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Opelika council suspends hotel license

The Observer Staff

BY MICHELLE KEY | PUBLISHER

OPELIKA — The fate of the Springwood Hotel was on the agenda for Tuesday night’s Opelika City Council meeting. There was a public hearing for the demolition of the hotel as well as a resolution to revoke the owner’s business license.
The hotel was the subject of a nearly four hour long due process hearing held on Sept. 3. Following the hearing, the council voted to table the motion to revoke the business license until the Oct. 1 meeting. Less than one week later, the state fire marshal’s office out of Montgomery, instructed the hotel’s management to evacuate the property. Local nonprofit organizations, the Opelika Police Department (OPD) and individuals have been assisting the residents of the hotel that were displaced since that time.
Hotel owner Pravinbhai M. Patel attended Tuesday’s council meeting with attorney Allen Sheehan from Capell & Howard P.C. in Opelika.
According to Sheehan, the building was inspected by Gordon L. Davis PE, a structural engineering firm based out of Montgomery.
During the public hearing Sheehan read the following statement from the engineering report:
“It is my opinion that no modifications or repairs to the primary structural components of this facility are necessary. It is my opinion that the framing members are functioning as should have been intended at the time of the design of this facility. It is my opinion that this structural is in a safe condition. It is also my opinion that some minor functional deficiencies exist due the deterioration of wall coverings and floor coverings. It is my opinion that this deterioration does not affect the satisfactory performance of this construction.”
In response to the statements by Sheehan, City Building Inspector Jeff Kappelman explained the specifics provided by the building codes pertaining to the resolution to demolish the building.
“We’re using the 2015 building codes,” he said. “Under Property Maintenance Codes, Section 108.1.1 – Unsafe Structures [It reads] ‘When a structure or equipment is found by the code official to be unsafe, or when a structure is unfit for human occupancy, or is found unlawful, such structure shall be condemned pursuant to the provisions of this code.’
“Now the checklist comes from Section 108.1.5 – Dangerous Structure or premises: ‘For the purpose of this code, any structure or premises that has any or all of the conditions of defects described below shall be considered dangerous.’
“I don’t have any architect plans.” Kappelman said. “No permits have been issued, the plumbing and electrical have not been addressed; smoke detectors were not found when I went there, I looked inside the buildings, the smoke barriers were completely gone, no fire stops or smoke partitions. This has not be obtained.”
After two motions to modify the resolution, the council ultimately voted to suspend rather than revoke the business license contingent on repairs being made and passing comprehensive city of Opelika building and fire inspections. The council also voted to remove the resolution for the demolition of the building from the agenda.
Ward Two Council Member Erica Norris voiced her concerns about how the matter has been handled.
“I still have some concerns about how this was conducted on the behalf of the city” she said. “I do not believe that we were fair in our dealings; I am not, not holding BRP Hospitality LLC responsible because they do have a lot of work that needs to be done over there.”
Norris mentioned that she had not received additional information that had been requested from various city officials.
“I am completely distrusting of this process,” she said.
When asked how he felt about the decision, Patel said that he “is positive about it and is confident everything will get resolved.”

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