60-room hotel project proposed in Rehoboth Beach, city officials/business owners weigh in

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del.- A proposed plan could bring an almost 60,000 square feet hotel right on the beachfront in Rehoboth Beach.

The 60-hotel room, four story facility would sit where the Dolle’s building currently stands.

A development group, One Rehoboth Avenue LLC, recently presented the city’s planning commission with a concept review for the project.

Mayor Stan Mills says that was just step one in a long road for a building permit. “It’s a very methodical process but it’s not quick. It could take a year or more perhaps to go through all the steps and come into compliance with federal, state, and local rules and ordinances,” Mills said.

Rehoboth/Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce President Carol Everhart says the project could have many benefits, like increasing the city’s accommodation tax to providing more housing for visitors. “Anytime we have additional overnight visitation, that is a big plus. An overnight visitor provides twice the amount of economic impact than a day or hourly visitor would,” Everhart said.

With that extra foot traffic comes concerns for parking and congestion, especially for local business owners like Linda Abrams who owns Seaside Finds. “The locals especially stay away from this area during the summer months because it’s just too much for them. The traffic is horrendous,” Abrams said.

“Or who they may put out of business. As a small business owner, that’s always a concern. We worry about each other.”

The design concept also designates the bottom floor of the facility for commercial use, which we’re told could be another reason for visitors to stop by. “An Oceanfront hotel. You know we don’t have that many in Rehoboth so that would be nice. Maybe even oceanfront dining would also be a nice addition,” Abrams said.

“They want to keep yesterday’s charm. Working to keep that keeps the visitor coming back. It’s a big part of it, but you still have to provide today’s amenities,” Everhart said.

The Rehoboth/Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce tells us that the project does include an application for underground parking, which could be an answer to the traffic concerns for the area.

After receiving those needed approvals, the developers would go back to the planning commission with a formal site plan review.

Public comment is welcome at any planning commission meetings.