Three more downtown Reno motels will be torn down. This is just one more step for a development company which hopes to turn the area into a mixed-use redevelopment.Â
Jacobs Entertainment has filed demolition permits with the City of Reno for three motels on Arlington Avenue. They include the Star of Reno, which has 15 units, El Ray Motel, with 24 units and the Keno Motel, with 21 units.
The buildings are right across the street from the Sands Regency, in between West 4th and West 3rd St.
While Jacobs Entertainment has not yet announced exactly what will be built in their place, it's all part of a bigger plan. Their goal is to redesign the entire West Downtown area into a mixed-use development called the Fountain District.
This comes after the company demolished other weekly motels last year, including the Carriage Inn. While some say this is a positive step toward removing blight in the area, not everybody is happy about the motels coming down.
Danny Contreras is living on a fixed income. He's just one of many former residents at the Keno Motel. Currently, he's living out of his car with his small dog, Penny Lane. He says he is on a mission to get back on his feet, but rising rents at apartments which require deposits and often times first and last month's rent, make it nearly impossible for him.Â
Contreras says weekly and monthly motels are all too often the last, affordable resort for many who would otherwise, be homeless, "These people can barely make it out there...You know, I've got money, I'm looking for a place and there's no affordable places here." He continued, pointing at the three motels set for demolition, "And look at all this! They're going to tear it all down, and for what? More rich people things?"
When we reached out, Jacobs Entertainment couldn't talk to us on camera but sent us the following through an emailed statement:Â
Keno Motel on Arlington has 21 units. When Jacobs Entertainment acquired the property a year ago 5 units were vacant or out of service. Since then we assisted 5 residents in relocating, 9 voluntarily relocated on their own, and 2 were arrested and went to jail.
Star of Reno has 15 units. Often referred to by law enforcement as the heroin hotel. 2 units were vacant or out of service when we acquired the property a year ago. We assisted 5 residents in relocating, 2 were evicted for refusing to pay their rent, and over the last year, 6 residents voluntarily relocated.
El Ray has 24 units- When we acquired the property a year ago 5 units were vacant or out of service. One tenant was arrested and sent to jail, one was evicted for illegal drug activity, 4 voluntarily relocated, 4 we assisted in relocation, 8 we are currently assisting in relocating, and one was placed elsewhere by the Veterans Administration.
The dates for demolition were not immediately available.Â
