Latest news with #RamadaInn
Chicago Tribune
16-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Column: With razing, Ramada site opens door for new life
The much-maligned former Ramada Inn is gone, the space now a forlorn, empty lot, home only to an oversized backhoe. It took long enough for the troublesome Waukegan property to be razed to the ground. The last thing standing from the edifice is the sign for Stretch's Bar & Grill, the final occupant of the once-grand hotel. Getting rid of the vacant hospitality complex comprised of five buildings was a tough call for city officials under two mayoral administrations. During Mayor Sam Cunningham's first term in office, the owners of the property were threatened in 2019 with the demolition of the buildings. The mayor, elected to a second term in April after being out of office for four years, has seen that action come to fruition, even though he lobbied owners in 2019 to fix up the property and keep it as a functioning hotel. Making it something worthy of its location may also be challenging. Yet, Waukeganites can agree that anything is better on the five-acre site than a charming six-foot-tall chain-link fence surrounding the boarded-up hotel at 200 N. Green Bay Road, near Brookside Avenue. The eyesore had been an empty blemish, abandoned by the hotel operator in 2018 with all furnishings left behind, including everything guests would need, such as beds. The empty hotel became a favorite home for inventive squatters seeking shelter as electricity and water were still available. City police shagged or arrested nearly 50 individuals over the years, including eight who had outstanding warrants, in the time it took to wreck the building. There were two killings of apparent drifters in 2023. Graffiti adorned boarded-up windows. Adding to the decaying site were two fires, believed to be intentionally set. Another calamity was burst pipes, adding to the hotel's distress. The complex was red-tagged repeatedly by city inspectors. Which was too bad. If location, location, location is the mantra of the real estate industry, the former Ramada site is a top-shelf realty spot. Busy Green Bay Road is a booming sector in that part of Waukegan. The old hotel was neighbors with busy auto dealers and mini-malls, along with nearby apartments. Folks by it must be gleeful to see the two-story scar come down, memories of the tarnished site hauled away with tons of debris from the bulldozed site. Once, the Ramada was a prime spot for visitors, its dining room a destination in the 1970s and '80s for families, especially its Sunday brunch, which shamed many spreads in close-in North Shore communities. Parents of sailors graduating from 'boot' camp at Naval Station Great Lakes used the hotel as their base when viewing the naval pomp of summer graduation ceremonies held on Ross Field. The Ramada more than rivaled Waukegan's other hotels located downtown, which were heading for hosting their last guests. Their names remain for many, even though over the years few of the buildings stand and those that do have been turned into housing. The Clayton, The Waukegan, The Karcher, The Plaza and The Travel Lodge all attracted visitors, with businessmen and sales reps calling on the legacy industries which dotted the city's lakefront and provided local jobs for thousands. It was a golden age for Waukegan's once-flourishing hospitality industry. With the boarded-up buildings on the city's near-West Side leveled, the future is wide open for what can replace the rundown hotel. The site has new life after decades of first being a fancy hotel and then a blight. Currently, it remains in limbo over what will happen moving forward, but the Ramada headache is over for city officials and residents. An extension of one of the car dealers' properties could happen. Certainly, the location can be repurposed into something useful and better looking. It's doubtful another hospitality chain would take a chance and build another hotel/motel. Before its demise, proposals over the years included transforming the site into apartments or senior-citizen housing. Those sound like good starts to kick off planning for what comes next. Developers and city planners have an empty canvas to work with as the scar thousands of motorists journeying along Green Bay Road have seen daily no longer exists. An empty lot surely is better than a deteriorated hulk.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
More than 20 cars broken into at College Park hotel, police investigating
A trip back home to Atlanta for Marcel Lewis turned into a nightmare Saturday night. He parked his car at the Ramada Inn on Old National Parkway Tuesday. When he returned, it was broken into and burglarized. Marcel Lewis told Channel 2's Cory James, 'they stole my registration papers and some shades, those were Gucci's.' Lewis said he paid about $50 for the entire week to park in the extended parking lot. He said it was convenient since he flying out of Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] College Park Police told Channel 2 Action News about 25 vehicles were broken into Wednesday. 'They should do something be more proactive as far as hiring a full-time guard,' said Lewis. We reached out to the hotel for comment. The front desk sent a statement that said, 'We are actively cooperating with local law enforcement as they conduct their investigation, and we are also carefully reviewing our own internal security policies and protocols.' TRENDING STORIES: Officials identify north GA man who killed wife, girlfriend before turning gun on himself Missing man found dead near GA river Woman shot at MARTA Midtown Station [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'We're getting closer': Ogdensburg officials will look at all options for future DRI applications
