POLICE SHUT DOWN MOTEL

YONKERS - The Yonkers Motor Inn, which authorities said has been the
site of rampant drug use and prostitution, has been shut down for one
year following concerted but separate actions by the city's police and
housing and building departments.

"It's called a left and a right punch," Yonkers Police Commissioner
Charles Cola said at a City Hall press conference yesterday announcing
the closing of the motel at 300 Yonkers Ave.

Staff at the motor inn cleared out all people - except one - Thursday
night after police told them they would have to be closed by yesterday.

Only one resident remained there last night.

Lee Wiederkehr, the lawyer representing the Plotch family, which owns
the inn, said they would take legal action to remove that person.

The city can shut down a business if there are two criminal
convictions in a one-year period.

Cola ordered the one-year shutdown following hearings under the city's
public nuisance law in which the police department charged that crime
was prevalent at the site.

Hearing officer Capt. Beth Bove found the inn a public nuisance
Thursday in a five-page written decision.

"They can present evidence to me at any time showing that they have
abated the nuisance," Cola said.

"If I feel that they are really trying to run a legitimate business
and abide by the laws of the state, I can lift the closure at any time
(within the year)," Cola said. "What I want from the motel is evidence
that they want to run a clean business."

Meanwhile, Yonkers City Court Judge Robert Cerrato has ordered the inn
closed at the request of the Housing and Building Department until
Jan. 25 because of multiple building violations including dangerous
floors, ceilings, and railings.

Those violations and others were noted in a report by building
department Commissioner John Meyer following an inspection.

Meyer ordered the temporary residence permit of the inn revoked after
the inspection turned up the violations. Cerrato's order Thursday
upheld Meyer's decision.

City Corporation Counsel William Mooney said the message was clear
that Mayor John Spencer would not tolerate businesses like the inn.

Wiederkehr said he will try to work with city officials to alleviate
the problems and reopen the motel without suing the city.

"We are relying on the city's good faith and the good faith of
Commissioner Cola," Wiederkehr said.

"We are attempting to explore areas on a non-litigation basis. The
litigation process may be the only one available."

Wiederkehr said he asked Cola for direction in how the inn can provide
better security.

He also said the nuisance problem was removed from the inn premises by
all of the arrests. "They are now guests of the county of
Westchester," Wiederkehr said.

The lawyer added that he was not familiar enough with the judge's
order in the building department's case to comment.

In the past five years police were dispatched to the inn more than
1,000 times.

Over the past eight months, police arrested 60 people on charges
including narcotics, weapons and prostitution offenses.