The owners of Hibiscus Beach Hotel updated the Coastal Zone Management Board Wednesday evening on progress and plans to rebuild the popular north shore hotel and restaurant – closed in 2009 and demolished by the 2017 hurricanes.
Owner Waleed Hamed told the board that their objective is to build an additional 62 guest rooms, bringing the total to 103 rooms. When completed, the property, originally built in 1992, will contain a boutique hotel, bar, restaurant, gift shop, meeting center, gym, pool, and paved parking lot.
“Based on the existing topography of the site, the public beach access serves as a natural drainage path for stormwater that sheet flows off the ocean for the area. No alterations will be made to restrict the existing drainage pattern,” Hamed said.
Hamed, Damian Cartwright, a civil engineer and others explained that existing buildings will be raised one foot and new structures will have floor elevations of 10 or 12 feet to avoid flooding.
According to Hamed, the foundations will be concrete strengthened by fiberglass rebar and they hope to have a grand opening in 2027.
The south side of the property is a natural ghut that drains water into the sea after a heavy rain or hurricane. The northwest end of the property will support parking spaces and beach access. According to Hamed, the hotel will maintain both accesses and the mangroves lining the beach access.
Four or five neighboring property owners showed up at the hearing because they have been victims of flooding and sewage backup after previous storms. Several said that the February rains even caused flooding.
The property owner to the west of the hotel said he has seen baby turtles in the ghut and debris after storms. His wife said they are not “anti-development,” but two other engineers told them they disagree with the property plan.
A middle-aged property owner who had lived in his home his entire life said the flooding is the worst he has ever experienced. He recommended diverting the water by the condos (Palms Colony Cove) and reducing the water through the Hibiscus ghut.
Cartwright said they will employ best practices when dealing with stormwater and to prevent erosion. There will be no structure blocking the drainage, he added. Part of the new hotel will straddle the natural flow of water.
The group hopes the landowner will implement ways to mitigate storm water in the future. They all shared stories of flooding and sewer backups over the years.
One of the neighbor’s attorneys said they “are not making the correct assessment.”
CZM Director Marlon Hibbert said the board toured the property for more than two hours, and Masserae Sprauve Webster, CZM board chair, said they will accept public comments for the next seven days and be prepared to announce a decision within 30 days.
During the four-hour hearing, more than one testifier said, “This is the start of the process, not the end.”
