There will be talk of progress and growth and jobs and high-end grocery items at Monday's long-awaited ground-breaking on the Penfield project in downtown St. Paul.

Mayor Chris Coleman will speak at the 2 p.m. event, when the shovels come out at the site of the old downtown police headquarters and fire station on the block bounded by 10th, 11th, Minnesota and Robert streets.

The $62 million building will be six stories high, and have 254 market-rate apartments (high-end, not subsidized) atop a Lunds grocery store.

Also attending today's event:

• HRA Board Chair Dave Thune
• Tres Lund, CEO, Lund Food Holdings
• Harry Melander, president, St. Paul Building and Construction Trades
• Andrew Schlack, chair, Capitol River Council

The project has evolved over the years, shrinking from an $130 million private, 33-story project in 2004 to the smaller effort built by the city with help from a $41 million HUD loan.