West Endicott Eyesore: Red Carpet Inn Finally Being Torn Down

Demolition crews have started the process of removing an abandoned motel in West Endicott.

The old Red Carpet Inn on West Main Street near the En-Joie Golf Course had languished in recent years, becoming a neighborhood nuisance as redevelopment efforts failed.

Broome County acquired the property for $600,000 last February. A New Jersey man, Rakesh Shroff, had bought the vacant motel in 2019 with plans to renovate the building.

FLASHBACK: Firefighters extinguished a blaze set by teenagers at the Red Carpet Inn in West Endicott on April 20, 2020. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Gorick Construction was hired to demolish the place, which had been condemned by the town of Union because it was deemed to be structurally unsafe.

The town is providing some money to help cover the cost of clearing the site.

Gorick Construction set up equipment for the demolition of the Red Carpet Inn on May 8, 2024. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Broome County Executive Jason Garnar told WNBF News the place was "a key eyesore" that needed to be removed.

When the place first opened as the 61-room Royal Coachman Motel in April 1963, it was hailed as "ultramodern." News accounts described it as the first "all-electric" lodging place in the Southern Tier.

Over the years, the property declined through a series of owners who operated the motel under various names.

The place lately had been targeted by vandals and arsonists. Garnar had said he wanted the building gone before the Dick's Sporting Goods Open gets underway next month.

The site should be completely cleared by the time tournament events start on June 17.

VIDEO: A final visit to the Red Carpet Inn before the demolition crews began work on May 8, 2024.

Enter your number to get our free mobile app

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

LOOK: Stunning, historic hotels from every state and the stories behind them

Stacker curated this list of stunning, historic hotels from every state. To be considered for inclusion, the structure must be more than 50 years old. Many of the selected hotels are listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and several are purported to be haunted.

Gallery Credit: Erin Joslyn

25 richest people in America and how they did it

Stacker compiled a list of the 25 wealthiest people in the country and how they've maintained their fortune.

Gallery Credit: Wyatt Massey, Leesa Davis

LOOK: The states with the most UFO sightings

For each state, we’ve also included details of famous UFO sightings in that state. Of note is that almost three-quarters of all UFO sighting reports in the United States occur between 4 p.m. and midnight, and tend to peak between 9 and 10 p.m. Food for thought next time you're out scoping for alien life. Keep reading to see which states have had the most UFO sightings.

Gallery Credit: Nicole Caldwell & Matt Albasi