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Flagship Hotel At 2501 Seawall Blvd.


TheNiche

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I've heard a rumor that it sustained heavy damage, that the pilings are no longer stable, and that it is to be imploded. Their website says that they reopen in January, but then again Daniel Yeh leases and operates it, and he's crazy and dishonest (was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison on Friday), so I tend to place more weight on the rumor. On the face, at least, the rumor is plausible.

Can anyone substantiate this?

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There is a photo in the Galveston Daily News website showing the entrance ramp and part of the sidewall crumbled into the Gulf. That would certainly lend support to rumors that the pilings are suspect.

I'll see if I can find the pic.

EDIT: Hope this link works. If not, it is on page 22 of the photographs page.

http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?...f594eeb5b01156f

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From August 2004:

THE operator of Galveston's Flagship Hotel has declared bankruptcy, shielding the company from paying a hefty personal injury judgment and delaying eviction by property owner Landry's Restaurants.

The Flagship Hotel Ltd., headed by Daniel Yeh, filed for Chapter 11 protection in Galveston on July 30.

Yeh filed a motion with the bankruptcy court requesting that during the reorganization period his group assume the lease for the 40-year-old hotel, which sits atop a pier stretching into the Gulf of Mexico.

Yeh leased the property from the city until 2002, when the city sold it to Landry's, the only bidder, which paid $500,000 for the property. Lease payments are $200,000 a year.

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive....id=2004_3789573

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From August 2004:

THE operator of Galveston's Flagship Hotel has declared bankruptcy, shielding the company from paying a hefty personal injury judgment and delaying eviction by property owner Landry's Restaurants.

The Flagship Hotel Ltd., headed by Daniel Yeh, filed for Chapter 11 protection in Galveston on July 30.

Yeh filed a motion with the bankruptcy court requesting that during the reorganization period his group assume the lease for the 40-year-old hotel, which sits atop a pier stretching into the Gulf of Mexico.

Yeh leased the property from the city until 2002, when the city sold it to Landry's, the only bidder, which paid $500,000 for the property. Lease payments are $200,000 a year.

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive....id=2004_3789573

He was successful at defending his lease, by the way. The year after he committed fraud against FEMA by claiming excessive hurricane vouchers. When they caught him he pretended as though he had some kind of head injury that prevented him from having acted responsibly. His defense in that case obviously failed.

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...then again Daniel Yeh leases and operates it, and he's crazy and dishonest (was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison on Friday)...

I'd pay for a front row ticket to see it demolished.

I was arrested there for criminal trespass (for parking in their parking lot) in the early 90's. Two of their employees told straight-up lies in court in their testimony...and of course Galveston judge isn't going to let a teenage college student get over on the venerable Flagship.

I can only surmise that Yeh must have been running the place back in the early 90's...

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Flagship was always wasted potential. I wish someone with some clout and cash would do something magnificent with it.

The "Municipal Pleasure Pier" was built between 1939-1942, initiated by the city's mayor. Years later, after Carla rolled into town, a Houston banker leased the Pleasure Pier & built the Flagship Hotel on it. (Hurricane Carla messed up the buildings on Pleasure Pier, but not the pier itself). The Flagship opened in 1965. Thank you Ray Miller...Galveston, (p.187-212). :mellow: That pier must have been built pretty solid to stand that long.

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Thank's Nena for the clarification, you beat me to it. The pier is in good shape, only the hotel was damaged, and then only the EFIS facade. The ramp was damaged once before, so I'm not suprised it came apart again. I'm looking forward to the present owner leaving, or his demise. (which ever comes first.) Fertitta has some excellent ideas for the pier.

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Thank's Nena for the clarification, you beat me to it. The pier is in good shape, only the hotel was damaged, and then only the EFIS facade. The ramp was damaged once before, so I'm not suprised it came apart again. I'm looking forward to the present owner leaving, or his demise. (which ever comes first.) Fertitta has some excellent ideas for the pier.

What does EFIS facade mean? From the picture I saw it on TV, the ramp entrance is definitely gone, would imagine the hotel suffered some damage, as it was already in poor shape. The pier itself looked ok to me, but would imagine a structural engineer would need to confirm the condition of the "foundation". Let's hope something more visually "pleasurable" replaces it. Pardon the pun... ;)

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EFIS is a type of material method that is used on building facades. It can be made to resemble stone, plaster, rock, concrete, or even the controversial mermaid sculptures that adorned the front portion of the Flagship hotel.

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