New construction has its ups and downs in Ballard these days.

First we have to wait for the cement truck to back slowly into the lot with the giant hole which will someday be somebody's garage, then we inch ahead only to have to stop again while the flagman tries to get the cars out of the way for the digging machine to get into the right position to carve up the street for the umteenth time to install some new sewer, water, electrical - whatever - service.

Many people are wondering when this project will start, and why that one is taking so long, even others not sure they will ever be able to move in to the expensive new condo into which they sunk their life savings.

Check out the saga of the Oberg's on Page One. They have wintered aboard their boat on Lake Union waiting for their NoMa condo to get finished. The place was not done last October when they were supposed to move in. "It's been tough," says a sales rep for NoMa. "It's been longer than we anticipated."

The Obergs are still waiting. Some condo buyers in Ballard have had to pull back their money and move on and many condos are worth a great deal more now than they were when people plunked down their money months (years?) ago. Developers and property managers may be willing to refund some deposits in order to turn around and resell the property for much more.

The NoMa project was slowed by a balooning budget, a few not-to-unusual mixups and the fact there is a lot of construction going on in the Seattle market. Construction workers and project managers actually have more work than they can handle.

Often a project is put on hold while others are finished so that the workers can be shifted.

Some projects are delayed, for example, the condo development that will replace the downtown Ballard QFC store. On hold far past its earlier announced March start, the problem seems to be delay in the marketplace, not a change in intent to build.

Not all projects are behind schedule. The Shilshole marina project is moving forward apace as is the one to transform Fishermen's Terminal to handle bigger fishing craft - and giant yacht like the JeMaSa in the photo on Page One. Fishing boats are getting bigger because of a move to take smaller, less efficient craft out of the fleet and the boats are staying at sea more, coming in only for service and repairs a few months per year.

All of this tells us we have a strong economy now. We still wonder if all this construction will leave Ballard a place where only the rich and famous can afford to live.

Meanwhile, take a deep breath and stay calm as that big load of rebar is delivered to that huge hole in the landscape. Someday hundred of people will live there and think about the problem of parking - but that is another story for another day.

- Jack Mayne