The paperwork has been approved and Olcese Construction Co. is ready to put hammer to wall at the former Pacific Pawnbroker offices in Victorian Square, officials said.

Demolition on the city-owned 1246 Victorian Ave. property was set to start June 1; however, the start date got tangled and delayed by some contract paperwork.

According to the lead city civil engineer on the project, Ross Soderstrom, the demolition could start as early as today.

"Clearing the place out should take three to four days," Soderstrom said, adding that demolishing the building should take another three or four days.

According to project workers, the interior should be clear by today.

The building was cleared of asbestos throughout the previous months.

While the demolition could continue until Thursday, Soderstrom said that it should not pose a real problem for the regularly scheduled Sparks Hometowne Farmer's Market.

As tourists and locals alike walk Victorian Square after the demolition has been completed, they will see a paved-over asphalt area, according to city redevelopment manager Armando Ornelas.

The space will remain vacant until the city moves forward with downtown redevelopment plans, which currently include a new road, increased retail and a new city hall.

The Pacific Pawnbrokers property was purchased in April 2008 as part of a $1.6 million deal. City officials claimed in staff reports that acquiring the property was "a critical precondition for new development to occur."

The owner of the property, Joe Schlader, agreed to sell at that time, but only if the city agreed to purchase his two other Sparks properties, Ornelas said.

As a part of the package deal, the City Council agreed to pay a total of $1.65 million for the property on 1246 Victorian Ave. as well as the two other properties at 920 Victorian Ave. and 329 Pyramid Way between C and D streets.

The city also agreed to pay closing and relocation costs for the property, which were projected to be between $15,000 and $20,000.

Staff reports from the April meeting say that the property had ground-floor retail and office space as its future use. The report also states that the land is "a cornerstone property for the implementation of the Victorian Square Development Plan."

The plan was approved in 2005 and envisioned a Victorian Square teeming with reinvigorated retail, office space and mixed uses.

Since April 2008, the city also has acquired the neighboring 1212 Victorian Ave. for redevelopment purposes. However, this property was purchased through eminent domain proceedings.

The 1212 Victorian Ave. location will also be torn down eventually to make way for a new road. However, it must first be assessed for asbestos.