Migrants sit in despair after a Midtown hotel reached capacity on July 30, 2023.
File photo/Dean Moses
A Northeast Bronx hotel that just opened in March is looking to house migrants.
Arpit Patel, the owner of the Royal Hotel Bronx, located at 3362 Boston Road, will request the support of Community Board 12 at its 7 p.m. general board meeting Thursday, which will be streamed on Facebook Live, YouTube and Webex.
In Patel’s planned presentation to the board, which was obtained by the Bronx Times, he frames his intentions as humanitarian: Help alleviate the migrant crisis in the city and make a positive impact on asylum seekers.
He emphasizes collaboration and open communication with the board, saying he wants to understand members’ questions and concerns and address them “promptly and transparently.”
“It is of utmost importance to me that any potential concerns are met with sincere attention, and I am committed to addressing them with top priority,” Patel says on a slide in his presentation.
The hotel, which sits between the Laconia and Williamsbridge sections of the Bronx, has been independently owned and operated since opening in March of this year, according to the presentation. It took the place of the former Marcus Jackson funeral home.
The hotel has a 3-star rating from the culmination of 38 reviews on Google. While some reviewers praised their stays, others lamented about their rooms being dirty. One reviewer claimed two months ago that “it was full of homeless people” staying there and another person three days ago said “it is just pretending to be a hotel,” citing dirty sheets and elevator, as well as a lack of seating, microwave, mini fridge and parking.
According to Patel’s presentation, Councilmember Kevin Riley, whose council district includes the hotel, is “amenable” to a letter of no objection as long as the community board is involved in the process. The Bronx Times reached out to Patel and…
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