209 MONROE AVENUE

Attention Developers, Investors, Retailers, and Tourism-Based Businesses: A prime opportunity awaits with 3 acres of commercially zoned, developable land for sale in Lewes, DE, located at a brand-new full movement intersection at the NE corner of Freeman Highway (Cape May-Lewes Ferry Road) and Monroe Avenue. This strategic location is surrounded by thriving residential neighborhoods in a high-demand demographic area. Positioned less than 1/2 mile from downtown Lewes, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry and Cape Henlopen State Park, and at the junction of several bike trails, the property offers excellent access to local residents and tourists alike. The area is amenity-rich, with proximity to popular restaurants and retailers, making it ideal for retail development, commercial/residential mixed use and hospitality ventures. This is a rare chance to invest in one of Delaware’s fastest growing and most desirable coastal markets.
Note: “Dwelling unit, apartment in conjunction with commercial use and only on floors above street level”; City of Lewes, Table of Permitted Uses and Structures, General Commercial (GC) Sec. 197-Attachment 1.

The property is currently improved by a single story, +/-8,600sf tenanted building. Proposed, approved development plans include the addition of a new 15,000 sf building, comprised of: 6,000sf for two-story restaurant* including deck and patio areas; and 9,000sf of retail space, and renovations to the existing 8,600sf building. Preliminary Site Plans with conditions were preliminarily approved by the City on 4/10/2023. DelDOT/DRBA and City of Lewes entrance approvals are in place and a new full-motion traffic light and highway improvements to the Monroe Avenue at the Freeman Highway (Ferry Road) intersection are complete. Agency approvals including the Delaware Fire Marshal and Sussex Conservation District are final approved and Final Site Plan approval was given July 16, 2025, with such approval expiring April 10, 2026 (extendable by application for one year, to April 10, 2027). Per the City of Lewes Zoning Code, the property has no side/rear setbacks, is not part of a water recharge area, with a 40’ (3-stories) maximum height- restriction. *(Separate conditional use approval by the City of Lewes is required for use of the 2nd floor of restaurant portion of the building for restaurant seating).