calls have fallen to almost zero since the group added 24-hour security in March.
    

 


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  • ummm...
    marshallJuly 14, 2011 3:07 PM
    seriously jj? 1200 calls in three years? just in case you aren't able to do the calculation, that's more than three calls per DAY! excessive by any definition. and Tom, if the new owners cant be bothered to obtain the proper permits after four months of ownership, they've HAD their "chance(s)"...
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • NEXT DOOR
    FRANKJuly 12, 2011 9:24 PM
    This HOTEL is on Thompson Road next door to Red Lobster. While eating one evening children were trying to get in our parked car while their mother sat in a lawn chair watching them.
    This place is a eyesore
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • Nuisances?
    TomJuly 12, 2011 5:42 PM
    Let's see... While we're closing "nuisances", let's close Blackburn Terrace, Glendale Mall, OH; and the entire Broad Ripple Village complex. IPS needs to be closed, based on the number of fights, etc., that go on therein...

    The new owners have barely gotten started; let's give 'em a chance.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • Nothing but trouble
    M SyderJuly 12, 2011 1:46 PM
    We will be glad to see this place closed. Occupants have been nothing but trouble. Most of the people come and live in this hotel are criminals. It has been a trouble for the whole neighborhood. Every other day, the police is coming and finding criminals there but still we have reports of break ins and thefts being reported. City needs to take action and shut down this place.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment
  • other problems
    jjJuly 12, 2011 12:04 PM
    I wonder how much police protection and police runs go to circle city mall, or parking lots around the city, or the Circle.
    Maybe the prosecuter should close down these problems.
    Reply to CommentFlag Comment

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  1. The lack of street-level retail in this part of the Block 400 development is a huge oversight and somewhat perplexing given the high quality of recent city-backed developments downtown. This portion of an otherwise stellar development is going to have an extremely negative impact on the aesthetics, urban environment, walkability, and livability of the NW quad.

    I'm not sure why One America would oppose including retail. And I find it very hard to believe that the thousands of office workers literally footsteps away wouldn't be able to support new lunchtime destinations and other businesses along Illinois and Vermont. We've got to reconnect the disjointed segments of our blossoming downtown, not create yet another lifeless dead zone that no one wants to walk through. Sadly, that is exactly what this massive ugly single-use structure will accomplish.

    Why not follow the precedent set by the proposed garage in Broad Ripple and create an attractive mixed-use structure? Why does the city get it there but not downtown?

  2. Bear mind that DS is just not another lazy, rich kid. He attended Columbia grad school and was in investment banking for 4 or 5 years before joining his dad's company. An annual grant of stock options at market price would be the correct pay-for-performance program then no one could argue with it.

  3. This comes from an executive who gave his wife a Bentley as a wedding present. He is heir to billions of dollars. He should be working for a dollar a year and stock options only. Seems like a conflict of interest, time to bring in a non-relative as CEO. Haven't met him, but have heard his arrogance is legendary.

  4. If the property is improved, property taxes increase - more revenue. If AUL's employment grows, more income taxes - more revenue. If more people move and/or work downtown, it means more demand for goods and services, more employment, more taxes - more revenue, etc., etc. It's not just the city throwing money at big companies. There's much, much more. Yes, the project has private backing, but apparently not enough to make the deal work and therefore they don't have it covered. And while Marsh is a nice anchor, they are no credit tenant like a Kroger or somebody. And if the police department has a major shortfall, they need to reduce the force. This city has way too many policemen.

  5. It's hard to defend billionaires, but David Simon has created a tremendous amount of value for shareholders since joining the company. He is widely regarded as one of the best CEOs in America. The company is growing and making good strategic decisions. And Indy is fortunate to have SPG HQ'd here. Now, does that merit $120 million (about 15 mil over 8 years or so)? Maybe. But this family and David have truly built a business. Should Zuckerberg be worth $20 bil? Who knows. Hopefully David will be supportive of Hoosier charities like his family has.

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