REHOBOTH BEACH, DE -- City officials in Rehoboth Beach are exploring options to have the boardwalk historically recognized, but not without pushback from some neighbors.
Mayor Stan Mills says he and other officials believe the boardwalk, first built in 1873, deserves historic recognition. However, other agencies must officially make the decision.
Officials are exploring three historic designation options: a blue historic marker issued by the state public archives, designation as a national historic place, or designation as a national historic landmark.
"We're not at the point where we can say yes or no, what all the impacts are, what all the pros and cons are, and that's where the further exploration comes in," says Mills.
Mills says the city is considering possible federal funding and grants that could come out of it. He says national recognition could also increase tourism.
But Rehoboth Beach resident Thomas Gaynor says now is not the time to even consider it.
"We're in the process of a potential Rehoboth renaissance," says Gaynor. "We have two massive hotel developments that have the opportunity to redevelop and reinvigorate all of the beach blocks. The city is looking to freeze, in a polaroid historical designation approach, the boardwalk, in the context of that potential redevelopment."
Yet, longtime visitor Dawn Ferro hopes to see historic recognition for just that.
"The city should request recognition at the state level, absolutely, but also the national because otherwise, [developers] are going to take away from the boardwalk if you start building on this main street that brings people from the tri-state and all over," says Ferro. "No, I'm absolutely against any high rises or anything being built here."
Mayor Mills says officials plan to solicit feedback from boardwalk businesses and ensure there would be no negative effect on the two hotel developments.
Once upon a time, officials also considered the effect historical recognition could have on potential wind turbines off the Rehoboth shoreline and where they are built. The Mayor says they have now learned that there is no effect at all on those projects.