South Fifth Avenue, closed for nearly two years, to open by June 19

Way back in September of 2009, Ann Arbor officials expected they’d be closing South Fifth Avenue for about six months while construction crews built the city’s underground parking structure next to the Ann Arbor District Library.

But construction delays ensued, and by the time they blocked off the street in August of 2010, they were expecting it to reopen in the fall of 2011. In late November, they hoped it would open by the end of January. And then they hoped by May.

Now, on the cusp of summer in 2012, the street is finally about to reopen. Susan Pollay, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority, said the street is scheduled to reopen by June 19.

For Pushpinder Sethi, owner of the Earthen Jar restaurant at 311 S. Fifth Ave., next to the construction site, the day can’t come soon enough.

His business is down about 50 percent from what it was before the street closed, he said. “I hope with the opening of this street that it will bring the business back,” he said. “We will cross our fingers. . . . We are very thankful to all the customers who have been helping us during these hard times.”

Workers at the site said they have finished all the underground utility work. Wednesday they were grading the surface. When that's finished, they can put down the new asphalt.

The garage itself is expected to open by July 12, Pollay said. The DDA broke ground on the $50 million project, which will have more than 600 parking spots, in October of 2009.

Sethi hopes that the garage will be a boon for the business. “I think so, but you don’t know,” he said. “We are thinking that the people will start coming and parking there.”

Amy Sullivan, senior project manager for contractor Christman Co., said it's gratifying to see the project coming to an end.

"There’s a lot to do and lot of people working to make it happen," she said. "There’s been a lot of time and effort put into every detail of the project. We’re very excited to be nearing the end."