Hutchinson City Council votes to condemn closed Atrium Hotel

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The Hutchinson City Council voted to condemn a closed hotel on Tuesday following a public hearing.

The building is the Atrium Hotel , 1400 N. Lorraine, which closed in 2019. In recent years, the hotel has been boarded up and covered with graffiti. The city says it has mold and hasn’t had running water in five years.

Following safety issues:

• No running water since December 2019
• Extensive vandalism resulting in the removal of most copper wiring and rendering electrical services inoperable
• Fire suppression system broken for over three years
• Non-functional heating and air conditioning units due to stripped copper tubing and wiring
• Broken windows and doors
• Presence of black mold posing significant health risks

The property owner spoke during the meeting , but council members moved to approve a resolution condemning the hotel as an unsafe and dangerous structure.

“It’s an unfortunate situation that needs to be dealt with sooner than later because I’m afraid if it’s not, somebody’s gonna lose their life inside that building,” said Hutchinson Police Chief Brice Burlie.

The owner has been allowed 30 days to repair or demolish and remove the condemned structure and all construction debris with the requirement of a cash bond. The item will come back to the council on Oct. 1 to review the progress of rehab or demolition.

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