The 4-1 approval of the agreement, with Councilmember Vic Loomis opposing, will allow demolition to start at 303 N. Abbot Road, a building owned by the city’s Downtown Development Authority.

Demolition before Friday would prevent the project’s site plan and special use permit from expiring.

Strathmore President Scott Chappelle told council at the meeting — held at City Hall, 410 Abbot Road — that construction workers are ready to mobilize equipment and secure the site tomorrow morning.

Chappelle said the building should be completely razed within 60 days.

“We’ve been working with staff and the city attorney for several weeks in contemplation that this would be approved,” Chappelle told council at the meeting. “We are prepared to move forward.”

East Lansing Planning and Community Development Director Tim Dempsey said the work is contracted to Lamar Construction from Hudsonville, Mich.

The predevelopment agreement also will give city officials about 89 days to examine all financial documents related to the project.

After the due diligence period, officials can decide whether to proceed or cut ties with the long-running project, which has seen varying levels of activity across a period of several years.

Mayor Diane Goddeeris said council members and city staff must work together in the coming weeks to push City Center II forward.

“Because of the magnitude of this project, I want to make sure that any decision to go forward … is made with the best information possible,” she said at the meeting.

The council struggled with the issue of the predevelopment agreement for the past two weeks, discussing the issue at special meetings on March 20 and March 27 before pushing its decision to Tuesday night.

Loomis said by approving the predevelopment agreement, the city was, in effect, making a “business decision” before completing its due diligence — something that concerned him.

“This is a $105 million piece of business,” he said. “I take that extremely seriously.”

The council has stressed a cautious approach to the project, voicing concerns about portions of the project’s planned financing.

Council members previously asked for more time to examine documents related to a draft comprehensive financial plan for the project.

But divisions still exist among the community.

East Lansing resident Jim Anderson told council prior to its decision that it is meddling in treacherous territory as it moves forward with the project.

“City Center II is by far the most dangerous swamp an East Lansing City Council has driven into in its entire history,” he told council at the meeting. “In our debt situation, it’s deep quicksand.”