BRAD HORN/Nevada Appeal A construction worker digs in the sidewalk area of the Ormsby House on Fifth Street on Wednesday morning. The owner, Don Lehr, says the sidewalks may be ready for the Nevada Day Parade.
Some revelers could be watching the Nevada Day Parade from the sidewalks in front of the Ormsby House, the future hotel/casino owner said.
The completion of the sidewalks in front of the hotel is the next noticeable step in Carson City's biggest construction project on South Carson Street.
Don Lehr, a partner in Cubix Ormsby LLC, which owns the historic hotel, said his goal is to finish the sidewalks on South Carson and Fifth streets by Oct. 28, a day when thousands of visitors and locals will be looking up at the 10-story building as they participate in Nevada Day activities.
"That's the plan, but things don't always go according to plan. It's called the government and the weather," Lehr said this week.
Construction and remodeling of the 84,000-square-foot Ormsby House began in 2001, but was interrupted by permitting problems and the threat by owners of a demolition in 2003. The city promised to put the construction permits on a fast track and construction has progressed slowly since.
Lehr and partner Al Fiegehen have taken much public criticism because of how long the project is taking. The two have refused to give a completion date because of the complexity of the project, they say, and the increase of criticism that they would no doubt receive if the hotel didn't meet that date.
When completed, the Ormsby House will have seven-and-a-half floors of hotel rooms. The remaining two-and-a-half floors will be used for the casino.
Seven workers are installing about 5,000-square-feet of decorative paving blocks, said Blaine Petersen, owner of Nevada Hardscapes, of Reno.
"It's going to be done by Nevada Day," he said. "That was something Don (Lehr) wanted."
Design Outdoors, of Reno, is supplying the tan, brown and charcoal pavers.
Petersen said the Ormsby House plans show that the pavers will also be installed in the parking lot, but that's a future phase.
Lehr said interior-design work and the escalators have been completed. When done, it will have 146 hotel rooms, a cigar and spirits shop, conference and events rooms, a fine-dining restaurant, buffet and cafes.
• Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.
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