May 19—OGDENSBURG — If the City of Ogdensburg decides to submit an application for the next round of the state's Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) funding, it will take a look at all of its options and decide whether the Marina District will be the focus once again. The DRI program, in its eighth round of funding after launching in 2016, recently awarded $10 million to Malone. An amount of $10 million is awarded to one community in each of the state's 10 Regional Economic Development Council regions. The northern communities of Plattsburgh, Watertown, Saranac Lake, Potsdam, Massena, Tupper Lake, Ticonderoga and Lowville have been DRI recipients. Ogdensburg has once again missed out on the funding. Mayor Michael Tooley said that he felt that the river community had presented a compelling and strong argument for the $10 million in funding. "We were certainly disappointed. We thought, in talking with staff, that it was our strongest application to date," Tooley said. "In terms of presentation, in terms of depth of presentation and with over 150 letters of support from community businesses and citizens we were optimistic that we had a shot. We certainly congratulate Malone on its award and trust that the money will go to good use." The city's most recent application focused on the Marina District, which city officials admit is a "non-traditional" location for funds seeking to improve and rehabilitate downtowns. Projects included 7 Brown St. which would transform a vacant building into a neighborhood eatery with outdoor seating and gathering spaces, as well as the former Ramada Inn at 119 West River St. with the project transforming the former hotel into a resort, spa and retail center. Other smaller projects include renovations to the Richard G. Lockwood Civic Center, park improvements as well as investments in public infrastructure. "We feel we're getting closer," said the mayor. "We still feel that we can be a strong candidate." If the city decides to submit another DRI application, Tooley feels that a volunteer committee, formed in 2024, should be used again to assist with the application process. The committee helped the city receive more than 150 letters of support that was submitted with the DRI application. "I thought that was very important. Some interesting things about that committee, it was a 15-person committee, but about half of the members had been citizens for less than five years. It showed that people coming into the area were interested in the city and they brought a fresh outlook I would say," said Tooley, "I thought that was very valuable in the work that they did." City Manager Fonda Chronis said if the city decides to apply for DRI funding in the next round it would not be the same application as submitted previously and changes would have to be made. "It's highly competitive and you never know who your competition will be year to year but the key are the projects. The private projects. The investment. The state wants to see private dollars being leveraged against their investment," Chronis said. The city will need to make sure developers are still interested in participating and potentially adding either developers or projects into the mix, according to the city manager. "The more private sector proposals you have out there, the stronger your application is," Chronis said. Chronis contends that the Marina District is a viable candidate for the DRI funding. However, everything will be looked at. "The question is, what is next best option for us and right now I would argue that it's that Marina District area but we also have to step back and say OK, we did something that was a bit non-traditional. I think we got good feedback on it and we just have to decide if that's the direction we go in. If I was set in stone, I think that would be a mistake. We want to look at all of our options," Chronis said. The city is still waiting to hear word on funding from Empire State Development (ESD) through its Restore NY program that would allow two projects to move forward with demolition, rehabilitation and reconstruction. The Restore NY program "provides municipalities with financial assistance for the revitalization of commercial and residential properties" and encourages community development and neighborhood growth through the elimination and redevelopment of blighted structures. At 119-135 West River St., At the Docks LLC is seeking $3.5 million in Restore NY funds for its $10,000,000 project that would "rehabilitate, reconstruct an abandoned waterfront hotel property consisting of an old abandoned hotel and two historic stone buildings that have been vacant for over 16 years, transforming the property into a vibrant destination that offers unique accommodations, dining, and recreational experiences for visitors and residents alike," according to a letter to the city from At the Docks principal owners Christoper R. and Michael P. Frary. William Hosmer, managing member of Small City Brewing Company, LLC, has requested $935,000 for its $1,039,453 project at 110 Lake St. "Small City Brewing Company (SCBC) will revive a 4400 sqft vacant building to manufacture craft beers in Ogdensburg's Marina District, an economically distressed and former brownfield opportunity area, one of the City's main focuses of local revitalization," wrote Hosmer, "The building will include a commercial grade brewing system and kitchen as well as a tasting room and additional space for private events. The outdoor space will consist of a patio with large tables, firepits, lawn games, landscaping and charming outdoor lighting. SCBC also plans to wholesale to North Country restaurants and bars."
