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A burglary of a contractor’s jobsite trailer might cause gnashing of teeth, but it’s hardly likely to significantly slow a project expected to kick-start revitalization in Gresham’s Rockwood neighborhood.

鈥淲e’re under way, and it’s been three years of writing schedules and preparing for the job,鈥� Art O’Leary, jobsite superintendent for general contractor LMC Construction, said Monday at the Rockwood Rising project site in Gresham.

O’Leary surveyed the trailer’s interior following a break-in. After years of delays because of financing difficulties and other issues, it was merely one more hurdle for the team that last month broke ground on the three-building mixed-use development.

鈥淚t’s been a long road to get here,鈥� Gresham Redevelopment Commission Executive Director Josh Fuhrer said Wednesday during a ceremony at the project site. 鈥淲e had urban renewal starting in 2003. The city bought this site in 2005. It’s been 14 years that a project at this site has been in the works at various stages and forms. And that’s a long time for a community to stick with a project.鈥�

The 5.5-acre property, near the junction of Southeast Stark and Burnside streets, formerly held a Fred Meyer store; it closed in 2002. Years of debate over the site’s future followed. But site work and excavation has finally begun for the first building. Crews from Lauzon Contracting are performing site work alongside employees of TerraCalc Land Surveying, Tapani Plumbing and Whitaker Ellis.

The $70 million project designed by YBA Architects is intended to drive further development in Rockwood, which is one of the youngest, most diverse and least affluent areas in the region.

鈥淭his is all about an economic engine,鈥� said Roy Kim, president and CEO of RKm Development, which has worked on the project with the city of Gresham and other public partners. 鈥淪ome of the obstacles seemed insurmountable. We had to overcome those. But eventually these buildings will come alive in 13 short months. With the organizations that are here, they’re going to help train each other, they’re going to help each other; it’s an economic engine that will be revved up.鈥�

Building A, the Innovation Hub, is now under construction and will feature four wood-framed stories over a slab-on-grade foundation. The ground floor will have retail and restaurant space, and the top three floors will have offices and classroom space.

The five-story Building B will feature commercial space on the ground floor and around 100 affordable housing units on the upper floors.

Finally, Building C will have a food hall and micro-retail food space.

A public plaza is planned for the middle of the property, and 175 vehicle parking spaces also will be created.

Substantial completion of Building A is scheduled for July 4, 2020, O’Leary said. Ground is to be broken on the other two buildings before that date.