Work is moving quickly to rehabilitate and reopen a derelict hotel in Seaford.
The former Seaford Inn has been a regular source of vexation for local officials. It closed its doors in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and never reopened. Over the years, the building started to crumble. Last November, Seaford City Council voted unanimously to have the building torn down.
Earlier this year, in an attempt to forestall the demolition, the hotel’s owner was in front of council members with a plan to sell the property, but was met with a skeptical response. At that meeting, officials gave the new owner two months to return to council with a plan and signs of progress.
That first meeting after that 60-day window was Tuesday, and new owner Nirav Avaya presented council members with a lengthy progress report and the path forward. Most importantly, the hotel now has a franchise agreement with a major chain, a major factor in its future viability.
“It's going to be the Holiday Inn Express and Suites,” Avaya told council members.
In addition to the affiliation with the chain, whose parent company, IHG, operates around 6,800 hotels around the globe, the building is seeing some necessary renovations.
“The roof is done, exterior wall damage has been fixed on the front areas,” he told council members. Meanwhile, security cameras have been set up, a temporary shed has been built to hold construction materials, a new fire sprinkler plan has been filed with officials, trash has been cleaned up, and windows and doors that allowed unauthorized access to the building have been closed up.
Going forward, there is still a lot of work to do. The building’s electrical system will need significant improvement, new parking area lighting must be installed, and work continues on the building’s stucco walls, including a covered carport that collapsed. Then work can turn to the interior, which must be improved and decorated to IHG’s standards.
City Council members seemed relieved to see the project moving forward after its years of stagnation.
“Two months ago, we sat here and you saw the frustration from the council here,” said Councilman Alan Quillen. “And we do appreciate you stepping up and starting this process. This is very exciting, I think it's going to be very exciting for our community.”
As relieved as the council seemed, Mayor Matthew MacCoy said he believes the community will be pleased as well.
“Having a detailed plan like you do, showing not only what you've done, [but] what you plan to do, is very helpful for us to communicate to the public,” MacCoy said.
Avaya stresses that he doesn’t have complete control of the timeline, however. Construction progress depends on approvals and signoffs from IHG and assorted state and local agencies. Still, he hopes to have the hotel open for business by mid-2027.
