L.A. Parker: Never-ending problems for hotel hurt city

Never in the history of this great city has there existed a more white elephant than the downtown hotel.

Lafayette Park Hotel and Suites has been closed since June 2017 and from the looks of work being done in front of the white elephant, no one should expect guests any time soon.

State authorities closed and evacuated Lafayette Park Hotel after owners failed to address numerous safety issues. Department of Community Affairs’ Division of Fire Safety identified serious sprinkler and fire alarm systems problems.

State officials created a disturbing list of other issues including:

•Carbon monoxide detectors not functioning in several rooms;

•Open junction boxes with exposed wiring;

•Failure to provide reports for sprinkler, fire alarm and kitchen suppression systems;

•Broken panic hardware on exit doors;

•Improper storage in elevator lobbies;

•Storage in electric rooms;

•Blocked exit doors;

•Storage in halls at the rear of the building;

•Panini makers used in the kitchen when the units were listed for residential use only; and

•Unsecured compressed cylinders.

Not exactly the way to run a hotel. Another interesting aspect of the hotel is that all five oak trees, starting with one near the main entrance and moving north toward the War Memorial, have died.

White elephant appears as a noun in Webster’s dictionary and describes as a possession that is useless or troublesome, especially one that is expensive to maintain or difficult to dispose of. Yes, it’s currently useless although the future of this capital city depends on having a vibrant, functional, successful hotel.

Amazingly, Trenton’s hotel issue escaped serious conversations from mayoral and city council candidates whether they support or want the property closed permanently.

Closing sounds insane as the future of Trenton must include a tourism component, one that highlights our city’s rich history and key role in securing U.S. separation from the British.

We have to sell our history from the skirmishes waged in the city’s Five-Points area near the Battle Monument to the Delaware River and downtown area where General George Washington and troops claimed the Battle of Trenton.

While Patriots Week in December attracts visitors and highlights Trenton’s historical value, this city should bank on establishing a tourist agenda that lures people here while offering connections to Princeton and Philadelphia. If people come, and they will when city officials produce a strong public safety agenda, guests will need some place to stay.

Case in point. In early December, representatives from Starbucks’ visited Trenton ahead of the opening of their coffee shop on South Warren St. The capital city no longer could be counted as the lone major U.S. town without a Starbucks.

Starbucks sent a regiment of coffee handlers who offered positive remarks about starting a coffee shop in Trenton. The coffee representatives, about a dozen or so, finished their work each night then drove to stay in Princeton hotels. They had meals, shopped and spent all their money in Princeton.

The Lafayette Park and Hotel listed just two blocks away. This is not rocket science which generates a question regarding why the hotel is not a hot topic for mayoral candidates and city council members.

“It was our hope that we would have the hotel running an online during my term. Unfortunately, that did not occur,” Mayor Eric Jackson said.

Jackson said hotel owner, Deepak Viswanath, has shown minimal interest in keeping the business afloat, “And it’s my understanding that there have been at least three or four interested buyers. But the conversations always ended without any progress. It’s a shame because that’s a great building that has lots of potential. In fact, the hotel should be the centerpiece of downtown Trenton.”

The 197-room hotel remains closed with no sight of reopening although workers appeared yesterday morning. A phone number posted on a hotel door did not connect to the property manager.

Jackson confirmed that he and Viswanath have not spoken in six months. “Maybe even longer. We have reached out to him several times but there’s been no communication,” Jackson noted.

It’s likely that Tuesday’s election will not deliver a mayoral winner which will mean a runoff in June. Let’s bring the hotel discussion on line during the next round of debates.

George Washington may not have slept in the city’s hotel but there’s thousands of people who would enjoy an opportunity to roam the city streets and learn about Trenton’s role in the Revolutionary War.

Trenton’s future connects directly to our city’s wonderful past.