By Joe Bachman
Multimedia Editor

STEVENS POINT — The owner of a local hotel has been ordered by the city to repair or raze his property.

Mike Patel is the owner of Comfort Suites, located on 300 Division St. The building was deemed uninhabitable by city inspectors on May 7, and has been closed indefinitely. He has 60 days to comply with the city.

A city legal published in the Portage County Gazette reads:

“PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that you are hereby ordered by the undersigned Building Inspector of the City of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, to repair or raze the principal building now located at 300 Division Street North. Stevens Point, WI 54481 on the basis that such building in its judgment is so old, dilapidated or in disrepair so as to be dangerous, unsafe, and unsanitary for use and occupancy. You may either make the building safe and sanitary or raze it, at your option.”

If the property owner is to raze the building, he must restore the site to a dust and erosion-free condition. Otherwise, he has 60 days to undertake “reasonable” measures to repair the building. In the case of repair, Patel would have to secure a supervising professional engineer to oversee the repair work, as well as give the city a timetable to carry out such repairs.

If no action is taken by Patel, the city reserves the right to take the property over to raze or restore the building with the costs to be assessed to Patel. In addition, the city calls for an evacuation of the building within three days of the published order (June 28).

Complaints have been made through various mediums regarding the hotel’s alleged dilapidated conditions over the past year.