By Mary Meaux

The News staff writer

Hotel Sabine is once again on the market — less than a year after city leaders’ last tried to sell the building.

Port Arthur City Council approved advertising for bids for the 10-story building that was once labeled the “finest hotel on the Texas gulf coast” during Tuesday’s meeting at city hall.

Councilmember Tom Henderson said he heard there was a person from California who was interested in the hotel and wanted to make sure the person would be aware of the upcoming bidding process. Council advertised the sale of the building in November 2006 but did not receive any bids.

Originally named the Vaughn Hotel, the facility was the toast of the town with elegant furnishings, banquet rooms and suites. Today, the hotel stands vacant and in shambles. Asbestos abatement will cost upwards of $1 million not counting the cost of completely gutting the building, adding new electrical and plumbing work and turning the building into a revenue maker.

Interested persons can contact the Director of Planning at 983-8135 for more information.

The need for housing is becoming more and more obvious as new workers pour into the area. To help alleviate the need for temporary housing, council approved a license for an RV park to be located on the north side of Pleasure Island Boulevard between the barrier and the ship channel. This is the park that was previously proposed to be located on the Disc Golf Course.

The area is approximately about eight acres of land located in front of the Texas Parks and Wildlife building, an area once used for storage of abandoned boats and trailers. The storage was moved after Hurricane Rita and the area has been mowed periodically since then.

Pleasure Island Commission is in the final negotiations for a contractual agreement which is a 5-year lease with the option for renewal.

In other business, council approved awarding a contract to K.H. Dugas Construction and Demolition in the amount of $14,900 for the demolition of five dangerous residential properties. Typically such agenda items are placed on the consent agenda but because of previous problems with the contractor, City Manager Steve Fitzgibbons wanted council to have a chance to discuss the issue.

In April, Property owner John Benoit and Kevin Dugas, owner of K.H. Dugas Construction/Demolition, dealt with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on charges of illegal dumping.

Councilmember Martin Flood worried about working with a company that reportedly deceived the city previously.

“Why are we doing business with someone who has burned us before,” he said. “Now we’re going to have to bird dog them.”

Lawrence Baker, supervisor of Environmental Services for the city, said Dugas did his job well up until the point where he decided to make a deal on the side.

“As far as his performance as a contractor, I will be watching him like a hawk,” he said.

Baker has faith that Dugas will perform his work as stipulated in the contract.

City Attorney Mark Sokolow asked that the contract be contingent on Dugas providing the city with documentation showing he disposed of the property properly.