Scaffolding is up on part of one side of The Plaza Condominium high-rise at 400 E. Bay St. on the Downtown Northbank.

“We’re just maintaining the outside of the building. We are restoring it to its original glory,” said property manager Laura Nadel on July 6.

The Plaza Condominium at Berkman Plaza and Marina is a 22-story, 209-unit high-rise completed in 2003 with a pool and other amenities.

Nadel said she expects the work to take a year. It started on the side of the building facing the St. Johns River.

The city issued a permit June 16 for exterior stucco repairs. Valcourt Exterior Building Services of Florida is the contractor for the $2.48 million project.

The owner is The Plaza Condominium Association at Berkman Plaza Inc. Valcourt is based in Bradenton. Jacksonville-based Woods Engineering Inc. is the project engineer.

The project, called Phase 1 on plans, is described as a wall envelope remediation and balcony repair.

“Phase 1 work is a partial repair and is limited to areas of relatively high visual indicators of stucco distress and reported water intrusion,” said the Phase 1 construction set by Woods Engineering.

It said that ultimately, it is anticipated that all areas of stucco cladding will need to be replaced “due to known defective conditions.” That is not part of the current contract.

Nadel said the work involves replacing some stucco and repainting. “Nothing very exciting,” she said.

The project started on the side of the building facing the St. Johns River.

She said some stucco repairs are typical during routine maintenance for the Plaza, as a high-rise. “It is our understanding that The Plaza does not require complete re-cladding provided routine exterior maintenance is completed on a 7-10 year repeat schedule in line with what one might expect from similar high-rise buildings.”

Nadel said that with other Downtown projects being planned, “we want to make sure that we are as pretty as everything that is coming.”