The walls are officially going up at the new Hy-Vee along 18th Avenue Northeast.

Crews will erect precast wall panels over the next few weeks before the structure steel walls begin going up next week, according to Group Vice President of Communications Tara Deering-Hansen.

After tearing down most of the former Oak Park Mall, Hy-Vee continues work to build a 60,000- to 90,000-square-foot Hy-Vee grocery store.

Hy-Vee acquired the mall last November with help from the city of Austin, the Austin Port Authority and a $3.65 million grant from The Hormel Foundation.

Hy-Vee officials have previously said the store could open in 2017.

But Deering-Hansen said the project has faced a few minor delays in recent days and weeks. She confirmed an unusually high amount of rain in the area posed minor challenges in completing site work.

About 90 percent of the new sanitary and storm sewers have been installed along with the new water service, and site grading has been ongoing as well.

Shoppers saw another welcomed sign of the work progressing: The Younkers parking lot has been milled and overlaid with new asphalt, new concrete islands and a concrete drainage flume.

Hy-Vee bought the Younkers store, and the retailer completed a remodel in April, adding new paint and lighting to the store.

To area residents, the mall parking lot’s disrepair had long been a point of contention.