The doors of the Llewellyn Hotel have been shuttered for the past few years when the longtime rooming house was sold – and it seems they will remain that way for the foreseeable future.
The historic building, built in 1900, is on the market again. The current owner Daniel Garcia-Pedrosa had plans to redevelop three adjacent properties – 259, 257, and 255-253 Main Street – but has decided to part ways with the investment.
“We got all the approvals for the redevelopment, but we didn’t go forward with the work – with costs and rates where they are, the project didn’t seem feasible anymore,” Garcia-Pedrosa said. “We looked at every possibility, including working with someone to bring back the old rooming house and renovate it.”
In 2022, the Zoning Board voted to approve the redevelopment project that would have combined the two neighboring buildings at 259 and 257 Main Street. The original plan was to convert the 36-unit rooming house into an 11-unit apartment building with ground-floor commercial space. Garcia-Pedrosa is selling all three buildings and the approved plans for $2.5 million.
Although the Llewellyn Hotel – once called the “jewel of Main Street” by a Zoning Board member – is one of the most recognizable buildings, it doesn’t have a local landmark designation, meaning there is little the township could do to prevent a developer from demolishing it.
Garcia-Pedrosa – who also owns a property at 269 Main Street, which he intends to keep – said one of the benefits of selling the plans with the property is that it could inspire the next owner to preserve the building and “pick up where we left off.”
An architectural survey argued in 2014 that the township should include the Llewellyn Hotel and the two adjacent properties in a proposed Tory Corner Historic District. The township still hasn’t moved forward on the landmarking designation. However, one of the buildings in the proposed district – Holy Trinity Episcopal Church – was individually landmarked in 2022.
The building across the street from the Llewellyn Hotel, where Walgreen’s was formerly located, is also vacant. All of this, together with the recent closing of bakery Willow & Olivia at 255 Main Street, has left a large and concerning vacancy in this part of town.
Earlier today, workers were seen removing the sign from baker Gia Garcia’s shop, which had personal meaning to her loyal customers. The good news is Garcia said she will carry on as an online business.
The downtown corridor from Charles Street to Erwin Place was designated in 2021 as a redevelopment zone. Aside from facade improvements, there has been no redevelopment.
