Eviction delays and missed deadlines stall demolition of Plymouth's Red Rock Inn

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at 3:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

The demolition of the Red Rock Inn property has hit another snag, prompting the Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety to hold off on granting the owner another deadline extension.

On Monday evening, property owner Nilesh Patel appeared before the board to request an extension on the city's "Order To Take Action" regarding the demolition of the buildings located at 2550 North Michigan Street.

In November 2025, Patel was granted a previous extension under strict conditions: he agreed to obtain a $500,000 surety bond within 30 days, secure a demolition permit by May 1, 2026, and begin the actual demolition by June 1, 2026.

However, Patel told the board he is now facing significant legal and logistical roadblocks. He explained that he filed an eviction notice against the owners of the on-site restaurant, Mi Camino, on February 27. A court hearing was initially scheduled for March 20, but because the Sheriff’s Department was unable to serve the papers to the restaurant owners in time, the court pushed the hearing back to May 1.

Because of the ongoing eviction dispute, Patel said his Indianapolis-based demolition contractor has been unable to access the restaurant building to calculate an accurate bid for the demolition costs.

“This is quite a dilemma we have,” Mayor Robert Listenberger remarked during the meeting.

The situation was further complicated when the mayor asked Patel if he had secured the required $500,000 surety bond—a deadline that passed months ago. Patel admitted he had only applied for the bond that morning through a South Bend company, though he expects to provide it to the city later this week.

When Mayor Listenberger asked Building Commissioner Dennis Manuwal about the penalties for failing to fulfill the November agreement, Manuwal warned that all previously waived fines would be reinstated retroactively to the current date.

Rather than outright denying or approving the extension, Manuwal suggested tabling Patel's request until the board's next meeting on April 27 to monitor the situation's progress. The Board of Public Works and Safety unanimously approved the suggestion.