NEW RICHMOND, Ohio — Inside the Green Kayak Grille & Pub, you hear the sound of orders being taken and music in the background. But you can also hear the faint sound of construction right outside the front door.
The restaurant is situated at the foot of New Richmond's Liberty Landing project, which is redesigning one of the village's most historic areas.
“I think the fact that this whole town’s getting a facelift will be huge," Rebecca Light, owner of Green Kayak Grille & Pub, said.
The $13.4 million in funding for Liberty Landing comes from the State of Ohio's Appalachian Community Grant program, according to Clermont County officials.
The project broke ground in August 2025 and construction began in September.
Watch to see the ongoing impact of construction and the plans for Liberty Landing:
Since then, it's taken a toll on businesses, pedestrians and traffic flowing through Front Street.
"Parking and noise and all that obviously is a thing, but we know it’s a thing we have to get through," Light said.
Light has owned the Green Kayak Grille & Pub in New Richmond for five years. But this summer will look different for her and her neighbors as the project continues to take shape.
“It’s a little messy out here, but we’re finding creative ways to get through it," Light said.
The latest renderings of what the project will look like once it's completed have been posted by the village.
The updates include a boat dock, upgraded streetscape and improvements for pedestrians and drivers, according to Gov. Mike DeWine's office.
“Once completed, there will be a nice, calming thoroughfare for traffic to travel through, but there will be a very wide thoroughfare for people to walk on the riverside," Village Council member Larry Prues said.
Prues acknowledged the issues for people who own and operate businesses near the construction zone.
“This has definitely had a negative impact on the businesses, but thankful to the business owners, they have all been very supportive of this project. I think they realize the pain is going to be worth the gain," Prues said.
Prues said that public input has been taken into account, through events like town halls.
“It’s going to be spectacular," Prues said.
Prues said the village had to "take the project down to what dollars would allow" when asked what would be included.
Light said she's hopeful for the future, even if this summer looks different.
“It’ll be worth it next year in the end, I believe," Light said.
The village publishes updates to Liberty Landing and other ongoing projects on its website. Prues and Light said that the deadline for the project to be completed is October 31.
