EXCELSIOR SPRINGS – First came what Economic Development Director Melinda Mehaffy called “demolition by neglect” of The Royal Hotel resulting from previous owners. “On May 21, bricks began falling out of the first floor,” Mehaffy stated. The hotel consists of an east and west building. With brick dropping from the east building, the city closed River Street and worked with the property owner, Royal Property Holdings, to make stabilization plans. No one has found asbestos in the building, but Royal Property Holdings and the city have not left that possibility to chance. “We knew whatever work we were doing would need the asbestos and lead-based paint surveys, so we were working to get those completed and the developer had been meeting with a well-known construction company that specializes in restoration,” Mehaffy stated. Work with the Department of Natural Resources and the developer to test the buidilng for the ...