In future summers, the perimeters of the Rehoboth Seaside boardwalk might have a brand new, bigger look.
A number of plans are within the works to construct motels in Rehoboth Seaside, certainly one of Delaware’s hottest locations that retains getting busier. Within the coming years, when beachgoers look again on the avenue from the sand, there’ll doubtless be extra oceanfront balconies and home windows than one-story outlets.
Two initiatives might shake up the tip of the boardwalk. The longtime proprietor of the Sweet Kitchen nook desires to construct a 100-plus room constructing there within the picture of a mid-Twentieth century lodge. Throughout the avenue, Grotto Pizza is taking up the previous Dolle’s with plans for a restaurant and lodge.
Elsewhere on Rehoboth Avenue, a motel is being renovated right into a boutique lodge. A court docket battle will resolve whether or not an workplace strip is changed by one other lodge.
Because the seashores start to roll into their “shoulder season” — between the elbow-to-elbow boardwalk site visitors of summer time and the quiet winter — this is a have a look at the place these initiatives stand.
Bellhaven Lodge
Longtime homeowners of certainly one of Rehoboth Seaside’s most prime areas have plans to construct a four-story luxurious lodge.
The undertaking is a brand new model of the Bellhaven lodge on the south nook of Rehoboth Avenue and the boardwalk reverse the previous Dolle’s. The Papajohn household has owned the property because the late Thirties. Their authentic Bellhaven stood on the website for many years earlier than it was broken by the Nice Storm of 1962 and later taken down. It’s now residence to a number of shops and eating places together with Sweet Kitchen, The Ice Cream retailer and Grotto Pizza.
In November, the Rehoboth Seaside Board of Adjustment granted a variance to permit the property to be developed at a larger floor-area ratio than permitted by metropolis code, one of many first steps towards gaining approval for the undertaking. That variance is now being challenged in court docket by Francis Markert, a Rehoboth Seaside resident who has served on a number of metropolis boards.
Greater than 100 residents final 12 months signed a letter opposing the variance request. The letter argued the lodge would have an “adversarial influence” in town as a result of its measurement goes in opposition to Rehoboth Seaside’s character and would “open the flood gates” for additional growth in business areas and elevated lodge density.
PREVIOUS REPORTING: Boardwalk lodge modeled after historic Rehoboth Seaside landmark clears main hurdle
The court docket held an oral argument on Aug. 30. A choose has not but dominated on the case.
The following step for the Papajohns is a listening to earlier than the Planning Fee. Alex Papajohn stated they’ve continued engineering the undertaking and are ready to be positioned on the fee’s schedule to current the most recent model of their plan because the court docket case performs out.
The plan introduced final 12 months known as for 116 rooms with balconies, a zero-edge pool, a convention heart, an train room and underground parking. There could be ground-floor retail changing among the shops displaced by the lodge’s development.
The upper floor-area ratio permits the Papajohns to incorporate higher-class facilities such because the balconies, convention heart and retail, they stated. With out the variance, the Papajohns stated they must construct a generic boxed-shape lodge with extra rooms and fewer facilities.
Boutique lodge on the former Dolle’s
Grotto Pizza is taking up the enduring nook the place Dolle’s orange script signal had lengthy christened the Rehoboth Seaside sky.
Nearly a 12 months earlier than the basic Dolle’s signal got here down, Grotto Pizza purchased the property at 1 Rehoboth Ave. and the boardwalk with plans to maneuver its Baltimore Avenue restaurant there. Now, it additionally desires to construct a boutique lodge with underground parking in the identical block.
PREVIOUS REPORTING:Large adjustments are coming to Rehoboth Boardwalk’s iconic nook. How Grotto is enjoying a job
Lynne Coan, communications specialist for Rehoboth Seaside, stated an idea plan has been submitted for the property. It might go to the Planning Fee within the coming weeks.
Proper now, the realm Grotto Pizza is redeveloping contains the previous Dolle’s constructing, a single-story retail house, the North Boardwalk Grotto Pizza restaurant and the closed Sirocco Lodge.
Jeff Gosnear, vp of Grotto Pizza, has stated the lodge would complement different motels close to the boardwalk. Grotto Pizza has not shared particular particulars concerning the undertaking.
330 Rehoboth Ave.
A multiyear effort to construct a lodge on the gateway to Rehoboth Avenue is now within the fingers of the Delaware Chancery Courtroom.
Plans for a four-story, 90-room lodge with street-level and underground parking at 330 Rehoboth Ave. have been earlier than the town of Rehoboth Seaside since early 2019. The property is maybe greatest generally known as the previous residence of the Seahorse restaurant. It is now workplaces with an adjoining parking zone.
The property is break up into two zoning classifications: about half is zoned for business use and about half is zoned for residential use. The residential space is used for parking.
When the Planning Fee reviewed the property in 2019, it discovered two potential routes for the event. The builders might search variances to proceed utilizing the residential zoned parcel for parking as a part of the lodge plan or request the residential zoned parcel be rezoned to business.
The builders say the Planning Fee supported the zoning change to make the undertaking easier.
The undertaking stalled due to an ownership-related dispute. As soon as 330 Hospitality LLC, a partnership between Gallo Realty and Lockwood Design and Building as reported by the Cape Gazette, took possession of the appliance returned to the Planning Fee in Might 2021. After a number of hearings, the Planning Fee in December really useful denying the rezoning. Town commissioners voted in opposition to the rezoning by a 5-2 vote in March.
330 Hospitality LLC is now arguing in a lawsuit in opposition to the town and members of the Planning Fee and the Board of Commissioners that they relied on “good religion” to pursue the rezoning, and the explanations shared for denying the appliance have been flawed.
A listening to on the town’s movement to dismiss the case is scheduled for Oct. 17.
Sandcastle Motel
Harvey, Hanna and Associates are redeveloping the Sandcastle Motel at Rehoboth Avenue and Second Road.
It is a $5 million renovation undertaking that may remodel the motel right into a boutique lodge with an upscale southern European-themed restaurant, the Delaware Enterprise Instances reported. It’ll have 60 rooms, the identical quantity because the motel.
Rehoboth Seaside allowed some demolition work this summer time. Town code prohibits demolition of buildings over 750 sq. ft from Might 15 to Sept. 15.
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Contact Brandon Holveck at [email protected]. Observe him on Twitter @holveck_brandon.
