Detroit · March 10, 2016 0

Ferndale to hold hearing on recommendation to close 8 Wood Motel

8 Wood Motel, FerndaleThe city of Ferndale continues to move quickly to clamp down on criminal activity at its two motels, this time focusing on the 8 Wood Motel. The Daily Tribune reports that the city council will hold a hearing Monday over revoking the motel’s business license.

“The police and fire departments did an inspection and the police chief is now formally recommending to City Council that we deny a business license to the 8 Wood Motel,” Mayor Dave Coulter said Thursday. “The situation at the 8 Wood is very similar to what we found at the Motorama. There is a history of law enforcement interactions, including drugs, prostitution and related offenses.”

The city just last week denied an appeal by the owner of the Motorama Motel to reconsider the rejection of its business license.

Police have tied the two motels, located just a few doors apart on Eight Mile Road near Woodward Avenue, to a 2015 heroin overdose death on my block of Fielding Street. They say the facilities are havens for drug dealing and other criminal activity.

Ferndale officials say they will work to find suitable low-income lodging for the Motorama’s long-term tenants before moving to close the motel.

This represents more activity surrounding the two facilities than I’ve seen in the nearly 11 years I’ve lived in the neighborhood. What will become of these motels? Things are definitely getting interesting.