Longtime Abandoned Hotel Along I-10 East Demolished

The former Fairfield Inn & Suites in Channelview was declared a nuisance property after dozens of calls for service and several fires.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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Harris County leaders have demolished a long-abandoned hotel along the East Freeway near Sheldon Road that had become a hotspot for crime and fires. The former Fairfield Inn & Suites was declared a nuisance property after dozens of calls for service and eight fires since the start of last year. The $500,000 demolition is part of the county's "Keep 2 Clean" initiative to address dangerous abandoned properties.

Why it matters

Abandoned and dilapidated properties can become magnets for criminal activity, public safety issues, and resource-draining calls for service. This demolition is part of a broader county effort to address these problematic properties and improve community safety.

The details

The former Fairfield Inn & Suites had been the source of 78 calls for service in the past 12 months, as well as eight fires since the start of 2021. County leaders deemed it the "most problematic property" in the area. The $500,000 demolition is being funded through Precinct 2's "Keep 2 Clean" initiative, which aims to address illegal dumping sites and dangerous abandoned structures.

  • The hotel had been the source of 78 calls for service in the past 12 months.
  • Eight fires had broken out at the property since the start of 2021, with the most recent one occurring a month ago.

The players

Harris County

The county government that declared the former Fairfield Inn & Suites a nuisance property and funded its demolition as part of the "Keep 2 Clean" initiative.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez

The sheriff who said the abandoned structure had become a repeated public safety concern, stretching law enforcement resources.

Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia

The commissioner who said the $500,000 demolition is part of a broader effort to address dangerous abandoned properties in the county.

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What they’re saying

“Our team has been proactive now for several weeks coming out here, dealing with those individuals that may find themselves homeless out here that may need access to resources. It's not just about shutting things down. We want to give a safe bridge and to those that may need the help, but at the same time, it's about maintaining public safety.”

— Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez (khou.com)

“Whether it is illegal dumping sites or whether it's abandoned properties of this nature, structures that have posed particular problems for the community, that half a million dollars will address all those issues under the Keep 2 Clean program.”

— Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia (khou.com)

What’s next

Leaders with Harris County are urging anyone who lives or works near a nuisance property to call 311 and report it immediately.

The takeaway

This demolition highlights the broader challenge of abandoned and dilapidated properties that can become magnets for crime and public safety issues. By proactively addressing these problematic properties, Harris County is working to improve community safety and quality of life.