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After months of delays and abundant controversy, work is finally under way on a new biosciences park and mixed-use development at East 36th Street and South Kino Parkway.

Work on The Bridges, a 357- acre development that includes the planned Arizona Bioscience Park, a housing development and commercial and retail centers, has begun with the start of a major flood-control project by the Pima County Regional Flood Control District.

"It's the first step to development," said Bruce Wright, associate vice president for economic development at the University of Arizona.

Wright said the flood-control system may take eight to 12 months to complete.

The site's infrastructure will be "development ready" by January 2010, he said.

Pima County Flood Control is undertaking a massive earth-moving project that will eventually pipe floodwater under Interstate 10, away from the bioscience park and flood-prone neighborhoods to the west.

The UA has also recently started an application process with the U.S. Department of Commerce to secure funds to improve on-site infrastructure at the biosciences park.

The planned first phase of the bioscience park will include the first six buildings in the southern part of the property, including the main anchor building of a planned hotel and conference center, a five-level parking garage and four multi-tenant office buildings including laboratory space.

The mixed-use project is a collaboration of the UA, Eastbourne Investments Ltd. and its partner, Idaho-based Retail West Properties; and KB Homes.

Backers say the park will create high-tech job opportunities and new educational opportunities with a proposed bioscience high school. The UA says the park is needed to boost commercialization of new technologies and development of new companies.

The project would be the city's largest infill project and the first big urban-core development to mix homes, stores and jobs on a single spot.

But the development has had its share of controversy.

The biggest issue has been a provision in the city's ordinance restricting "big-box" retail development, limiting grocery space to no more than 10 percent of floor space in the stores. After months of political wrangling, the City Council waived the 10 percent grocery restriction in April 2007 to allow for a big-box store — possibly a Wal-Mart — at the site.

Democratic councilman Steve Leal said he is happy to see progress but wishes it had happened sooner.

The development, including the retail center, would alleviate the added burden brought by the economic downturn, Leal said.

"We have to maintain our momentum and partnership and surface out of this troubled economy," he said.

John Bremond, regional vice president for KB Homes, said his company is pursuing its housing plans at The Bridges along with other active projects despite the real-estate downturn.

"We expect the housing market will recover, and we hope to be a part as it recovers," he said.

The project was made possible by a land swap finalized in August 2007 in which 132 acres owned by the UA Science and Technology Park at I-10 and South Rita Road were traded to KB Homes for 65 acres at the bioscience park site on South Kino Parkway.

Officials of Eastbourne Investments, the Bridges partner in charge of retail development, did not return calls seeking comment. But the UA's Wright said, "Eastbourne is moving forward aggressively."

Raphael Gruener, director of technology initiatives at the UA tech park, said the project will help the UA make up a 500,000-square foot deficit in office and lab space.

Gruener said the park also will be an important resource to help commercialize intellectual property generated by UA researchers.