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Yahoo
5 arrested for murder after man robbed, killed at hotel: HCSO
The Brief The Highlands County Sheriff's Office says five suspects have been arrested for the murder of a 21-year-old man. Deputies say the suspects robbed and shot Elijah Daley on May 8 at the Ramada Inn off U.S. 27 in Lake Placid. The suspects face first-degree murder charges. LAKE PLACID, Fla. - Five people face murder charges after Highlands County deputies say the group violently robbed a 21-year-old man in a hotel room, leaving him shot to death. The backstory The sheriff's office says the shooting happened last Thursday, May 8, at the Ramada Inn off U.S. 27 in Lake Placid. According to HCSO, deputies found the body of Elijah Daley in a room at the hotel. Deputies say three people who initially claimed to be witnesses told investigators that they were in the room with Daley when a masked man forced his way in and shot the victim three times during a struggle. Detectives say it became clear within hours that those three people – J'Mari Mitchell, 18, La'niyah Mcleod, 19, and Yoshabelle Edouard, 19 – had been involved in setting up the robbery that led to the shooting. The sheriff's office says surveillance video helped identify the suspected shooter as Latarius Johnson, 26, who was arrested on Friday night in Sebring. Jyer'Markis Jenkins, 20, is accused of driving Johnson to and from the scene, with deputies saying he was arrested after a high-speed pursuit. READ: FSU shooting suspect Phoenix Ikner charged with first-degree murder What's next All five suspects face first-degree murder charges, while Johnson is also charged with armed robbery. The sheriff's office says the suspects could face the death penalty if prosecutors decide to pursue capital punishment. Follow FOX 13 on YouTube The Source This story was written with information from the Highlands County Sheriff's Office. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 13 TAMPA: Download the FOX Local app for your smart TV Download FOX Local mobile app: Apple | Android Download the FOX 13 News app for breaking news alerts, latest headlines Download the SkyTower Radar app Sign up for FOX 13's daily newsletter
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
21-year-old man killed at Lake Placid motel: deputies
LAKE PLACID, Fla. (WFLA) — A man was killed at a motel in Lake Placid on Thursday. The Highlands County Sheriff's Office was called to the Ramada Inn shortly after 5 a.m. 'I want him to know the pain': Victim reacts to judge sentencing Olympus Pools owner Deputies said the homicide victim is a 21-year-old man. They did not release any additional information about the incident. Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to contact the Highlands County Sheriff's Office at (863) 402-7200 (option 1). Anonymous tips can be left via the HCSO smartphone app or with Heartland Crime Stoppers a 1-888-400-TIPS (8477). You can also submit a tip by visiting and clicking on 'Submit A Tip' tab or by downloading the free 'P3tips' app on your smartphone. Crime Stoppers tips are always anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
