By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Property abatements for two former motel properties in Hays will be heard by the Hays City Commission this afternoon.
If an abatement is ultimately approved by commissioners, and if the owner does not take action to remedy the issues, the city will hire a contractor to demolish the structure, and all costs of abatement will be charged to the property owner.
The Rodeway Inn Motel, 3404 Vine St., is owned by HKHR Hospitality Inc. and was shut down by the Kansas Fire Marshal last year for significant structural damage. On Oct. 5, 2024, the fire marshal was notified by the owner that the motel was closed.
Also under consideration for property abatement is the former Budget Host Inn, 810 E. Eighth St., owned by Mark Ottley.
In 2019, Ottley remodeled two of the closed motel buildings into apartments. In May 2020, three of the remaining four buildings were demolished.
City staff received building plans for the last building in June 2024 and completed a full plan review. No action has been taken by Ottley since then to obtain permits for the project.
Commissioners will also review an ordinance to establish a Reinvestment Housing Incentive District and a plan developing 101 houses and public facilities in the Tallgrass 2nd Addition, Phase 4 at the northeast corner of Wheatland Ave. and 22nd Street.
The developer, Heart of America Development Corporation of Ellis County, requests the district financing on a pay-as-you-go basis for 25 years.
Heart of America proposes that the city finance the majority of the district-eligible costs and construct the infrastructure, utilizing the district revenues to offset the city’s costs. Revenues will come from incremental property taxes revenues collected on the project site.
A low bid award will be considered for the construction of a stormwater equipment storage building by QMC, Inc., Gove County, for $292,650. QMC most recently built the Hays Microfactory.
The complete May 1 agenda is available here.
The work session begins at 4 p.m. in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.