SCHUYLER - City officials cut the ribbon on a new apartment development.

They said it's going to have quite the impact on the town.

The building houses 24 units, available in one, two and three bedrooms.

Schuyler Community Development said the Eastview Apartments are the town's first new development in more than 20 years.

“This is going to be a game changer for Schuyler," community housing specialist Brian Bywater said.  "This is going to give people who have higher-paying jobs…some place to live where -- ordinarily or in the past -- it has been a real challenge for them to find a quality, affordable place to live.”

Bywater said like Columbus, Schuyler has long had plenty of job opportunities but that they needed more housing for the workforce.

“With the opening of this apartment complex and the housing that I know is under construction in Columbus, we’re working together to tackle that problem and to help attract and retain people to live and work in our respective areas,” he said.

Bywater said Mesner Development and Norfolk-based Progressive Builders pooled their money with the Schuyler Rural Workforce Housing Fund to make this project a reality.

Lt. Gov. Mike Foley, who was at the unveiling, said the legislature passed a bill two years ago to give a boost to housing development like this.

"A little bit of subsidy, get those builders interested in building, constructing some great new apartment complexes like this one behind me and create an opportunity for the workforce to come into a nice community like Schuyler,” Foley said.

Schuyler officials said housing development efforts don't stop with this, but it will be a little bit before they initiate further projects.