Editor’s note – Yock’s Landing was one of two properties impacted by expanding property lines in uptown.

Kelly Yock at Yock’s Landing said this year marks the second-year anniversary of the completion of their deck in the back of the property. They also expanded property when the opportunity came up at the city council.

When Yock’s Landing built the deck behind the building, that wasn’t a cheap process. It cost them roughly $80,000 in expenses to build said deck, and Kelly said they built the space around existing buildings behind their building. Kelly had an agreement with Sam Jennison of Sing A-Long Bar and Grill about space used under their deck as well.

Later that year, the dilapidated apart- ment buildings at the back of their building were removed by Greg Raupp and Jude Smith in an agreement with the City of Mount Vernon. Yock said she had assumed when the buildings were demolished, their property immediately expanded.

“We hadn’t realized until it came up that we didn’t own that land where that apartment had stood previously until the matter came up earlier this year,” said Kelly. “We decided to purchase the property.”

Yock’s Landing has held events during Heritage Days in the past, and Kelly said they are always communicative with their neighbors and have permission from the city before those parties are held.

“We’ve only used the space twice in the past, but we may utilize it in the future,” Kelly said.

The bar is also looking to utilize the new space as parking, which has become an issue in the uptown.