TRENTON — Mayor W. Reed Gusciora and other city officials will hold a press conference to announce plans for the former Marriot Hotel. The city is acquiring the property with help from a New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) grant for $4 million. The grant is part of the NJEDA’s Local Property Acquisition Grant Program which recently approved a total of $17 million for 12 projects throughout the state. “The City of Trenton will receive a grant award of up to $4 million to acquire a vacant property located at 1 West Lafayette Street,” NJEDA said in a recent press release. “The project will be a mixed-use development with hotel, residential, and commercial uses. Trenton is both a Government Restricted Municipality and a Transitional Aid community and is thus eligible for up to 100 percent of appraised property value costs.” The original hotel opened in 2002 during the administration of Mayor Doug Palmer as Lafayette Yard Marriott Conference Hotel. Investor Shelley M. Zeiger and hotel magnate J.W. Marriott ended Trenton’s run as the only Capital City in America without a hotel. That is, until a series of economic challenges and a few changes in ownership led to the eventual closure in 2017. This Lafayette Park branded shuttle bus sits abandoned outside of the hotel in Trenton. (John Berry/The Trentonian)Some of the guest rooms look lived in at the former Lafayette Park Hotel. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Trenton's only hotel sits vacant for several years. (John Berry/The Trentonian)The dust-covered dining room in the former Lafayette Park Hotel. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)The former Lafayette Park Hotel is now vacant as rumors of a new buyer are surfacing. (John Berry/The Trentonian)This piano sits covered in dust inside the former Lafayette Park Hotel. (L.A. Parker/The Trentonian)Photos by JOHN BERRY — THE TRENTONIANTrenton Police are parked in front of the Lafayette Park Hotel & Suites in Trenton. The hotel was being closed Monday morning and guests told that they needed to leave with little to no explanation.DAVID FOSTER — THE TRENTONIANA sign indicating that Amici's Grill is coming soon hangs at the Trenton Wyndham Garden Hotel.Gregg Slaboda - The TrentonianThe Wyndham Garden Hotel in Trenton.TRENTONIAN FILE PHOTOExterior of the Trenton Wyndham Garden Hotel.TRENTONIAN FILE PHOTOExterior of the Trenton Wyndham Garden Hotel.GREGG SLABODA — THE TRENTONIANTrenton's only hotel in seen here on Tuesday with Wyndham Garden signs, despite the company pulling its brand from the location.Cash-strapped Trenton hotel could be soldThe Trenton Marriott Hotel in 2013. (Trentonian file photo )The Marriott hotel is seen near the New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton N.J., Sunday, March 17, 2013. Trenton is spending $295,000 to keep the state capital's only hotel from closing its doors. The city-owned hotel has struggled for years to fill rooms and has become a money pit for Trenton. It's now a Marriott but that hotel chain has decided to pull out at midnight Friday. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)Exterior of the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Trenton Thursday March 12, 2015. (JACKIE SCHEARoTHE TRENTONIAN)JACKIE SCHEAR — THE TRENTONIANTrenton's top middle school students enjoy a special luncheon buffet during a Holiday Party at the Wyndham Garden Hotel, Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015. The special event recognized the city's middle school students who achieved Honor Roll status and perfect attendance.Trentonian File Photo Then Trenton Mayor Doug Palmer settles into his room after checking in, in 2002.Trentonian File Photo In this 2002 file photo, then-mayor Doug Palmer settles into his room after checking in.Show Caption1 of 19This Lafayette Park branded shuttle bus sits abandoned outside of the hotel in Trenton. (John Berry/The Trentonian)Expand An announcement from Gusciora’s office said a press conference to discuss the project is planned for 11 a.m. Tuesday outside of the vacant hotel at 1 West Lafayette St. Once the Trenton Marriot, the Lafayette Park Hotel & Suites shut down in 2017 for safety violations. In the years since it was shuttered, the vacant hotel has been a point of contention as many pushing for a revitalized downtown point to the lack of lodging as a major hurdle to draw historical tourism in a city steeped in revolutionary history. The hotel is next door to Trenton’s War Memorial building, and a short walk from the Old Barracks Museum, the State House, the New Jersey State Museum, and the city’s downtown shops and restaurants. The hotel was also broken into last year, with thieves stripping copper wire, pipes, and even brass railings after gaining access through a rooftop door by way of the parking garage next door. Potential buyers for the property have surfaced over the years, but none closed on the purchase. Extensive repairs would be needed to open the hotel, as the list of violations that shut the hotel down include electrical problems, fire safety issues, broken hardware, and more. Addressing those issues and the damage done by stolen pipes and wiring, squatters, and deterioration from the elements would make a costly repair bill. “Since taking office, Governor Murphy has been dedicated to boosting the economic prospects of New Jersey’s communities, creating jobs for local residents, and generating vital tax revenue for municipalities,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan. “The projects supported through the Local Property Acquisition Grant Program will help advance local economic development initiatives throughout the state by transforming unused real estate into vibrant commercial spaces and community hubs.”