Ground breaks on 63 acres in Jackson Township for new housing development

• A new housing development has broken ground on the former Frank Farm property in Jackson Township.
• Plans for the 63-acre property include developing 83 lots for single-family housing.
• Much of the property being developed is along the 5000 block of Portage Street NW.

JACKSON TWP. – A large section of land known for more than a century as the Frank Farm has recently broken ground for new residential development.

Leecrest Holdings LLC purchased the 63-acre property last summer for $3.9 million, clearing the path for dozens of new single-family homes. The company is operated by Jackson residents Keith Cline and Chris Snyder.

Housing boom:Stark developers buy 63 acres for $3.9M in Jackson Township for residential development

Work started a few weeks ago with utility line placement and leveling ground for access and neighborhood roads. The project is expected to conclude later this year.

A message seeking comment was left for a company representative.

Workers spotted at the site earlier last week are from general contractor Jefferies Company, of Louisville, and Canton-based Beaver Excavating Co.

The former farmland was bought from Lockhart Development Co. The property, which rests along sections of Portage Street NW, Eastlake Street NW and Lake Cable Avenue NW, is zoned rural residential, which can accommodate large single-family homes.

Altogether, 83 residential lots are part of the plan put forth by Cline and Snyder. Lots will range from around 20,000 square feet to about 84,000 square feet, said Jonelle Melnichenko, chief of planning for the Stark County Regional Planning Commission.

Much of the property being developed is attached to 5422 Portage St. NW. The Frank family had owned the 80-acre tract since 1894, when John Frank purchased the land.

Lockhart Development sold the other 17 acres for $1 million to Trinity Church PCA, 8000 Frank Ave. NW, in a transaction that had to be settled in court.

Russell Frank operated a dairy farm on the property until the late 1960s, then had cattle and planted grain. He farmed the Portage Street property for several years with his father before acquiring a farm near Dalton.

Reach Steven at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On Twitter: @sgrazierINDE