If you've ever stumbled out of Downtown's Golden Gopher bar, you may have noticed the dilapidated yet beautiful Bristol Hotel next door. The seven-story structure at Eighth, near Olive, has been vacant for years and thanks to the city, could remain that way until 2015, reports the Downtown News. When new owner Adolfo Suaya bought the property in 2003, he tossed out the low-income residents to make way for a $3.5 million hotel, nightclub, and restaurant. Suaya was sued for illegal eviction and later paid back the former tenants, but the Community Redevelopment Agency sued Suaya too, saying the owner before Suaya had agreed the Bristol wouldn't be converted to any other use until July 2015. While the CRA's successful lawsuit made it impossible for a conversion to take place for years, it had no stipulation Suaya reopen the hotel for low-income residents—and he hasn't. Officials are pissed, considering the city's absolute dearth of affordable housing. Maybe some squatting is in order? First pic via Conductor Mike, second via Jerici Cat
· The Bristol Eyesore [Downtown News]
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