Breaking ground on a new housing development

The first dirt was turned Tuesday on property that will become The Flats at Liberty Crossing.

Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr and officials from Inch & Co., as well as McDaniel Excavating, tossed the first scoops of dirt during a groundbreaking ceremony at the Newark Road property.

Joe Eisenhauer, vice president of development for Inch & Co., thanked the many people involved in the company’s first foray into Ohio. He said they are building 240 units with a mix of one, two and three bedrooms.

“This is our first foray into Ohio, so we’re very excited,” Eisenhauer said. “We’re very excited to bring this project to Mount Vernon.”

Mount Vernon Mayor Matt Starr also spoke during the ceremony. He mentioned his first meetings as a new mayor in 2020 were with major employers in the city and they all mentioned the need for more housing in the area for their employees.

That set the stage for places like Liberty Crossing and housing like The Flats at Liberty Crossing.

Jill McCartney, the new executive director at the Knox County Chamber of Commerce, felt this was a great way to kick off her first week on the job.

“A project like this creates opportunities, it strengthens our local economy; and it really does contribute to the vitality of Knox County for years to come,” she said. “We’re excited to see The Flats at Liberty Crossing take shape. And we’re excited to see their positive impact on the community for years to come.”

Eisenhauer said that development will include a clubhouse and a pool. He expects them to begin filling with residents in approximately 11 months.