By Laura Newell, Telegraph Staff Writer

Many Folsom locals may be shocked when shopping in the Historic District this week.

Why? The center median and trees are gone.

Construction began on the Sutter Street revitalization project and the Telegraph has monitored every step.

The estimated $8.4 million project has six steps and is currently in the first stage, which includes verifying the location of existing underground utilities, removing center medians and trees and digging trenches for utilities.

The Telegraph reported on March 3, the “original pillars that were first moved from Folsom Prison during the first Sutter Street revitalization project in 1960s, were moved to an undisclosed location last week to later bring into the current revitalization project.”

Read the full story at http://folsomtelegraph.com/detail/143420.html.

The next week required more heavy lifting as the center median and 12 trees were removed.

The Telegraph is also working on a feature article about the full history of the first Sutter Street revitalization project.

The article will include long-time Folsom resident’s opinions on the process of the first mid 1960s project called “Folsom’s Gas-Lit Mall,” as well as the current project.

“The old way was preserving, this one is remodeling,” said Steve Toney, 67, who moved to Folsom in 1962 and took possession of The Folsom Telegraph with his late father, J. Clifton Toney. “It’s not going to have that historic flavor. It was my dad’s flavor.”

Read the full story on the "first" revitalization efforts here.

The trees were originally planted in 12 to 18 inches of soil atop the original Highway 50 when the Sutter Street center median was first installed during the 1960s revitalization project.

“You will really get to see the street the way it was originally in the 1950s before the center median went in,” said Amy Feagans, Folsom’s housing and redevelopment director.

For more on the tree removal, click here.

View photos of Sutter Street’s history here.

To watch a video report of construction, view “Machines chew into Sutter Street” at http://folsomtelegraph.com/detail/143882.html.

As Sutter Street construction persists, continue to check in with the Telegraph’s up-to-date coverage.