GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – There is growing concern that stalled construction work at Green Bay’s Hotel Northland is at risk of being damaged.
Rhonda Sitnikau, a former city council candidate, tells WLUK she’s noticed.
“I normally walk my dog past the hotel and I see at any given time, open windows on a regular basis.”
Sitnikau has been taking pictures of open windows at the Northland ever since financing issues shut down renovation work in June.
She says an upper level window on the building, which was open Wednesday evening, has been that way for at least the last two weeks.
“There has been some controversy, so I’ve just been watching and paying attention.”
“We’ve had other reports of windows being opened,” said Kevin Vonck, the city’s economic development director.
“We forwarded them on to get them closed. If there is still one on, we will follow up and make sure that gets closed.”
Vonck believes any security issues were taken care of last month after teenagers were arrested for entering the hotel through a parking ramp entrance.
Vonck says except for emergencies, Hotel Northland owner Keith Harenda is the only person with access to the building.
Harenda has been unable to properly finance renovation work, and a judge is expected to strip him of decision making powers in the project next month.
The hotel is in receivership; which city officials consider a better alternative than bankruptcy.
A judge is expected to select a receiver to take over decision making for the project on October 3rd.
“We at city staff, public works, our police department are making sure to keep an eye on the building to make sure it does stay secure,” said Vonck.
While the building might be secure from intruders, the city’s historic preservation commission is worried it’s not protected from winter.
The power at the venerable Hotel Northland has been off for months.
