SEAFORD, Del. — An old hotel along Route 13 in Seaford that was slated for demolition may get a second chance after property owners said they have a plan to revive it.
The Seaford City Council voted in October to demolish the long-vacant Seaford Inn, which closed in 2020 and has deteriorated significantly. Pieces of the walls and roof have fallen off, and the property has been fenced off to prevent people from entering.
Shila Torres, who manages the Plaza Tapatia next door, said the condition of the building has become a concern.
“I remember back in 2012, it was a very good place there," Torres said. "I'm waiting for something to change because it does not look good for us either."
City officials have cited the building's deterioration and the potential for new development as reasons for demolition, which is estimated to cost approximately $450,000.
However, property owner Sonny Patel recently presented a proposal that could spare the city that expense. At this week's council meeting, Patel stated that they are planning to sell to new owners who intend to restore and reopen the hotel. He said the deal is expected to close on January 26th.
“They have already spoken to brands, they have a property improvement plan, and they have engineering plans,” Patel said to council members Tuesday evening.
Some city council members expressed skepticism, noting that similar promises have been made in the past without results.
“We've been through this before, we've heard the same thing before," said Mayor Matt MacCoy. "I'm just going to be honest, my patience is pretty much tapped. Because our resident's patients is pretty much tapped."
Despite the concerns, the council unanimously voted to temporarily halt demolition plans to give the potential new owners time to move forward.
Mayor MacCoy said the council will give the prospective new owners 60 days to demonstrate concrete progress. If no meaningful steps are taken by mid-March, the city may proceed with demolishing the building. Those steps include obtaining proper permitting and agreements, along with a site plan.
Some folks WBOC spoke with on Thursday said something needs to be done with the property, regardless of the outcome.
“This city needs something to attract people. Right now, it's not attracting people very much because there's nothing really here to attract us. We need something beautiful,” said Rose Marie Taylor.