City staff members were not sure what to expect when they announced a “Little Diggers Watch Party” was being planned for Feb. 26.

While it was promoted as an event for youngsters to watch huge trucks and tractors move lots of dirt — and get a free plastic hard hat — accompanying adults seemed to be just as excited to witness what was happening next to Prior Lake City Hall.

The site was cleared of two older homes in mid-January, making way for the $32 million Cora Apartment complex that will be built along Dakota Street and will include more than 100 apartments, a restaurant, a rooftop dining area and underground parking.

Jeffrey DeMars, Communications Manager for the City of Prior Lake, said the event drew a much larger crowd than originally anticipated. Spectators even included one family from Minneapolis that learned of it through social media and decided it was worth a drive south. Some attendees watched from inside of city hall, while others braved the cold and lined up along a fenced area on the east side of the building.

DeMars said that due to the great interest shown last week, the city is looking at scheduling two more such events in the near future.