Vestal Orders Halt to Work at University Inn Hotel

A "Stop Work Order" was issued to the owners of the University Inn on the Vestal Parkway.

Bright-red notices from the town of Vestal were posted at the former Comfort Suites hotel indicating no permits for any type of work had been issued for the site.

The 79-room property was rebranded as the University Inn last year. It operated under the new name for a short time, although it was ordered closed by the Broome County Health Department on April 23.

The "Notice of Closure" signs at the entrances of the hotel did not indicate why the place was shut down.

There was no activity at the property when a reporter visited last week. But people were busy at the site Thursday afternoon.

A man told WNBF News he was delivering materials and renovation work was expected to resume. Other men were observed unloading a tractor-trailer behind the hotel.

Newly-posted notices indicated building and storage container permits were issued by the town in recent days.

RAJ Hospitality LLC of Connecticut acquired the property for $3 million in January 2023.

Jaykumar Shah, who was identified as the owner on the building permit, did not return a call seeking comment on the status of the University Inn.

Town of Vestal officials could not be reached for comment on the situation.

The Comfort Suites hotel was built in 2008 on the site of the iconic Vestal Steakhouse restaurant. The property is located a short distance west of the Binghamton University campus.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.