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Planning board advances special-permit conversion to expand Lloyd Hotel to 146 rooms at 909 Washington Blvd.
Summary
The Stamford Planning Board unanimously supported a special-permit application (ZB225-30) to convert former YMCA space at 909 Washington Blvd. into additional hotel rooms and amenities, increasing capacity from 94 to 146 rooms and relying on a valet parking plan and a footnote-23 parking exception, the applicant said.
The Stamford Planning Board on Sept. 2 unanimously moved forward an application (ZB225-30) from RMS Hotel (RMS Hotel I LLC) to convert former YMCA space at 909 Washington Blvd. into hotel rooms and guest amenities, increasing the property’s room count by 52 to a proposed 146-room hotel.
William Hennessy, attorney for the applicant, told the board the building — commonly referred to as the Lloyd Hotel — was partly purchased by RMS after the YMCA closed. The proposal converts the gymnasium, auditorium and other former YMCA spaces into hotel rooms, inserts an interstitial floor within the tall gym volume, and demolishes part of the auditorium to create an open-air courtyard for a new restaurant and amenities. Hennessy said the building’s footprint and height will not change and the project will remain under allowed FAR limits.
Hennessy said the hotel will use a valet parking plan and is seeking relief under zoning footnote 23 to meet a reduced parking ratio (presentation referenced both 0.25 and 0.5 per room during discussion). He said the hotel will be self-contained for parking for the first time because RMS also acquired the adjacent parking garage; TTP (traffic/parking) reviewed the valet plan and requested a condition requiring valet operation while the hotel is open.
Board members asked whether the restaurant would be open to the public (Hennessy said yes), and raised the community loss of the YMCA pool; Hennessy said the project will provide a redesigned exercise facility for guests but not the prior public pool. After questions, Ravi Subramanian moved the motion and Jeremy Linder seconded; the board carried the motion unanimously.
Hennessy cited prior downtown approvals using the same footnote and said the conversion aligns with the master plan’s core/mixed-use designations and the draft master plan guidance. The application will next proceed to the zoning board or other required review steps as applicable.
