PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center reportedly closed its doors Monday, leaving residents and many staff members who lived there displaced.
The City of Presque Isle reportedly learned about the closure after the hotel placed a "closed indefinitely" notice on its door, the city said in a release Wednesday. The city reported it did not receive any prior communication from the hotel owner about the closure.
"The notice was posted Monday without our advanced knowledge and no communication from the owner," City of Presque Isle spokesperson Kim Smith told NEWS CENTER Maine Wednesday.
City officials said they were aware of the building's multiple code violations, including issues with the fire suppression system noted by the state fire marshal, according to the release.
The City's code enforcement officer conducted an in-person inspection of the building with the property lienholder on Tuesday out of concern for the 25 former employees and family members living at the hotel, the release said. The property was found to be "dangerous due to life safety concerns."
"At that point in time, the city reached out to the property lienholder and community partners [on Tuesday] including Presque Isle Housing Authority, the Homeless Shelter of Aroostook, and Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP)," the release said. "Each former employee was provided with a letter detailing the contact information for local community resources."
Residents of the hotel were notified they would have until 3 p.m. Friday to vacate the property, according to the release. ACAP stated in the release that it would be onsite at 11 a.m. Friday to assist individuals in finding housing and employment.