Hotel Seeks New Owner, New Life
A little bit of RTP growth may be rubbing off on Durham. An old, abandoned landmark will soon hit the auction block. It has a tax value of $3.2 million, and it needs a lot of work. But a new Heart of Durham Hotel could go far in revitalizing the Bull City.
For more than a quarter of a century, the Heart of Durham hotel sat in its prime downtown site with a lot of business coming in and out of its 156 rooms. Now closed and deteriorating, the old landmark greeted some new visitors.
Potential investors came by all day, many ready to cut deal to put the old hotel and downtown Durham back in business. Different groups cased the place. They came from all around.
Didar Singh Hothi of India wants to get into the hotel business. He see potential in the property.
Not everyone wants the Heart to remain a hotel. One group would like to see the hotel used as a housing and treatment center for substance abusers.
Next week the Heart of Durham hotel will be auctioned off to the highest bidder. People interested in the property got a chance to check it out Tuesday. As the name suggests, it's located right in the heart of the city. If you want to make a bid, you have to pay $25,000 dollars in advance.
