April 12--Unceremonious is one way to describe the expected closure this weekend of the Waverton Hotel in Elmhurst.

City officials said they were not aware until earlier this week that plans were afoot to close the hotel owned by a Texas-based bank. That's when a couple of people from a company hired by the bank to shut it down showed up at Elmhurst City Hall to inform the city of their task.

"They said they were there to close it down," said Assistant City Manager Mike Kopp. "They'll put a chain link fence around it, and then they'll liquidate it."

The property at 624 N. York St. had been a focus of attention for the Elmhurst Police Department because of drug-related offenses, fights and other crimes that occurred there, said Elmhurst Police Chief Michael Ruth.

The hotel management did not return calls for comment. A person who answered a call to the front desk confirmed the hotel is closing this weekend.

Most recently, police stepped up surveillance of the property after a 20-person melee broke out in the hotel bar in February and assistance to quell it was needed from other nearby departments, Ruth said.

"We had some disturbances there from time to time," he said. "We had some drug activity in the parking lot. We increased some patrols in the area and made some minor drug arrests."

City Manager Jim Grabowski said the city does not know why the hotel, which was built in the 1960s and formerly was a Holiday Inn, is closing.

"We don't think criminal activity is the reason the Waverton is closing, however police presence has increased there, especially on weekends, in response to some disturbances that occurred in the parking lot," he said.

The hotel, which includes an interior water park with a slide, is on a four-acre property that Grabowski said is a relatively large parcel for Elmhurst and ripe for redevelopment.

"We never like to see a business leave, but the re-development potential is significant," he said.

The hotel is located in the city's newest Tax Increment Finance District on north York Street, which was established in 2012. It is across the street from a Mariano's Fresh Market.

Grabowski said the decision to sell the hotel may be linked to the creation of the TIF, and the economic incentives it provides for future development.

"If someone is interested in redeveloping the parcel, one hurdle is demolition of the building. That is a TIF eligible expense. Other public improvements could help the redevelopment as well," he said.

Kopp said the city is not yet aware of any specific plans for the property but has reached out to the bank that owns it.

"Whether it's going to be sold (as a hotel) or redeveloped we're working with them expeditiously," Kopp said.

City planner Nathaniel Werner said he thinks it's unlikely the property will be redeveloped as a hotel.

"They've always struggled," he said. "With O'Hare, there are a lot of hotels just north of here."

Kopp said no date has been set yet for liquidation sale of the hotel's furnishings and equipment.

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