5 motels we won’t miss (except for the heart-shaped jacuzzis)

The Story

The former Days Inn motel – down N. Tryon Street just where the cool uptown stuff ends – is getting demolished to make way for a second set of SkyHouse high-end apartments. We’re glad to see it go, quite frankly.

That Got Us Thinking

Here are four other motels we won’t miss:

– Ascot Inn: The only way you’d remember this place is from its old billboard advertising heart-shaped jacuzzis. It, too, was just outside uptown, off Morehead Street and near Midnight Diner. The landowner has torn it down, possibly to use for future mixed-development. It’s now used for parking.

– The Blake Hotel: During the Democratic National Convention in 2012, California delegates staying at this hotel off McDowell complained of scalding water,  mold, cockroaches and broken elevators. It was embarrassing press. It has since become a Sheraton. However, while the elevators may be working now, the press has still been embarrassing: Earlier this year there was gun fire during a party with Diddy.

– Manor House on Selwyn: If we remember correctly, this looked like an old dorm building, but it was smack dab in Myers Park, across from the neighborhood hangout, Selwyn Pub. Tranquil Court now sits there, with self-described “brownstone-inspired condominiums” and Mellow Mushroom. So much more Myers Park.

– Charlotte Inn Hotel and Comfort Inn off Independence: Independence has been plagued with vacated and blighted properties. The city bought these two motels and an old IHOP, all across from Bojangles Coliseum, tore them down and plans to build a park.

C5’s Take

It’s Charlotte’s way to tear down the old and put in the new. In these cases, it was about time.

Photo: Davie Hinshaw & Robert Lahser & David T. Foster / CharlotteObserver

This story was originally published December 11, 2014 at 12:56 AM with the headline "5 motels we won’t miss (except for the heart-shaped jacuzzis)."