TEWKSBURY — A strip of molding is peeling off the wood-paneled walls of Room 251 at the Motel Caswell, and there’s a small hole in the wall that won’t be repaired.
The bed has been made for the last time, but those in neighboring rooms are stripped, with red and green paisley comforters lying in heaps on the pavement just beyond the door.
Outside, owner Russ Caswell and his son Jay are clearing out nearby rooms, removing televisions, but leaving most of the furniture for the wrecking ball.
The Motel Caswell, which has been owned by the Caswell family for nearly 60 years, hosted its last guests Sunday night.
The bed has been made for the last time, but those in neighboring rooms are stripped, with red and green paisley comforters lying in heaps on the pavement just beyond the door.
Outside, owner Russ Caswell and his son Jay are clearing out nearby rooms, removing televisions, but leaving most of the furniture for the wrecking ball.
The Motel Caswell, which has been owned by the Caswell family for nearly 60 years, hosted its last guests Sunday night.
It’s set to be demolished next month to make way for an entertainment complex, marking the end of an era on this stretch of Route 38.”It’s a big change. I guess you’d call it a lot of mixed feelings,” Caswell said.
The motel was the site of a seizure attempt by the federal government under drug-forfeiture laws, which Caswell fought and won in 2013. But before it became known for a number of closed-door drug deals and prostitution stings, the Motel Caswell was a family business, the place where a teenage Caswell started his working life.
Caswell’s father, who was also named Russ, opened the hotel in 1955. At the time, it was the go-to stopping place for businessmen in town, according to the younger Caswell, who was 11 then. In 1984, he bought the property from his retiring father to keep it in the family.
When a notice was delivered to his mailbox in 2009 announcing that his property was being seized by the federal government due to criminal activity on the premises, Caswell said he thought it was a mistake.
“I never had any warning from the town,” he said.
Prosecutors cited 15 incidents from 1994 to 2008 to make their case that the motel facilitated drug trafficking.
The motel was the site of a seizure attempt by the federal government under drug-forfeiture laws, which Caswell fought and won in 2013. But before it became known for a number of closed-door drug deals and prostitution stings, the Motel Caswell was a family business, the place where a teenage Caswell started his working life.
Caswell’s father, who was also named Russ, opened the hotel in 1955. At the time, it was the go-to stopping place for businessmen in town, according to the younger Caswell, who was 11 then. In 1984, he bought the property from his retiring father to keep it in the family.
When a notice was delivered to his mailbox in 2009 announcing that his property was being seized by the federal government due to criminal activity on the premises, Caswell said he thought it was a mistake.
“I never had any warning from the town,” he said.
Prosecutors cited 15 incidents from 1994 to 2008 to make their case that the motel facilitated drug trafficking.
But Caswell, who said he knew that he’d done nothing wrong, wasn’t going to give up his family’s legacy.”I was ready to fight it until I was sleeping on the sidewalk,” Caswell said. “I just thought, ‘This isn’t America. This is just ridiculous.’”
Caswell won the case, and is now pushing for reform for federal drug-forfeiture laws, which he described as “policing for profit” and “legalized theft.”
Caswell said he knew little of what went on behind closed doors at the motel, but that illicit activity was rare. His clientele ran the gamut, from families to truck drivers.
“It’s really a cross-section of our whole society, the people who stay here,” he said. “Anyone from business people, truck drivers, people in-between apartments, either moving in or moving out.
And then you get your share of people that you’d just assume not have, but it’s a motel and you pretty much have to take everybody unless you’ve got some good reason not to.”For about a third of the motel’s occupants, the Caswell was a permanent home. One woman, Caswell said, raised three children during more than 20 years there.
Air Force veteran Richard Vacca called Room 206 home for five years before the closure. On Monday morning, he was one of the last guests out, packing all of his belongings into a duffel bag and two reusable Market Basket grocery bags.
“They’ve been great to me,” Vacca said. “Nobody bothers me, I’ve never felt threatened here. But I knew if I had a problem they’d jump into clinical mode.
