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Long-Delayed Sacramento Powerhouse Science Center Showing Signs Of Life

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — For the first time in a long time, there are signs of life at a long-awaited Sacramento construction project.

It's been the future site of the science center for years now—an expensive, highly anticipated project just lacking the funding.

In the shadow of Downtown Sacramento, right along the river is a familiar, boarded-up fenced-off old PG&E powerhouse.

Ismael and Mae Valenzuela are noticing a few very unfamiliar sights on their regular bike ride—construction equipment and a big pile of dirt. They are signs of progress for the first time in several years.

The Sacramento Powerhouse Science Center has been held up for lack of funding. The project promises two buildings with a planetarium, nature center and more.

Executive director Harry Laswell hopes the wait is finally over.

"It's been a long time coming, but it's gonna happen," he said.

He says crews are excavating the basement and clearing out hazardous waste in advance of an official groundbreaking next spring.

Project leaders have raised about one-third of the steep $80 million to $90 million price tag. The final piece of the puzzle is securing financing. A bond sale would jump-start a project that for now is still no sure thing.

"Until we get the bond sale done, we won't know whether the project will be able to go forward," he said.

But, he says, there is real optimism that it's going to happen this time.

"It's a big project—it's gonna be a really good project for Sacramento," he said.

The bond sale is planned for the end of the year. If all goes well, the groundbreaking could come in spring 2016 with hopes to open in 2017.

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