After years of planning and development, the first piece of the Centre City project opened this morning.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at 10 a.m. for the new Rite Aid Pharmacy on South Main Street.

“I’m excited,” said Mayor Tom Donaldson, who cut the ribbon alongside former Mayor Maggie Stock. “This is a great asset to Main Street. It’s the first gem in the crown jewel of the Center City project.”

A proposed Marriott Springhill Suites hotel and a 225-space parking garage are expected to join the pharmacy on the block surrounded by South Main, South Cedar, East Jefferson and East Cunningham streets.

Construction on those facilities is expected to start next year.

While the Rite Aid had been under construction for about 8 months, the Centre City project has been in planning for nearly a decade.

“I think every brick represents a meeting or a phone call,” said Stock, referencing the long struggle to bring the development downtown.

Stock worked on the project in each of her eight years in office and was invited by Donaldson to the ceremony.

“This took years with many people’s efforts,” Stock said. “I’m very excited to see (the Rite Aid) is completed.”

The store, which opened at 8 a.m. Thursday, is larger than its predecessor across Main Street and features a drive-through pharmacy.