MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Murder, drugs and hundreds of mayhem – these are just some of the reasons why the Parkway Village motel is now a public nuisance.
There was a sign on the building that clearly read “Closed by Order,” but there were still cars going in and out of the parking lot and people coming in and out of their rooms.
Neighboring businesses say the activity seen in and around the building is common.
“Most of the time, you hear gunshots,” says Markevious Orange, a barber at Vibez Barber and Beauty Salon. This barbershop is one of dozens along American Way.
Across the street is Shelby County’s newest public nuisance, Memphis Extended Stay.
The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said the closure comes after Memphis police received 800 disturbance calls over a two-year period.
Orange said she witnessed some of the activity from across the street. “We’re seeing small amounts of drugs being sold here and there,” he says.
This is not the first public nuisance ruling by a judge in Memphis. This is a way to force property owners to clean their properties, including adding cameras and security.
In September 2023, a judge deemed Fraser’s EZ Express a public nuisance after 61 crimes had occurred in the area surrounding the store in the previous year, according to Memphis Data Hub. In the year since then, there have been 25 crimes in the area.
The Snappy Mart on Madison Avenue was also ruled a public nuisance. From February 2023 to December 2023, 47 crimes occurred in the area. 10 months later, there were 22 cases.
Orange said she has mixed feelings about the decision. “I can’t say that’s a good thing because it’s the people who stay there,” Orange said.
He said as someone who works nearby, he can understand why it’s necessary. “If it’s causing problems for the city, I think that’s when you have to step in and intervene.”
City Councilwoman Jana Swearengen-Washington represents that part of town. She said the current plan is for the District Attorney’s Office, Memphis Police Department and law enforcement agencies to continue monitoring and reporting all activity. She said there is no schedule for if and when the doors will close.
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