PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — Petersburg city leaders are expected to give more information today about what will happen to the Old Ramada Hotel that sits on Washington Street.
Earlier this month, city council adopted an ordinance declaring the old hotel a ‘blighted property’ and a public nuisance to the community. Leaders then directed the city attorney and city manager to compel the owner to remove it.
With permission from the owner, the city inspected the property in January to find any potentially dangerous conditions.
Related coverage: City of Petersburg inspects dilapidated Ramada Inn
A month prior in December 2020, they issued a letter to the owner saying the property has had issues dating back 2013 and that under new ownership, the conditions had only gotten worse.
The letter stated in part,
“I am writing you with regard to your property located at 380 E. Washington Street, Petersburg, Virginia (the “old Ramada Hotel”). As you know, this property has a long history of Property Maintenance Issues dating back to 2013 wherein the City issued a Repair or Demolition Notice to the former owners for violations of the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code and Virginia Property Maintenance Code. Since your acquisition of the property the conditions have continued to deteriorate. In October of 2019, you were issued a Notice of Violation and ordered to remove loose materials that could endanger life or damage property, and to properly secure the entire building and lot to prevent entry. Criminal summonses for these ongoing issues remain outstanding for you in relation to these violations.”
Related coverage: Abandoned Petersburg hotel concerns neighbors
Leaders say efforts to address the dilapidated conditions of the building are ongoing.
Petersburg City Council is expected to give more information at 11 a.m.
Stick with 8News for updates.
