explored
& photographed by: Shady
The decrepit old
Regency Motel sat right off of Route 9 (in Howell) There was nothing left behind to reveal
what the name of the place was; all that was left was a rusty vacancy sign (hence the
nickname that I've lovingly given it- the Vacancy Motel) |
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And vacant would be a pretty good way to describe this site; it
was
boarded up and appeared completely forgotten. It was a really big place... your basic
motel setup... with an office up front and a parking lot flanked by buildings containing
hotel rooms. Vines and vegetation were creeping up and around the entire motel grounds. As
I explored, an early sliver of moon hung in the sky above (picture above, right, if you
look realllly close), providing atmosphere |
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Vacancy... there's plenty of room at this motel. Wanna check in? The
buildings seemed to stretch on forever... and something(???) was allowed only in
registered guest rooms at one point- who knows what? There was still a lot of stuff in the
old office... furniture... papers... even a pair of roller-skates! |
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Lots of strange things could be found at the Vacancy Motel... several desks
lie upside-down on the cracked, uneven pavement of the parking lot... a stained trail of
SOMETHING leads across the pool area... and someone scrawled an eerie message outside one
of the motel room doors- an unsatisfied guest?? |
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The pool area
was a little creepy. Deep cracks scarred the concrete
surrounding the pool, which has a few feet of disgusting murky black "water"
pooled at the bottom. The smaller 2-story building that wrapped around the pool blocked the
sunlight and casts a gloomy shadow over the whole area. Again, there were odd things
strewn about.. like a shattered t.v. set... and old maid's cart that looked like someone
had just finished cleaning a room with it... a window pane smashed against a cement step |
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There
were so many rooms in this place, all boarded up. This was a pretty
good-sized motel, one can only wonder what lay behind all the hundreds of boarded-up
doors that lined the complex. The old neon welcome sign had all but fallen apart |
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Foliage engulfed the buildings in some spots, and the forest crept onto the parking lot out back. The motel had some groovy retro accents, like the
funky carved door and wrought iron gates and fences found throughout, and a chain-link
fence protectively bordering the whole property. This place was so large- and interesting |
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Above, some experimental shots I took using the negative setting on my
camera... just cause I think it looks funky ;)
The Vacancy
Motel... an empty and abandoned motel on Route 9... complete with vacancy sign... would you
like a room? Check in with a VM wallpaper
Our reader Gene sent
us this background stuff about this location, "I think it was called the Regency but I would
not bet my life on it. It was always a "sleazy" type motel and at one time had a
Go-Go bar. When business got bad it became a welfare motel which could explain some of the
stuff you found in the rooms."
R E G E N C Y M
O T E L D E M O L I S H E D |
Sadly, this infamous abandoned motel has since been demolished
completely...
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Photos by Kathy Baratta
Our reader Lorenzo sent us the photos above, and the following
fascinating info: "While I was looking through some ooold news papers,I came
across an article about Vacancy Motel, it's name was the Regency Motel, they called it
Route 9 Motel. The article was about a dude named Eddie Mack who was a construction
official who recommended for the motel to be demolished after it was abandoned,
August 1997. It was first opened in early 1987. The motel is owned by Rosenreich LLC, a
Lakewood company, according to attorney Steven I. Pfeffer, who represented the owner at
the municipal hearing. Howell Police Stephen Grabowski testified there have been
"problems of every sort out there" since the motel officially closed for
business in August 1997. Since that date, Grabowski said, homeless squatters have taken up
residence in several rooms at the motel. Since there are no utilities in operation at the
motel the people there are using candles for light, creating unsafe conditions, the
officer said hazards were discovered at the property. The health hazards are two large
septic holding tanks covered only by rotting weeds and debris and dry toilet use by the
local teenagers known to be using the site as a hangout and the empty swimming pool for
skateboarding..."
Thanks Gene, Lorenzo and Kathy!
Do you have any background information or stories to tell about this abandoned
site?
Another Route 9
Roadside Find! For even more, check out Trippin' On 9
Want
to purchase one of these, or any of my other photos...?
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E O F L O S T H I S T O R Y:
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+OUT OF BUSINESS+
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