Hotel Conversion to Workforce Housing Proposed on Capitol Landing Road
"MainStay Suites" in Williamsburg could become 88 new apartments as part of City's adaptive housing plans
The Williamsburg Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing October 15, 2025, to consider rezoning and a special use permit (SUP) to allow the conversion of the MainStay Suites on Capitol Landing Road into 88 workforce housing units. Though the Planning Commission will be able to issue a recommendation on the proposed changes, the decision will ultimately be up to the City Council at a later date to be decided.
According to City property records, the 4-story, 80-room hotel was built in 1980 and sits on nearly five acres. Sunrise Investment Group LLC purchased the property in 2008 for $2.9 million. According to Hotels.com, MainStay Suites is rated 6/10 with a typical weekend rate of $71.
The site is currently zoned B-4, dubbed the “Culinary Arts and Hospitality District” by the City, which was established in 2016 to encourage restaurants, breweries, and tourism-related uses along that stretch of Capitol Landing Road. While the B-4 zoning allows the possibility of new multifamily development, it specifically restricts the reuse of existing hotels or other buildings for residential purposes.
Therefore, in order to convert the hotel to apartments, the applicant is seeking to rezone the property to Planned Development Housing (PDH), a zoning district created in 2015 to encourage the adaptive reuse of hotels and motels for affordable housing in some parts of the City.If approved, the proposal would add new studio and one-bedroom apartments to Williamsburg’s housing stock. The PDH district allows up to 100 units per facility, and up to 75% of the converted units can be studios, with the remainder required to be a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments.
The goal of the PDH ordinance is to keep rents affordable for households earning 80% or less of the area median income. Other restrictions require that no more than 30% of residents’ income be charged for rent.
In order to monitor the workforce housing offerings, the City requires a management plan to ensure affordability compliance, upkeep, and connections to local social services. School-aged children living at the property would attend either Matthew Whaley Elementary, Berkeley Middle School, or Lafayette High School.
The writer used AI tools and these sources:
Agenda Packet - City of Williamsburg Planning Commission - Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Zoning Ordinance - DIVISION 9.1. - CULINARY ARTS AND HOSPITALITY DISTRICT B-4
Zoning Ordinance - DIVISION 15. - PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS PDR, PDC AND PDU