Toms River moves to purchase downtown motel

TOMS RIVER - The township will move to purchase a downtown motel that Toms River declared a "public nuisance" in the fall.

Assistant Township Attorney Anthony Merlino said the Township Council hopes to purchase the Red Carpet Inn on West Water Street, either through negotiation with owners or through eminent domain, if necessary.

An ordinance approving the purchase of the property is expected to be introduced at tonight's Township Council meeting, along with a companion measure bonding $4.8 million for the purchase and associated costs.

In early November, Toms River filed a public nuisance charge against the 50-room motel in municipal court, contending the motel's operation "endangers the safety or health of a considerable number of people," and that "unlawful conduct" takes place there.

Police officers have responded to more than 750 incidents at the Red Carpet Inn in the past two years. Watch the video above to learn more about the nuisance complaint the township filed against the motel's owners.

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The nuisance charge was filed about a month after police raided the Red Carpet Inn and arrested 15 people – 11 men and four women – on drug distribution and drug possession charges.

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Councilman Terrance Turnbach, who was elected in November to represent the area that includes Toms River's downtown, made addressing issues with the motel a centerpiece of his campaign.

Merlino said court proceedings on the nuisance charge have been stayed for three months to let the parties negotiate the sale of the building to the township. The property is assessed at $3.75 million, according to tax records.

The initial nuisance complaint was filed against 2 West Water Street LLC, the corporate owner of the inn, and its sole managing member, Kartik Patel, according to township officials. The motel's owners could not be reached for comment.

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"This is the culmination of a year-long effort led by the mayor and the township’s quality of life task force to eliminate this nuisance," Merlino said.

Merlino said that if the township is able to acquire the property, the motel would be demolished and the land would be added to Toms River's open space inventory, perhaps as an extension to nearby Huddy Park.

The arrests at the inn were the first action taken by the township's new Quality of Life Task Force, which includes members of the police department's Criminal Investigative Bureau and Special Enforcement Team, as well as employees from the Division of Fire Prevention, Code Enforcement and Zoning.

Ten more people were arrested at a quality of life raid at the Americana Motel on Route 166.

Jean Mikle: 732-643-4050, @jeanmikle, jmikle@gannettnj.com