The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Source: WVLT
Posted: Tuesday, January 01, 2019 02:24 PM
UT Students Excited About Next Phase After Cumberland Ave Construction Winds Down
As of January, only one major construction project was still underway along Cumberland Avenue, and it was planned as home to several businesses seeking student living.
Lease manager for Tenn. Student Living Megan White said the building will house a First Tennessee Bank and other businesses. The building was set to open in August 2018.
"Right now we have First Tennessee that will be under us which is great - right now I can't disclose all the other businesses, but I know we have a lot of people interested and it'll bring a lot of foot traffic and businesses to the strip, so we are excited about it," White said.
Construction on the roads and sidewalks of Cumberland Avenue was officially complete after two long years in August 2016. General manager of Hibachi Factory Brett Manzo said it's been a tough road that not all businesses have survived, but now that the work is complete, things have begun picking up.
"We're definitely seeing a lot more foot traffic and dine-in and carry out orders are picking up for us, it's been hard at times to even get in our front door just from construction," Manzo said.
Recently closing up shop for good was the long standing Krystal and Wendy's restaurants. The Tin Roof location still sat vacant as of January. Local 8 News reached out to real estate agents and property managers of each location to find out if any interest has been taken; as of Monday evening, no responses were released.
UT student Kylen Spearmon said he's not worried about future businesses and feels the end of construction is the beginning of long standing businesses.
"I have noticed a lot of businesses shut down, but when one shuts down another comes back, so hopefully something comes back and have a better impact on the strip," Spearmon said.