Updated Jan. 18 at 3:30 p.m.

Several days of rainfall have disrupted plans to move a 260-year-old live oak tree out of construction's way, a Buda spokesperson said.

The relocation work originally scheduled to begin this week will have to be put off until the week of Jan. 23, spokesperson David Marino announced this morning.

The whole project is a week behind, and city officials expect the tree relocation to be finalized by early February. The rain delay will have no effect on the $232,167 project cost, Marino said.

Posted Jan. 12 at 3 p.m.

Work will begin to move a 260-year-old live oak tree in Buda within the next few weeks.

Preparations are underway to relocate the tree located at the corner of Main and East Loop streets, the site of Buda’s future Municipal Complex. The Buda Municipal Complex will consist of two buildings, the municipal facility and the public safety building. Both are part of a $55 million bond approved by Buda voters in November 2014.

The City Council voted to relocate the tree in September at the recommendation of the Historic Preservation Commission. Trees greater than 20 inches in diameter are classified as heritage trees under the city’s development code and are afforded special protection. The live oak tree that will be moved has a diameter of 53 inches.

When the council voted in September to have the tree moved, it was estimated the process would cost around $324,000. In the end, the actual cost is of the oak tree relocated turned out to be $232,167, city spokesperson David Marino said.

Next week, the tree will be prepared for the move: It will be fully piped and have beams installed with a chain tensioning system. Crews will also move equipment to the site. The week after that, around Jan. 23, city officials expect the tree to be relocated. Over several days, the live oak will be moved to the southeast area of the lot, near Main Street.  Another week will be used for cleanup afterward to do irrigation work for the tree.

Residents who are interested in seeing the relocation process may park at Stagecoach Park and then walk up Main Street to watch through the fence, the press release said, but observers will not be allowed on-site.