09/07/2007 – Lake City Reporter

Fund raising efforts for the new Columbia County Senior Services Lifestyle Enrichment Center received a significant boost recently with a donation of $25,000 from hotel owners P.J. Patel and Nick Patel of Lake City.

The new 13,500 sq foot facility is located just north of Baya Avenue and was recently completed and occupied. Construction costs for the facility were approximately $2.2 million. With the fund raising efforts needed to payoff a $480,000 bridge loan for the project, along with an added $250,000 needed to equip the facility.

PJ and Nick Patel, jointly own six hotels in the area including the Hampton Inn, Country Inn & Suites, Red Roof Inn and Days Inn in Lake City. The duo also own Country Inn and Suites properties in Gainesville.

Having been in the lodging business in Lake City for the past 21 years, they have also recently announced plans to build a new multi story Comfort Inn & Suites, along with a conference facility, on US Highway 90, just west of the Interstate 75 intersection.

“After looking at the new Lifestyle Enrichment Center we realized what a beautiful addition the facility is for our community and that it is absolutely needed for the quality of life for our senior citizens,”

The hotel group co-owners are extremely active in supporting a wide array of community and employee needs, including most recently providing school supplies for students at Niblack Elementary School.

“This community has given a lot to us and the right thing to do is to give back when something good is happening,” Nick Patel explained. “This new facility is essential for the quality of life in Lake City and we are proud to support it.” » back