The idea of converting an abandoned motel on one of the city’s busiest streets into an assisted living center was discussed earlier this week during a meeting of the Pine Bluff City Council’s Development and Planning Committee, but so far, it is only an idea.
Mandos Services LLC, based in Hicksville, New York, bought the Regency Inn, formerly known as the Admiral Benbow, in July 2016 from Voy Hotels LLC, paying $76,808. The property is located on East Harding Avenue directly across from the Broadmoor Shopping Center.
Code Enforcement Director Evelyn Horton said the owners want to establish a 75-bed assisted living facility on the 224,770 square foot space.
Despite the city’s instructions to the owners to clean up and secure the property, that has not been done. Alderman Glen Brown Jr., chairman of the committee, told a representative of the owners during a conference call Tuesday that the cleanup needs to be done by Sept. 30.
No plans for converting the former motel, which is on the city’s condemned list, have been submitted, but the owner’s representative said those will be submitted by the end of the year. Those plans must include a review of the property by a structural engineer.
According to the Jefferson County Assessor’s Office, the 5.16 acre property was valued at $300,800 last year.
“We need to be aggressive and follow through on the cleanup and securing the property,” Brown said.
