Construction is moving along on the new Obici Place development on North Main Street at the former site of Obici Hospital.

Two buildings are currently under construction on the residential portion of the site.

“They’re basically finalizing the clubhouse portion, and they’re well under way on their first building,” City Economic Development Director Kevin Hughes said of the Waverton Associates apartment development. “I think their goal is to have that first apartment building done around the June timeframe. They’ll continue to introduce and build all of the residential all at once.”

Hughes said he believes Waverton plans to have the final building done toward the end of August or end of September. A 224-apartment complex is planned.

Meanwhile, the city and Economic Development Authority are working to identify a development partner for the commercial portion of the site, which will be closest to the road.

“We’re also speaking to individual retailers and marketing the site,” Hughes said.

Construction activity on the commercial parcels could begin in mid-to-late 2016 at the earliest, Hughes said.

He said the city is pleased with the interest level retailers have shown.

“Our goal is to bring in some new retailers,” Hughes said. “We want to keep that retail dollar here in the city of Suffolk. That’s been our concentration and will continue to be our concentration.”

He said the residential component and traffic improvements, once completed, will be additional selling points for the commercial businesses.

Road improvements, including a new traffic signal, raised medians and turn lanes, are expected to begin construction at the end of this month and finish around the fall timeframe, Hughes said. Stormwater improvements also are planned.

“The goal is to have some of the major infrastructure projects pretty far along before we begin to introduce the commercial portion,” he said.

The new traffic signal will be located at Northgate Lane, Hughes said. The Obici Place side of that road will be known as Louise Obici Lane, an homage to the wife of Amedeo Obici, the Planters Peanuts founder and Suffolk benefactor who founded the hospital at the site in honor of his wife. The city purchased the site in 2005 after the hospital moved its operations to its current Godwin Boulevard location, and the site has been vacant since then.