The former Radisson Hotel in Downtown Fresno closed in December for fire code violations. Photo by Frank Lopez

Mayor Jerry Dyer weighed in Thursday on the city’s shut down order of the Radisson Hotel in Downtown Fresno.

The storied hotel on Van Ness Avenue was shut down Wednesday due to fire code violations.

The hotel, which was most recently operating as a Radisson but has reportedly lost that affiliation, has been a downtown staple for decades, serving the city and local convention attendees for more than 50 years.

On Wednesday, the mayor’s office was made aware that anticipated repairs to the building’s fire alarm systems would not be completed prior to a scheduled inspection Dec. 30, according to a city news release.

The City of Fresno has not issued any final orders, but the city manager has begun a full assessment of the hotel’s ability to ensure guest safety, according to the release.

The city has continued to work with the hotel owners to update the 50-year-old fire system to current standards.

The city had required the hotel to provide manned 24/7 fire watch to ensure safety of occupants during repairs. The Fire Department allows for a fire watch to serve as a temporary measure to allow businesses to remain open while repairs occur.

“At this time, we can no longer allow a temporary measure to take the place of permanent repairs to the fire alarm system of a multi-story building in the heart of Downtown Fresno,” said Dyer in the release.

Dyer’s office is hopeful the ownership will bring the fire alarm system, and other building deficiencies, up to standards.

A sale of the 195-room hotel reached escrow earlier this year, according to a local real estate broker, but the sale later fell through.