The city-approved demolition of the former Pacific Pawnbrokers building in downtown Sparks was scheduled to begin Monday, but city engineers said Tuesday that the demolition will now start sometime next week, pending the completion of some city paperwork.

According to the lead city civil engineer on the project, Ross Soderstrom, the paperwork has to do with “internal contracting.”

Officials from the city’s Redevelopment Agency said their goal is to turn the building into a paved parking lot before visitors flock in for Star Spangled Sparks, the city’s Fourth of July event.

“Basically the idea is to bring it down by the end of the month and put a painting surface on it,” city redevelopment manager Armando Ornelas said. “In the short term it will be used as event space.”

In the long term, the space will be used to further the agency’s downtown redevelopment plan, which includes a new road, more retail and a new city hall.

The property was purchased by the city’s Redevelopment Agency last April for $1.6 million. The deal included a second pawn shop location, owned by the same seller.

The second location was not necessary for downtown redevelopment plans, according to meeting minutes from the Sparks City Council. However, the seller would only agree to give up the Victorian Avenue location if the other location was included in the deal.

The Redevelopment Agency is waiting until the time is right to eventually sell the property.

“We are looking at timing considerations and whether it is worth going to market now,” Ornelas said. “We would like to recoup as much of the purchase price as we can. It we were to sell it, we also want to make sure that it goes to a good use.”