Wooden barricades and a plywood walkway mark a Holyoke Center sidewalk renovation, the first stage of a major refurbishment project that will continue through next year.

Construction workers will replace most of the 30-year-old bricks in the heavy traffic area, said Harvard Real Estate spokesperson Dianne Dyslin. In addition, workers will reseal the waterproofing under the sidewalk, which also serves as the roof for the underground Holyoke car garage, Dyslin said.

"It is a two-part project," she said. "It is the ending of the garage renovations project of the last year and a beginning of the ground floor retail renovation."

Additional renovations in the Holyoke Center arcade will include the extension of storefronts and the installation of new signs for greater store visibility and improved customer access, Dyslin said.

Dyslin said the sidewalk project should be completed by the end of this month.