Tampa Celebrates Extension Of Cumberland Avenue To Channelside

TAMPA, FL — On Thursday, Tampa-based real estate development firm Strategic Property Partners LLC and the city of Tampa celebrated the official opening of a new roadway extending Cumberland Avenue, as part of the transformative Water Street Tampa neighborhood.

The extension connects the eastern tip of Cumberland Avenue with Meridian Avenue, one of the main thoroughfares serving Tampa’s Channel District. By creating a juncture between Meridian Avenue on the east and Brorein Avenue on the west, the new Cumberland Avenue extension helps link Tampa’s central business district with the larger downtown area, making the city more accessible by car, bike and on foot.

“Water Street Tampa centers on the idea that public spaces are what define a community. The opening of the new Cumberland Avenue brings that vision to reality,” said Brad Cooke, vice president of development at SPP. “A redesigned street network was a priority from the outset of Water Street Tampa’s creation, and we’re thrilled to see how this new roadway is already impacting the surrounding communities by making the city more accessible and connected. We’re thankful for the positive collaboration with the city, the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority, Port Tampa Bay and Ardent Mills that brought this to fruition. We are very proud to share this new street with Tampa.”

Embodying the vision for Water Street Tampa as a whole, the Cumberland Avenue extension has been designed to create a bridge connecting Tampa’s downtown, Water Street Tampa and Channel District. The new roadway improves the accessibility of Tampa’s neighborhoods by car, while also giving more space to pedestrians and bicycles.

By creating a new route for vehicular traffic, Cumberland Avenue offers an outlet for traffic from Channelside Drive, allowing for a more pedestrian-oriented experience on that street. When fully

complete next year, the redesigned Cumberland Avenue will feature 20-foot-wide sidewalks, protected bike lanes, bicycle parking, shade trees and space for relaxation.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor officially unveiled the new street, taking the first stroll and drive down Cumberland Avenue earlier this week.

“Cumberland Avenue is more than a road; it is a joint between neighborhoods, a link between communities and a vibrant thoroughfare that will connect people and businesses," Castor said. “This is a defining moment for downtown Tampa and for the Water Street Tampa project, which is positively impacting our city."

Built around wellness, connectivity, walkability and sustainability, Water Street Tampa is a major development offering waterfront views, publicly accessible green space and dining, shopping, cultural attractions, entertainment venues, residences and offices.

The brainchild of Strategic Property Partners LLC in partnership with Cascade Investment LLC and Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, Water Street Tampa, is being developed on more than 50 acres of contiguous waterfront land the company controls in downtown Tampa.

The phased Water Street Tampa development project is revitalizing a currently underutilized tract of land into an urban, mixed-use waterfront district consisting of approximately nine million square feet of new commercial, residential, hospitality, cultural, entertainment, education and retail uses, totaling more than $3 billion in private investment from SPP.

Courtesy SPP

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