Hotel plans unpopular with abutters
By Melissa Muntz Community Reporter

Shrewsbury - Abutters to a proposed four-story 121-suite extended stay hotel said it's difficult not to compare the project to another Shrewsbury business, the Worcester City Motel, where a man was arrested last month for stabbing his roommate.

But proponents for the project said their facilities are designed for business travelers and people in transition and are constantly monitored for cleanliness and safety.

Value Place regional representative Walter Eutize said the hotel takes many steps to ensure the safety of its guests and surrounding neighbors.

"A government-issued photo ID is needed to check in and the information is scanned and entered into our system," Eutize said. "The name and photo is run against all databases including the National Sex Off ender Registry."

In addition to the identifi- cation check, all areas other than the office require an electric key lock for entry and surveillance cameras monitor all elevators, corridors and stairwells.

The average stay at other Value Place hotels is three to five weeks, however some guests have stayed for months at a time. Eutize said guests are required to renew their suite lease every week, and are evicted if police are called to respond to their rooms.

"We don't want that kind of guest any more than you do," he said.

The Planning Board refrained from commenting on the safety issue, saying the Police Department would need to assess the risk level associated with the project.

Planning Board Chair Melvin Gordon reminded the concerned abutters at the meeting that people can legally do what they wish with their property as long as it complies with town zoning bylaw, which the Value Place Hotel does.

Town Meeting voted to rezone the parcel, which currently houses a small home, garage and barn, from residential to commercial in November 2006.

Following the meeting, Police Chief James Hester said he did not see anything to be outwardly concerned about with the project, but that the department would take a closer look should plans for the hotel move forward.

The Value Place Hotel would be a 43,000-square-foot facility located at 489 Boston Turnpike Rd. The hotel would sit on two acres of land, would cost $6 million to $7 million to build and would bring in more than $60,000 in tax revenue per year.

The Planning Board continued the public hearing on the project until its Thursday Oct. 4 meeting.