Pineapple Square demolition begins

The walls begin coming down at 1501 Main Street Thursday as the Pineapple Square development begins another phase.

The building at the northeast corner of Lemon Avenue and Main Street will be gutted, with only the east and north walls remaining standing.

Ernie Ritz, whose Ritz Construction Co. is doing the work, said demolition should take two weeks. Construction will begin immediately following demolition completion.

A one-story building with four storefronts that line both Main Street and Lemon Avenue will be built.

The Lemon Avenue side of the previous building was just a painted wall with no windows.

John Simon, Pineapple Square developer, said he will announce in the coming weeks one of the new tenants — a national retail chain, which he said is in the same vane as Brooks Brothers.

Simon said he currently is in negotiations with three other tenants to fill the new space.

As for the rest of the Pineapple Square development, which includes more retail space, condos and a parking garage, Simon is going to wait until better market conditions exist.

Pineapple Square has received an extension of its construction deadline, which now runs until 2013.

Contact Robin Roy at [email protected].