REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. -Â On Friday, April 12 at 2 p.m., the Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission continued the Preliminary Review of the Site Plan Review Application for the proposed Belhaven Hotel located at 2 Rehoboth Avenue.
The hotel has been on the drawing board for several years now. The continuation of the Preliminary Review has been requested by John N. Papajohn of Belhaven Hotel Investments Inc., the owner of the property.
Vickey Burke, a regular visitor, supports the idea as long as it enhances the town's charm.
"As long as it stays classic and the town stays on top of making it part of Rehoboth, I think that will work," Burke says.
The proposed site of the Belhaven Hotel is not new to hospitality; it was once home to the original Belhaven Hotel in the early 1900s. The latest plans show a shift from 116 to 92 rooms, with the lobby relocated to the second floor to allow more retail space at street level.
A key feature of the new design is an underground parking garage, addressing some local concerns about traffic and parking. However, Pam Herr, who works at the ice cream store on the proposed property, worries the development could worsen traffic conditions.
"It's terrible nobody wants to come down here because the traffic is so hard and it's hard to park and everything," Herr comments.
If approved, the builders aim to open the hotel by mid-2026. The city's planning commission decided to take a closer look at the site plans in May, potentially moving them to a public hearing in June.