HISTORIC DISTRICT REVIEW BOARD
Back to the Drawing Board for Hotel Cape Charles

Hotel Cape Charles developer David Gammino
(Wave photo)

By DORIE SOUTHERN
Cape Charles Wave

September 19, 2012

Hotel Cape Charles developer David Gammino came to Town Hall yesterday with his hat in his hand. After spending $2.4 million on a “destination hotel,” he has been unable to receive a permanent certificate of occupancy.

That’s because the completed hotel doesn’t look exactly like the plan the Town approved in April 2011.

In a September 11 letter to Town Planner Tom Bonadeo, Gammino apologized for not sticking to the original plan. “In retrospect, I should have consulted with Town officials . . . my assumptions regarding historic guidelines are informed by many historic tax credit projects, but they are clearly inaccurate with respect to the Town standards. For this, I accept responsibility and apologize.”

Gammino blamed “a rapidly changing business plan” for not keeping the Town informed about architectural changes. At first, he intended only to do “a light remodel” of the old, defunct hotel. But, “we came to the conclusion that reopening the hotel in its existing configuration would be a disservice to the Town of Cape Charles and limit the hotel’s demographic appeal,” he wrote.

That’s when the budget soared from $500,000 for updates to over $2 million for a major overhaul.

The hotel needs to bring in $30,000 a month to remain viable, Gammino said. [Read more…]

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Town Removes Entrance to Cape Kids Playground

Cape Kids entrance to Central Park playground was removed Tuesday morning at 8 a.m. by Town workers. According to the contract signed by the Town with a developer, the main entrance is be moved to the other side of the playground after the old school property is sold, and the parking lot will be closed. The property has not yet been sold, and a court injunction has been requested by a local group, Old School Cape Charles LLC, wishing to use the school as a community center rather than for an apartment house.  (Continued below)

(Continued from above) Playground site following removal of Cape Kids entranceway. Town Manager Heather Arcos told the Wave that the archway was removed in order to paint it and to allow equipment access into the playground. (Wave photos)

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