Patel, who owns other property in the area, said he planned from the start to restructure the entire business, from the building to its management.
“The property is 100% renovated, with new furniture, paint, and fixtures, as well as a new office and breakfast area,” Patel said, adding that a new patio area is also in the works.
In August 2022, the city of Vandalia filed a lawsuit to have the motel declared a public nuisance after the facility failed to correct multiple fire code violations, including a lack of functioning smoke detectors, dangerous electrical usage, defective fire exit doors, and failure of annual safety inspections.
The business was ordered to cease operation pending further court action. The motel was allowed to reopen one year later, in August 2023, after reaching an agreement with the city.
But just weeks after reopening, a fire broke out, shuttering the business once again.
Patel said the changes he’s made to the business go beyond structural. These include prohibiting smoking within the rooms, increasing security, and ceasing long-stay options, which had previously allowed customers to pay by the month.
He also closed and filled in the swimming pool, which he said had become a liability and attracted many outside visitors who were not paying customers.
All of this, he said, was in an effort to clean up the motel’s image.
“This is a really great location, so we wanted to make it a property that attracts customers from the airport and those traveling by highway,” Patel said Friday, adding that the average price for a room is now $80 per night, up from the previous $40 nightly rate.
City officials said the motel’s improvements give an “encouraging” outlook for the future of the business.
“We have been encouraged by the willingness of the new ownership to address the critical safety issues that required city action last year,” said spokesman Rich Hopkins. “We look forward to continuing that positive working relationship moving forward.”
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