Years ago, as a security guard at downtown’s Fairmont Hotel, ex-San Jose police spokesman Bobby Burroughs had a frontal way of keeping out the riffraff.
When a transient walked in to use the bathroom from the First Street side, Burroughs would snap his picture and advise him against returning.
Today, Burrough’s tactics aren’t needed: The public can’t enter through the eastern side of the Fairmont. A sign says, “This entrance is accessible only with a valid guest room key.” In effect, the hotel has turned its back on the city.
Indifference from some
Most folks pass with a shrug. If they’re veterans of downtown, they might wonder why a door that was open for years is closed. People who work at the Fairmont say the sign has been up for about a year — though the door has been closed during the night for much longer.
Even city officials more or less shrug. Redevelopment Agency Director Harry Mavrogenes told me the door was closed for security — and that the front door, after all, is still open.
Me? I confess to irritation and sadness. With other reporters, I toured the Fairmont with then-operator Mel Swig before it opened in 1987.
http://www.mercurynews.com/scott-herhold/ci_14296728?nclick_check=1
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