Because of those experiences, Salt Lake knows how to handle a project of this magnitude. Project managers, the city, the business community are to meet regularly with an ombudsman. The process helps to anticipate problems and challenges and develop solutions before there are traffic snarls and people decide it's just too much trouble to come downtown.

There is also a vigorous marketing campaign by the city, the Salt Lake Chamber and the Salt Lake City Downtown Alliance to encourage Utahns to continue to make downtown a destination and to stimulate interest in the many projects that are under way or will begin soon.

If a person can take the long view, it's an exciting time to be downtown. We'll have a front-row seat to it all, which I'm not sure is a good thing, because knowing my capacity for waiting, it might make me that much more impatient for the finished product.

What can I say? 2011 sounds like a long time from now. My first-born child will be in her first year in college by then. My baby will be driving.

The cynic in me wonders if that's a firm date. Is it just me, or has it become vogue to finish projects ahead of time? And better yet, below budget? I'll go on record saying I wouldn't at all be surprised if this project is completed sooner than later. I know I'll be urging it on from my perch at the Deseret News Building.

---

Marjorie Cortez, whose schedule may necessitate more frequent brown bagging until a grocery store is built across the way, is a Deseret Morning News editorial writer. E-mail her at marjorie@desnews.com.