In January 2017, the northernmost wing of Riverton’s S. Federal Inn caught fire due to a mechanical problem with a heater in one of the rooms.
There were no major injuries in the fire, but the motel manager and firefighters reported minor smoke inhalation issues.
Soon after the blaze, the building became vacant. It sat vacantly and partially destroyed for over two years.
In April 2019, the building was purchased. Workers have been spotted cleaning the exterior of the building that was not affected by the fire, and on Thursday, demolition efforts began on the northern row of rooms.
The burned portion of the building has been criticized publicly for months as being one of the “biggest eyesores” in downtown Riverton. Renovation efforts are expected to continue through the next several weeks.
Demolition crews said they could not comment yet on plans for the building.
