A Salina hotel, which in its glory days as a Holiday Inn Holidome was one of the nicest lodging facilities in town, has been designated a dangerous structure and has been ordered to be made safe and secure, or be demolished.

The Salina City Commission Monday heard a report on the Ambassador Hotel, located at 1616 W. Crawford, which has been abandoned and is in a state of disrepair.  Commissioners heard from Community & Development Services Inspector Sean Furbeck, and also from the owner of the hotel Joshua Joseph.

The Ambassador structure has been closed since mid 2020, and according to Furbeck, in its current condition is unsafe. Defects exist such that the Structure is dangerous. He said there have been at least 23 building violations since 2019, and cited numerous concerns including crumbling walls and ceilings, holes in the roof, and mold on and inside walls. Nearly all of the wiring and plumbing has been stripped out of the facility.

There is evidence numerous vagrants have been living inside the structure, and among other things  used syringes and needles were found in several areas. A fire back in March may have been started by a vagrant.

Furbeck provided a complete list of safety concerns which include:

• The Structure contains doors, aisles, passageways, stairways, exits or other means of egress that do not conform to the approved building or fire code of the jurisdiction as related to the requirements for existing buildings.
• The walking surface of aisles, passageways, stairways, exits or other means of egress from the Structure are so warped, worn loose, torn or otherwise dangerous as to not provide safe and adequate means of egress.
• Portions of the Structure have been damaged by fire, wind, deterioration, neglect, abandonment, vandalism or by any other cause to such an extent that it is likely to partially or completely collapse, or to become detached or dislodged.
• The Structure, or portions thereof, is clearly dangerous for its use and The Structure is neglected, damaged, dilapidated, unsecured or abandoned so as to become an attractive nuisance to children who might play in the structure to their danger, become a harbor for vagrants, criminals or immoral persons, or enable persons to resort to the building or structure for committing a nuisance or an unlawful act.
• The Structure, which is or was used or intended to be used for dwelling purposes, because of inadequate maintenance, dilapidation, decay, damage, faulty construction or arrangement, inadequate light, ventilation, mechanical or plumbing system, or otherwise, is determined by the code official to be unsanitary, unfit for human habitation or in such a condition that is likely to cause sickness or disease.
• The Structure, because of a lack of sufficient or proper fire-resistance- rated construction, fire protection systems, electrical system, fuel connections, mechanical system, plumbing system or other cause, is determined by the code official to be a threat to life or health.
• The Structure has been constructed, exists or is maintained in violation of specific requirements or prohibitions applicable to such structures provided by the building or fire code of the city, or of any law or ordinance to such an extent as to present either a substantial risk of fire, building collapse or an imminent threat to life and safety.
• The Structure, because of a lack of sufficient or proper fire-resistance- rated construction, fire protection systems, electrical system, fuel connections, mechanical system, plumbing system or other cause, is determined by the code official to be a threat to life or health.
• The Structure is abandoned so as to constitute such building or portion thereof as an attractive nuisance or hazard to the public.

Joseph told commissioners he had a plan to convert the property into a strip mall, which failed because of zoning issues with the city. He said he also at one point had a plan to convert it to housing, but that also never came to fruition. He claimed he has been “getting the run around” from the City since 2019.

With the structure now deemed dangerous, Joseph has two options: he can repair it and make it safe, or he can demolish it.

If Joseph chooses to repair, he would have to have a plan and permits applied for by September and work would have to begin by November.

If Joseph chooses to demolish, he needs a plan and permits by early August and demolition must begin by September 5th.

Joseph indicated he has been ready to demolish the structure, and requested the City to haul the debris to the landfill and dispose of it at no cost to him. Commissioners did not agree to the request.

The hotel first opened in Salina in 1986 as a Holiday Inn Holidome. Along with 192 rooms on a couple of floors, it had meeting space, a pool and waterslide, a sauna, and a restaurant. The Holiday Inn was later rebranded as a Ramada Inn, before then becoming what it is now known as the Ambassador.