NEWBURGH HEIGHTS, Ohio — For the first time in 50 years, a new home is going to be built in Newburgh Heights.
Back then, the average cost of a home would’ve been $15,000, but this one is expected to cost around $240,000.
Owner Kristen Fortuna, who took part in a ground breaking ceremony on Friday, said she can’t wait until construction is finished..
“It just seems right. I’ve always been a part of Newburgh, I’ve always been here and I’m very excited to come back and have my own home and start something new,” she said.
The city said her home is one of three scheduled to be built in town this year.
Ultimately, the goal is to build more than 100 homes in the next five to eight years.
“We started putting tools in place, tax abatements, a student loan assistance program, things of that nature that made it incentive for people to buy here and develop here to generate a market here,” explained Newburgh Heights Mayor Trevor Elkins.
He said Newburgh Heights is in a similar position that the Tremont neighborhood was about ten years ago with older homes five minutes from downtown.
As for Furtuna, she hopes others realize the potential there.
“It’s an old time neighborhood, you know all your neighbors, everyone knows each other when you walk down the street, walking our dog and saying hi to people sitting on the porch. It’s just a great neighborhood,” she said.