Rehoboth planning set to review Atlantic Crowne, again

The Rehoboth Beach Planning Commission is set to get its first look at the new version of the Atlantic Crowne Hotel during a concept review Friday, Feb. 10.

The Cape Gazette first reported Rehoboth hotelier Gene Lankford, who also owns the Atlantic Sands Hotel and Breakers Hotel, was bringing back this Baltimore Avenue project Jan. 20. The city published a notice Jan. 31 for the concept review.

According to plans provided to the city in advance of the review, the hotel would sit on four 5,000-square-foot lots – 17, 19, 21 and 23 Baltimore Ave. – and be four stories tall. The plan comprises 55 rooms, a ground-floor restaurant and bar area, and an outdoor dining patio. There will be on-site parking and an underground parking garage accessed through the Atlantic Sands parking garage directly to the east. 

Lankford introduced the initial version of the hotel in summer 2018, but legal issues related to gross floor area ended those plans before they began. The previous version of the hotel had 40 rooms and was planned for three 5,000-square-foot lots – 17, 19 and 21 Baltimore Ave. Lankford purchased 23 Baltimore Ave. in September.

The planning commission meeting is scheduled for 2 p.m., Feb. 10, in the commissioners room of Rehoboth Beach City Hall, 229 Rehoboth Ave.