The Central Motel on East Lancaster Road in Fort Worth was demolished Wednesday, October 28. The owners worked with city officials on the plan and paid for the demolition themselves. FOX 4 reported that several residents slowed down to watch, and one was seen clapping as the building came down. Pastor Vernon Elisher, who watched the demolition, said he turned around to thank the person who made it happen.
The demolition followed the city's Nuisance Enforcement Task (NET) Force, which identifies crime-ridden properties and businesses and pursues legal action to shut them down. Police have responded to the motel 591 times since 2024, including a murder and an arson in 2025, according to the report. Police also cited 80 narcotics cases, multiple weapons offenses, aggravated assaults and prostitution offenses. A Code Compliance inspection found 123 code violations in the motel's 22 rooms.
Donna Nickerson, who owns a business near the site, said there were multiple murders and a lot of drug activity at the motel. The city sued the owner, Haribhai Patel, in July and dropped the lawsuit after the motel was demolished.