Development plan not submitted for former Days Inn property
Sep. 4—No development plan has been submitted to the city for the property of the former Days Inn Hotel downtown.
Beaver County resident Bruce Reed owns the property, which included a banquet center. The hotel burned in a Jan. 8 fire. The property was condemned on Jan. 25. Reed worked with the city to fence off the charred remains.
City Administrator Chris Frye said the city gave Reed a deadline of Aug. 24 to submit plans for potential redevelopment.
Now, Frye said code enforcement will begin putting the property on the demolition list, sending out citations and paperwork. He said he hopes the city and Reed can work out a demolition agreement instead of the city paying for it.
Angie Urban, executive director of the New Castle Citywide Development Corp., said city officials have not spoken much on how the space can be used as it was waiting for a plan from Reed.
Urban said the city would like to take advantage of the property's prime real estate location, which is close to the Washington Centre plaza, Riverwalk Bike Trail, Riverwalk Park and Shenango River.
"I know the rivers are an asset that we've never fully capitalized on," Urban said. "It would create a destination for some people."
Urban said she would like to see the space, however it's used, to take advantage of the river, whether it'd be incorporated into its functionality or simply for sight-seeing.
