Cambridge Waterfront Development Inc. (CWDI) has provided its most detailed description yet of how the city’s 36-acre waterfront could be redeveloped, outlining a harbor park, a mixed-use main street, new housing, and a reworked maritime district aimed at preserving Cambridge’s boatbuilding heritage.
On Tuesday evening, CWDI member Tim Crosby walked city and county officials through a block-by-block master plan that outlined a walkable community where parking is hidden, views of the Choptank River remain open, and public access to the shoreline is protected.
Crosby outlined a waterfront that would anchor around a new harbor basin lined with two modest restaurants, small kiosk-style shops, and a long fishing pier that stretches far into the river. The pier would end in a T-shaped platform designed for sightseeing, fishing, and transient boat tie-ups, creating what he described as a family-friendly gathering space.
A broad green space would sit behind the pier. Crosby said it could hold about 4,000 people for concerts, markets, or festivals while remaining open for everyday use, such as picnics and walking.
To the south, townhouses would front a small “elm tree” park that preserves a cluster of mature trees along Byrn Street. Rooftop decks are envisioned to give residents water views, and cars would park behind the units. Internal walkways would connect the neighborhood to the rest of the site.
Running north-south through the center would be “Waterman’s Way,” a mixed-use spine with three-story buildings containing shops on the first floor and apartments above. Crosby said CWDI intentionally kept only one side commercial to avoid creating a corridor that would block views of the river. The opposite side would remain more open, with townhouses and green space to keep sightlines clear.
On the west side of the site, Hayward Street would be reshaped to highlight Cambridge’s maritime identity. Crosby said CWDI is working with boatbuilder George Wright and the Richardson Maritime Museum to place boat shops and an 850-ton lift, allowing visitors to see works-in-progress through large ground-floor windows. A nearby CWDI-owned building is envisioned for maritime-related retail with housing above.
Only after outlining the complete layout did CWDI turn to the project’s first and most urgent element: the hotel.
Crosby said CWDI is in active negotiations with the Pinnacle Hospitality Group, a prospective hotel partner that is weighing a Marriott soft brand or a Hilton family brand for the site. The “sweet spot” for the envisioned hotel would be four to five stories and roughly 100 rooms, with amenities such as a rooftop restaurant and high-end finishes, he said.
Crosby said a representative from Pinnacle is designing the project mindful of the Hyatt Regency resort just downriver. The first phase of the redevelopment, he cautioned must include the entire harbor area, so that guests at a startup hotel are surrounded by the completed project rather than a construction zone.
Behind the hotel, three-story residential buildings and a separate commercial structure would help form a small district around the property. Crosby said CWDI is considering allowing condos or commercial buildings to join the hotel’s rental program, giving the hotel more suite-like options and taking advantage of the “million-dollar views.”
The full redevelopment would unfold in three phases. Phase one includes the hotel, the new harbor, and key approach roads such as Maryland Avenue, Franklin Street, and Hayward Street. Phase two includes Waterman’s Way, expanded parking near the visitor center, and additional townhouses. Phase three would complete the remaining residential areas inland from the river.
But as CWDI discussed the following steps, the conversation shifted sharply to building height and density.
City Commissioner Brett Summers said adopting strict height limits before developers weigh in could push away serious investors. He argued that the waterfront is “our one chance” to place meaningful density in a location that can support it and said the tax base from larger buildings could help fund parks elsewhere if green space was diminished from the original vision.
County Council member Mike Detmer called it a potentially “grave mistake” to pre-emptively cap building heights and said Cambridge should not rule out a five-story condo with parking underneath if that is what a developer needs. He argued the waterfront is the only place in the county suited for real density and said the area should become the highest-value land per square foot. Detmer warned that strict limits now could block the kind of proposals the city needs.
Others cautioned that taller buildings could undermine the walkable scale and open feel that residents have repeatedly asked for. City Commissioner Shay Lewis-Sisco questioned whether raising the height limit might “create another small city with tall buildings” rather than the waterfront neighborhood CWDI has long planned for.
CWDI President Angie Hengst said the board is trying to balance public input, long-term access to the water, and covenants tied to the state’s transfer of the property, all of which require meaningful public space and shoreline access.
Mayor Lajan Cephas-Bey noted that the site has the potential to qualify as a Federal Opportunity Zone and has rare deep-water access, which she said are significant advantages for attracting investment. She added that Cambridge already has large parks and that the waterfront presents one of the city’s few major economic development opportunities.
City Manager Glenn Steckman said draft design standards are needed to help brokers market the site by giving developers a clear path through city approvals.
Several officials agreed that securing the hotel deal is the most important immediate step. County Council member Ricky Travers said CWDI should “focus every bit of energy” on finalizing a binding agreement with Pinnacle.
Crosby said CWDI hopes to complete that agreement around the start of next year. Construction and permitting for the hotel could take about three years.
In the meantime, CWDI is meeting with major brokerage firms and expects to select one to market the site nationally. Hengst closed the meeting by saying the plan remains a work in progress.
“There has to be a solution that reaches your goals, reaches ours, and reaches the community’s,” she said.
Maintaining a Waterview for surrounding residents needs to be honored. We don’t want high buildings in our neighborhood. It’s a travesty that you didn’t bid for an updated modern hospital on this land, and now Talbot County got it. Poor planning all around.