Doors to Comfort Suites locked by city

By Brandi Makuski

City crews on Wednesday secured the Comfort Suites building, 300 Division St. North.

Several police and fire units, along with city building inspectors, were on site to ensure the building contained no squatters, and that the structure was absent of imminent fire danger, before the locks were changed by Midstate Lock.

“All the paperwork had already been issued to the owner, they were aware of it, and we finally carried it out today,” said Lt. Jeremy Mueller from the Stevens Point Police Department on July 3.

City inspectors temporarily closed the north side hotel on May 7 over safety concerns stemming from water and structural damage caused by flooding when a pipe reportedly burst last winter.

Mueller said Wednesday’s changing of locks was planned by the city, part of a legal move announced by the city attorney’s office on June 28 when it gave hotel owners 60 days to either make repairs or tear the building down.

Mueller said police confirmed the building was vacant on Wednesday.