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The ambitious downtown waterfront expansion of Vancouver, Wash., 10 years after it was conceived, now has street access and its first tenant.

Developers and city officials announced the opening of Southeast Columbia Way at a dedication ceremony Thursday at that road’s new junction with Grant Street.

Barry Cain, president of Gramor Development, announced that M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust had committed to occupy the top two floors of the waterfront’s first constructed building at 305 Columbia Way. The trust, which has given more than $800 million to nonprofits during its 40 years of existence, currently operates at 703 Broadway St. in downtown Vancouver.

In 2005, Gramor began working on the private portion of Vancouver’s $1.5 billion, 5-million-square-foot waterfront development project. Its 22-block master plan was approved five years later. The first on-site construction – a park – is scheduled to begin in November and finish by mid-2017.

The aim of an ongoing street extension project is to reconnect Vancouver with the industrial area formerly home to wood products manufacturer Boise Cascade. This hasn’t happened in more than 100 years, according to city spokeswoman Carol Bua.

The access project – complete reconstruction of a train trestle near the development – was completed at the end of 2014 for $45 million.

Designs for the development’s main road are being finalized. This $6.5 million project is being partially funded by a $2.7 million state transportation improvement grant. Construction will begin this fall and is scheduled to finish in spring 2016.

Also, Gramor says it’s in talks regarding a 180-room hotel and two restaurants.