“Over the years, the Caswells have welcomed people of all stripes, Vacca said.
“To welcome a stranger is a great thing, but because of that generosity, I think they left themselves open to being taken advantage of,” he added.
The family embraced those who made the Caswell their home. Caswell’s wife, Patricia, said the motel used to host Christmas parties every year for the low-income families who lived there, complete with a Santa Claus to deliver the gifts that she had purchased.
Before the seizure attempt, Caswell had tried to sell the property to spend more time with Patricia. Five years later, that plan is finally coming to fruition.
Caswell is finalizing a sale of the property to a father-son team from Tewksbury, Don MacLaren Sr. and Donald MacLaren Jr., who are planning to open a bowling alley, arcade and restaurant complex. Demolition is planned for September, and the new facility, Wamesit Lanes, is expected to open next July.
The Caswells are excited to see what the new complex will bring to Tewksbury. But for now, they’re planning to relax. On Wednesday, they will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
Patricia Caswell said the closing of the motel is bittersweet, but after 30 years at the helm, it’s time her husband had a break.
“He had put his heart and soul into it,” she said. “Now I get his heart and soul.”
Attribution:
After nearly 60 years, Motel Caswell checks out in Tewksbury
Chelsea Feinstein
August 26, 2014
Lowell Sun
http://www.lowellsun.com/news/ci_26407418/after-nearly-60-years-motel-caswell-checks-out#ixzz3BdPwrMgg
Caswell won the case, and is now pushing for reform for federal drug-forfeiture laws, which he described as “policing for profit” and “legalized theft.”
Caswell said he knew little of what went on behind closed doors at the motel, but that illicit activity was rare. His clientele ran the gamut, from families to truck drivers.
“It’s really a cross-section of our whole society, the people who stay here,” he said. “Anyone from business people, truck drivers, people in-between apartments, either moving in or moving out.
And then you get your share of people that you’d just assume not have, but it’s a motel and you pretty much have to take everybody unless you’ve got some good reason not to.”For about a third of the motel’s occupants, the Caswell was a permanent home. One woman, Caswell said, raised three children during more than 20 years there.
Air Force veteran Richard Vacca called Room 206 home for five years before the closure. On Monday morning, he was one of the last guests out, packing all of his belongings into a duffel bag and two reusable Market Basket grocery bags.
“They’ve been great to me,” Vacca said. “Nobody bothers me, I’ve never felt threatened here. But I knew if I had a problem they’d jump into clinical mode.
“Over the years, the Caswells have welcomed people of all stripes, Vacca said.
“To welcome a stranger is a great thing, but because of that generosity, I think they left themselves open to being taken advantage of,” he added.
The family embraced those who made the Caswell their home. Caswell’s wife, Patricia, said the motel used to host Christmas parties every year for the low-income families who lived there, complete with a Santa Claus to deliver the gifts that she had purchased.
Before the seizure attempt, Caswell had tried to sell the property to spend more time with Patricia. Five years later, that plan is finally coming to fruition.
Caswell is finalizing a sale of the property to a father-son team from Tewksbury, Don MacLaren Sr. and Donald MacLaren Jr., who are planning to open a bowling alley, arcade and restaurant complex. Demolition is planned for September, and the new facility, Wamesit Lanes, is expected to open next July.
The Caswells are excited to see what the new complex will bring to Tewksbury. But for now, they’re planning to relax. On Wednesday, they will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
Patricia Caswell said the closing of the motel is bittersweet, but after 30 years at the helm, it’s time her husband had a break.
“He had put his heart and soul into it,” she said. “Now I get his heart and soul.”
Attribution:
After nearly 60 years, Motel Caswell checks out in Tewksbury
Chelsea Feinstein
August 26, 2014
Lowell Sun
http://www.lowellsun.com/news/ci_26407418/after-nearly-60-years-motel-caswell-checks-out#ixzz3BdPwrMgg
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