New owners transform Heritage Inn on 8 Mile to JZ Motel

DETROIT (WJBK) - The Heritage Inn Motel, built in the 1970s has declined over the years on Eight Mile and Gratiot. 

"Before it was bad, it was bad," said George Wimbley, Mohican/Carlisle Neighborhood Association. "They have a lot of prostitutes at one time."

In June 2016 came new owners and a new name - The JZ Motel and Suites.

"A clean room. That's what everyone wants right?"

The Patel family and partners spent a million dollars to renovate all 70 rooms that will go for $65 to $70 a night.

"We're putting a lot of money into this place," said Devan Patel, the owner and manager of JZ Motel and Suites.  And we've been in the business for a long time so we know what kind of clientele we're going to get."

He says the clientele will be local people, perhaps visiting family, or here to enjoy the city.

"Our rooms are just as good as anywhere else, even downtown and the burbs," Patel said.

FOX 2: "Are you competing with downtown?"

"Yes," he said.

Patel is pretty confident. Let's take a look at these rooms. 

"It took three or four months just to gut this place out because we had furniture from the 60s and 70s here," he said.

And yes the motel  is named after the rap star Jay Z, like their other property, the MNM motel. Of course, they are spelled differently. 

FOX 2: "Do you have a Beyoncé  room?"

"Yes we hope to make some in the swimming," he said.

Now the original hotel had a pool. FOX 2 is told they will full in the pool and build suits, Jacuzzi suites.

And the neighborhood likes what's going on. 

The JZ motel should be open in a couple of weeks and then they will be ready for business on Eight Mile.

"We already have people lining up," Patel said.