The council approved additional land for the Yock’s Landing and First on First properties changing hands.

The boundaries account for the space taken up by the dilapidated buildings along Highway 1 which were demolished in winter of 2022.

With the new property boundaries, Yock’s Landing will retain property extending from their deck out to the alley and additional land to the east, accounting for 48 percent of the new property boundaries. First on First will maintain property that extends from their stairway access at the back of their property and extends to the alley. There is an electric line underground that serves First on First that will cross into the Yock’s Landing property.

City administrator Chris Nosbisch said the property boundaries changing hands are almost too small for either property to develop more than additional parking.

Greg Raupp said setting the boundary lines will help their neighbors at Yock’s Landing for when they are having events, like the concert that happened during Heritage Days at the bar in uptown Mount Vernon.

“It should help Yock’s Landing patrons to be able to have more room to stay on Yock’s property during those events,” Raupp said.

Raupp also thanked the city for the investment of tearing the old buildings down.

“Those buildings were literally tearing at First on First’s exterior wall,” Raupp said. “Your $50,000 investment to tear down an eyesore has helped our building.”

Raupp said he and Jude Smith have invested more than $350,000 into the building on First Street.

“Those buildings definitely had to go,” said Mayor Tom Wieseler.