City staff told the Downtown Business Improvement District on Dec. 11 that tourist-improvement work on Zaragoza Street is near substantial completion and that contractors were granted a 45-day extension to close out punch-list items.

The board’s chair said the work “looks really good” and noted that people have already started to use the new seating. The chair said one obstacle to finishing some pedestrian-brick work had been getting material — described in the discussion as "paper bricks" — into place, but staff expected the remaining items would be completed under the extension and would not disrupt holiday events.

Board members also discussed the next phase of improvements, which staff said will be put out for bid. The chair said the board will time the next phase so that it will not affect Washington’s Birthday events.

No formal motion or vote was recorded on the Zaragoza punch-list extension at the Dec. 11 meeting; the extension and timelines were described as staff-level agreement and project management updates to the board.