The ground has officially broken on a major housing development in the Town of Essex.
The new subdivision will eventually have 567 units consisting of single-family homes, semi-detached, and townhomes.
Elected officials joined developer Peter Valente for a ceremony Wednesday morning at the property just east of the Canadian Tire on Maidstone Avenue in Essex Centre.
It will be built in two phases and in the first, 135 townhomes and 19 single-family homes are already under construction.
The total built-out value of the development comes to $350-million.
"The Town of Essex team has been very supportive of our development, helping us overcome many challenges, including some front-end financing," said Valente.
Town Council passed the agreement to provide financial assistance during its meeting on April 6.
"Housing has been a priority since day one," said Mayor Larry Snively of council's decision. "We are happy to see shovels in the ground."
Already the development has attracted significant interest. Valente said more than 300 people have signed up on a waiting list for new homes.