Parkersburg City Councilman Zach Stanley, center, explains his rationale for supporting the city’s purchase of the Economy Inn on Seventh Street during an Urban Renewal Authority meeting Tuesday at the Municipal Building. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

PARKERSBURG – The Parkersburg Urban Renewal Authority voted 5-2 Tuesday night to purchase the Economy Inn property at 1964 Seventh St. for $681,000.

The authority, composed of all nine members of Parkersburg City Council with two absent Tuesday, took the vote after 9 p.m. following discussion among members and statements for and against the move – particularly the price – from members of the community.

“Absolutely, guys, it’s a lot of money,” Councilman Zach Stanley said. “To me, we can’t afford not to do this.”

The purchase of the property for $490,000 was on the authority’s agenda in November, but Ajay Babariya, president of the Kishanpooja Corporation that owns the hotel, indicated he was not satisfied with that amount, which an appraiser contracted by the city determined as fair market value.

Both that figure, and the $530,000 cited by the owner’s appraiser, had estimated demolition costs of $170,000 and $180,000, respectively, subtracted from the overall amount, City Planner Connor LaVelle noted Tuesday. Documentation provided with the agenda indicated other factors, including that the hotel is the owner’s source of income and the need to relocate him and his extended family, went into determining the $681,000 price.

Parkersburg resident Sherry West holds up a sign she made questioning the Parkersburg Urban Renewal Authority’s proposed purchase of the Economy Inn on Seventh Street for $681,000 during Tuesday’s URA meeting. The authority later voted 5-2 to acquire the property for that price. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Councilman J.R. Carpenter asked why those aspects were being considered when it wasn’t an eminent domain purchase, in which the government compensates an owner for taking property they do not wish to sell. Assistant City Attorney Rob Tebay said going to court to determine the amount could result in paying more.

“That number, if we would choose to take the property by eminent domain, could be much higher than this $681,000 figure,” he said.

LaVelle said the property is about 1.4 acres and the 27,901-square-foot structures have 60 guest room, most of which are not in service because of safety concerns

Parkersburg resident Sherry West said she had been in talks in years past to sell the site as a realtor but could not because of its condition. She questioned the amount being considered, noting it was appraised by the county at $342,000 last year.

“You don’t take an appraisal and then go negotiate the price upward because they have a bad family situation,” West said.

Parkersburg City Engineer Adam Stout distributes maps of the floodplain near the Economy Inn on Seventh Street prior to Tuesday’s Parkersburg City Council meeting. Council, acting as the Urban Renewal Authority, voted 5-2 to purchase the site for $681,000 late Tuesday evening. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

Later in the meeting, LaVelle said the price before the authority was negotiated with the owner by Tebay and Development Director Ryan Barber.

“The property owner was initially firm on a higher price,” LaVelle said.

West said the owner could have addressed problems with the hotel in the past but didn’t. She also noted the purchase would use most of the money in the URA’s budget after council voted 7-0 during its regular meeting earlier in the evening to add $100,000 to that line item, bringing it to approximately $730,000.

Carpenter asked how the city would proceed with a previously approved eminent domain acquisition and subsequent demolition after the money was spent. Mayor Tom Joyce said the purchase money had already been allocated and demolition was handled out of a separate fund.

Two other residents objected to the price during the public hearing portion of the authority meeting, but Parkersburg resident Patrick Davis said he was in favor.

Parkersburg City Council President Sharon Kuhl, left, thanks Bible Baptist Church Pastor Dan Stevens after he and Police Chief Matthew Board presented her and fellow National Night Out organizer Debbie Jeffrey with roses as thanks for their work coordinating the Aug. 1 event during Tuesday’s council meeting. National Night Out encourages interaction between police and the community, particularly children. (Photo by Evan Bevins)

“This is a good purchase. I think it would help the city a lot,” he said.

Delegate Vernon Criss, R-Wood, said his family owns the Kroger on Seventh Street and it has been impacted negatively by shoplifting by people who stay at the hotel. And as a legislator, he said clearing the site would give the city land to develop.

“There are other problems that we’ve got in the city, and this will be one less if we take care of this,” Criss said.

In documents provided with the agenda, LaVelle noted a history of inspections and code violations at the property, as well as citations from the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department. Councilwoman Wendy Tuck said they appeared intermittent and asked if more could have been done by the city to correct the issues over the years.

“I have questions about (if) we failed, in a way, to do our part in enforcing that the motel would be maintained and repaired,” she said.

LaVelle said the records cited were examples and did not include all inspections and citations. In the past, there was a pattern of the property being cited and some repairs being made, he said. An inspection in 2022 led to the discussion that resulted in the owner inquiring about the city purchasing the property in the first place, he said.

Police Chief Matthew Board said he’s worked in the department for 21 years and the hotel “has been trouble for 21 years.” There were 55 calls for service to the hotel in the last 12 months, with nine arrests there and four overdoses, he said.

“It’s a large amount of money, (but) it would benefit not only that property but the surrounding properties if we could snuff that out,” Board said.

Council President Sharon Kuhl said she was not happy about the $681,000 price tag but believed it would be worth it to remove the hotel. It would improve conditions for businesses in the area, she said, citing LaVelle’s statement that businesses along Seventh Street from Park Avenue to the city limits contributed more than $500,000 in business and occupation tax revenue last fiscal year.

Carpenter and Tuck voted against the motion to purchase the property, with Councilwoman Jesse Cottrille and Councilman Bob Mercer absent.