You may have already noticed workers on the Gateway Station site in June. The rest of the summer will see ever-increasing amounts of activity. If all goes according to schedule, this is what should happen on the site this summer:

• Preliminary site work began in mid-June with the removal of asbestos from within the Hested’s building. That work will move to the other buildings in the project and should be complete by mid-July.

• Relocation of gas, electric, cable, water and wastewater utility lines will begin around August 1. This will involve trenching around three sides of the site, including 12th Street between Prospector’s Alley and Jackson, Jackson Street between 12th and 13th, and 13th Street between Jackson and Prospector’s Alley. If you were downtown this past May, you may have noticed the street work along 12th Street between Jackson and Ford in front of the Post Office. The street work on tap for this summer will be very much the same. Each section will be finished in sequence to minimize disruptions. No utility construction will occur on Washington Avenue.

• Toward the end of July, the entire site will be fenced off in preparation for the excavation, including the Jackson Street parking lot.

• Excavation will occur during the first half of August.

• Actual construction will begin shortly afterwards. The parking garage should be complete by May 2007 and Gateway Station should be finished by November 2007. However, construction is not an exact science and delays in both projects should be expected.