New Qianmen to be completed by May 1?

Last week I was surprised to read a report on the official Beijing Government website saying that the Restored Qianmen Street is to be unveiled before May 1. When i took a peek through the fence surrounding the site about a month or so ago, it looked a long way from completion. However, the photos pasted below from today's Beijing News, seem to show that the street is indeed close to being finished. The article says that the street, which was originally scheduled to open to the public at the end of April is now likely to be unveiled "around" the May 1 holidays. With a tram line running down the middle and a mix of old fashioned laozihao establishments and international brands like Apple and Starbucks, the street is almost certain to become a tourist mecca.

Speaking of the May 1 holidays, the Beijing government has announced that, in accordance with changes announced last year that did away with the Golden Week in May, the Labor Day holidays will now run from Thursday, May 1 to Saturday May 3. Beijingers will be expected to turn up for work on Sunday, May 4.

Links and Sources
ebeijing.gov: Restored Qianmen Street to be unveiled before May 1
The Beijing News: 前门大街景似王府井
The Beijing News: “五一”节放假三天
tbjblog: No More Golden Weeks in May
NetEase: 北京前门大街以老照片恢复清末风貌(图)
The Beijinger Forum: Ahh, the charming appeal of historic, traditional Qianmen