The co-owner of a Queens Holiday Inn that had been slated to become a homeless shelter said he wants out of the deal because the community opposition is too much.
Harshad Patel told neighborhood groups opposed to the Maspeth shelter that he wouldn’t go forward with the plans after they organized a protest in front of his home.
The protest was later nixed.
He confirmed he no longer supported the shelter to the Daily News on Thursday — and said he already told Acacia Network, the non-profit that had contracted with the city to run the shelter, he was done with the plan.
“The community doesn’t like it, so we decided not to move forward,” he said.
The conversion of the motel, near the Long Island Expressway, sparked several protests and outcry from residents of the quiet Queens neighborhood.
A series of chaotic public meetings about the plan were attended by hundreds of people opposed to the project.
A day earlier it was announced that the planned Oct. 1 opening of the shelter was being delayed.
City Hall sources said the plan will still go forward and the opening will only be pushed back a few weeks.
“As we announced at two community forums, we are continuing to review the proposal, and the start date will be determined as a result of the review,” Department of Homeless Services spokeswoman Lauren Gray told the Daily News Wednesday.
A spokesman for the city’s Department of Homeless Services said they were unaware of anyone backing out of the plan.
Calls to Acacia were not returned.
Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said, “We’re going to celebrate, but cautiously.”
“We’ve seen things happen where someone tells us something is going to happen and it doesn’t,” he added.
A Twitter account linked to the Holiday Inn franchise posted Thursday that the deal was off.
“We would like to confirm that the Hotel will not be converting to a shelter as suggested. It will continue to operate as a Hotel,” the tweet said.
With Denis Slattery
