Let the block party begin: Groundbreaking for new buildings set for Wednesday

By Robert Whale • December 29, 2008 5:52 pm
Crews clear away the debris
Crews clear away the debris

Groundbreaking for the Auburn Professional Plaza – the three-story office building, City Hall annex and KeyBank that is to replace the block of abandoned buildings immediately east of City Hall – is set for 2 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 7.

The block party will be held in the parking lot north of the old Mecca Tavern, First and North Division streets.

Auburn officially will mark the event with speeches, a host of dignitaries wielding golden shovels and a backhoe to punch the first hole in the former Cascade Loan and Sporting Goods building.

The city agreed in September to sell the old Mecca and Jade tavern parcels to Jeff Oliphant, principal of Auburn Professional Plaza LLC, for $1.5 million. Oliphant already owned the The Main Street Pub and the pawn shop.

In September, council members passed a resolution authorizing Mayor Pete Lewis to sign a lease for the annex space. The lease described a number of things Oliphant had to do before he could start work, as follows:

• Complete an agreement with KeyBank for the portion of the bank’s drive-through area and finalize the bank’s lease for space on the southeast corner of the block.

• Reach an agreement with the city regarding the use of part of the three-story parking garage Auburn Regional Medical Center is building on the block north of City Hall, west of the hospital. The city and ARMC will share the garage. Its construction was key to Oliphant’s project.

• Arrange financing.

•  Obtain city permits, then enter into a construction contract.

Oliphant recently reached agreement with the Cavanaugh family for the property the current KeyBank building sits on.

A second-story sky bridge over North Division Street will connect the three-story, 68,000-square-foot building to City Hall. The main floor will open onto East Main Street and First Street Northeast and contain retail and office space. The third floor will offer professional and medical office space. The steel girder building will have a brick facade.

Oliphant estimates one year should pass from demolition to construction to tenant improvements and occupation. The primary contractor will be Sierra Construction Company.

Oliphant was responsible for the remodel of the old Massey’s grocery store on East Main into the Auburn Justice Center, which houses the Municipal Court and the Auburn Police Department.