Officials from Cambridge Waterfront Development Incorporated signed a deal Monday to build a 120-room hotel at Cambridge Harbor. A throng of city, county and state leaders gathered at the waterfront to cheer the occasion as as landmark step.
“It’s exciting! It’s progress,” said CWDI board member Carol Baker. “We’re making progress. Long overdue. Glad to see it.”
The hotel development deal with Pinnacle Hospitality Group of Ocean City is the first contract to build something at the 30-odd acre property. CWDI has been seeking a developer for more than 8 years.
Tauhid Islam, president of Pinnacle, said he is still considering the actual hotel brand in discussions with Marriot and Hilton. But he expects construction of the 120-room hotel to begin within 18 months.
“We want to bring the cranes out here as quicly as possible and hopefully get to work,” Islam said. “So I’m really excited about the opportunity, excited about the market, about being on the Eastern Shore, about being able to help the community here. Giving employment to local contractors, local designers. And being able to create something in this environment. It trakes a lot. Looking forward to all that.
“It’s a wonderful day, right”
No drawings or models of the hotel were on display at the signing.
CWDI members have told local officials involved in the Cambridge Harbor project that the hotel would likely be six stories high. It’s location is at the westernmost tip of the property, near the Yacht Maintenance shipyard, where the brick promenade encircles the property.
Angie Hengst, president of CWDI, said the hotel project still has to pass through the city’s planning and zoning process.
“They have to go through due diligence, design approvals, the planning and zoning commission, all of those approvals,” Hengst said. “Hopefully within a year we can see some shovels in the ground.”
The waterfront board has maintained that the hotel was to be their first priority to be built. CWDI’s plans call for other parcels of residential and light businesses, with walkways, new streets and a fishing pier.
Hengst said that CWDI is in discussions with several prospective developers for other portions of Cambridge Harbor– including a potential master developer that would presumably take on the entire project.
“We have a lot of great interest from the development community,” Hengst said. “Nobody has submitted a formal proposal yet, but we have some developers that are doing their research so hopefully we will see some proposals submitted to us soon.”
For Cambridge leaders, the day stood out as a momentous event. Like Mayor Lejan Cephas Bey.
“Oh my gosh, I am so excited for this moment to have the opportunity to celebrate with everyone else as we activate this space with the hotel agreement. I’m really excited that my favorite mayor is here, Victoria Jackson Stanley, because she was a part of this many years ago, the thought of activating this space, so it’s a full-circle moment right now”
City Manager Glenn Steckman said he expects the signing to signal a big change.
“This should give everybody a good understanding that the waterfront project is well underway,” Steckman said. “This was the keystone for getting the project started, and I think we have a good hotelier that will bring a quality project to Cambridge.”
Shay Lewis Sisco is both a city council member and was once on the CWDI board. She predicted that the hotel agreement would shift the view of the public that for so long was restless to see any progress.
“One of the things that has happened over the years is that there is delay in progression. It causes people not to believe as much. But this here is the reality. This project is progressing. It is happening. And it’s going to bring more economic and workforce opportunities for the locals to be able to enjoy while not only living, working and also being able to play in their own community.”
Dorchester County council member Mike Detmer said it was satisfying to behold the moment.
“I think it’s a wonderful step in a really great direction,” Detmer said. “I was really comforted by hearing the hotelier’s comments, he wants to bring excellence, wants to involve the community, not just bring us the visitor dollars that I’m also looking forward to. This is an imcomparable spot. It’s a gorgeous river. We have a wonderful place here, a wonderful way of life and it’s going to be wonderful for us to share it with people.”
City Council president Sputty Cephas said the hotel will be a unifying spot for Cambridge.
“I do think it will bring people together,” Cephas said. “Who doesn’t love a great rooftop? The event space that will be here, the restaurant that will be here, and of course the ability to sleep, whether you have family coming or you just want to get away – often times folks retreat to the Hyatt – it’s a nice area. So yes, it will bring people who live here, people that don’t live here. It will unify this space.”
Among the crowd at the signing were people curious – and enthusiastic – about this step.
Jeff and Sue Grammer have maintiained a second home in Cambridge, and were on hand to see the celebration.
“My family’s beeing coming to Cambridge for 34 years, and we actually have a poster from 34 years ago with wha this (development) is supposed to be” Jeff Grammer said. “So I told my wife we’re going to make sure we show up for this.”
“We’ve been hearing this for so long, and listening about it,” Sue Grammer said. “So this is a good day.”