Structural steel arrived on the site of the future Auburn Professional Plaza east of City Hall Monday and by Tuesday the massive steel beams, girders and supports began coming out of the ground.

“We anticipate that structural steel erection will be completed in the latter half of May,” Jeff Oliphant, president of Auburn Professional Plaza LLC, informed City Council members by e-mail.

Auburn Professional Plaza replaces the block of taverns and other buildings that occupied the block east of City Hall for generations.

KeyBank will anchor it on the east end, and the City of Auburn will lease the entire second floor and part of the third for much-needed space. Medical and professional offices also will occupy the third floor. The ground floor will offer restaurant and retail space and medical and professional offices. A second-story skybridge over North Division Street will connect the steel-girded, brick-faced building to City Hall.

Auburn Professional Plaza is slated for completion by the fall or winter of 2009. The primary contractor is Sierra Construction Company.