You won't believe many violations there have been at this West Hempstead motor inn

Citing safety and structural concerns, the Town of Hempstead has shut down the Capri Motor Inn in West Hempstead — a motel that officials have described as a hub for “criminal activity.”

The Nassau County fire marshal’s office inspected the motel, on Hempstead Turnpike, on Aug. 7 and discovered smoke detectors that were not working, a faulty fire alarm system and unsafe electrical cords, officials said.

As a result, the town Building Department has declared the motel a “nuisance,” and ordered that it be closed immediately, authorities said.

Community members and officials said the Capri’s issues extend much further than its fire safety violations.

Police have responded to incidents at the motel 156 times since January, according to Detective Lt. Richard Lebrun, a Nassau County Police Department spokesman. Those incidents included nuisance complaints, drug overdoses and general “criminal activity,” Lebrun said.

The town, however, said it ordered the motel closed not because of reported criminal activity, but rather due to the structural and safety issues that the fire marshal’s office uncovered. Both the town and the NCPD had requested the Aug. 7 inspection of the premises.

“The Nassau County fire marshal and police department worked in coordination with the town, as the seriousness of violations necessitated the immediate closure of the premises,” Greg Blower, a town spokesman, said.

The Capri’s reputation — which includes incidents of gun violence, fentanyl use and prostitution — “definitely didn’t help its case,” Casey Sammon, another town spokesman, added.

“We think that’ll help the community a lot, because it’ll take some dangerous criminal activity out of the neighborhoods,” Sammon said of the motel’s closing. “Everything is for the safety of residents.”

Sammon said that reaction to the closing from West Hempstead residents has been overwhelmingly positive.

“After years of reporting issues to the police and town, we are able to announce the closing of the Capri Motel on Hempstead Turnpike,” the West Hempstead Community Support Association said in a Facebook post. “There were numerous serious incidents at the hotel within a short window of time recently, which allowed the town to shut them down and classify the location as a nuisance.”

The post has been met with hundreds of likes, shares and comments from community members, who celebrated the news.

“It has been a blight on this community for many decades,” one resident said.

“This is a huge victory,” another said.

Town officials said the motel still has a chance to reopen if the owner acquires the proper permits and addresses the structural and safety concerns. The Herald’s attempts to contact the reported owner, L&S Realty Co. in West Hempstead were unsuccessful. Upon calling Capri Motor Inn directly, a “user is busy” message appears and the call is dropped.

Sammon said the town was looking into classifying the Capri Motor Inn as a public nuisance — which would more directly address the reported criminal activity that has taken place there — but cannot do so without first holding a public hearing. The town said the possibility of a hearing would be addressed at its next board meeting on Sept. 6.