Well, that was fast.

Days after Rice University and city leaders announced the 1939 Sears building south of downtown would become the anchor of a new innovation district, workers have already begun removing the metal siding from its exterior.

In a Facebook post Monday morning, Preservation Houston reported that crews worked over the weekend to begin taking down the panels.

So far, work has only been done on the north side of the building, but it has provided a tantalizing look at some long-hidden details. For example, a faint, painted A of the Sears name can be seen on the northeast corner. How much of these details will be kept remains to be seen.

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The exterior work will likely undo a "modernization" effort the department store chain undertook in the early 1960s.

Last week, the Chronicle's Paul Takahashi reported that the renovated four-story, 190,000-square-foot retail center and surrounding parcels will feature "co-working spaces, classrooms, offices, restaurants, cafes, shops and other amenities."

The first phase of construction is expected to be completed in two years.

J.R. Gonzales, a third-generation Houstonian, covers local history with an eye toward the people and events that have mostly been forgotten to time. Follow him through Bayou City History on Facebook and Twitter, where updates on Sears' exterior will be posted. He can be reached at 713-362-6163 or john.gonzales@chron.com.