Retailers and shoppers were beginning to think the day would never come, but Thursday will mark the official opening of The Levee.
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Almost eight months late, stage one of the mall upgrade has come to an end.
The Levee will open to traffic at 2pm and become a shared pedestrian and vehicle zone.
Maitland City Council mayor Cr Peter Blackmore will open The Levee with a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony.
"This is a significant milestone and an exciting day for the people of Maitland," Cr Blackmore said.
"The Levee is an important part of the revitalisation of central Maitland and the return of traffic through the precinct will support new opportunities for retail, entertainment, leisure and the night time economy."
Shoppers will be able to see the completed landscape of the new-look mall, minus the construction fences and workmen.
This will also be the first time the public will be able to drive vehicles through this section of High Street since it was closed in 1988 for the development of the Heritage Mall.
The one-way west bound strip runs between Bourke and Elgin Streets and the speed limit is 10km/h.
There are no road lines, kerbs or gutters and drivers must give way to pedestrians.
"Council acknowledges the patience shown by both the public and local business during the development, and will continue to work collaboratively with businesses and the community on component two," council general manager David Evans said.
Work on the design phase for stage two is under way.
This next stage will include the construction of the new Riverlink Building connecting High Street to the banks of the Hunter River.
It will also see the creation of public open space, new amenities, café, footpath and cycleway upgrades along the Riverside Walk.
Work on component two is expected to begin in 2016.
For more information about how to use The Levee Shared Zone visit theleveemaitland.com.au
