A Valley neighborhood is getting a facelift, thanks to a government grant.

Officials in Bicknell broke ground Monday afternoon on the future site of two duplexes and five homes.

The $1.3 million project is being funded through the Indiana Housing and Economic Recovery Act.

Officials say most people in the area will be eligible to apply for income-based housing.

In the future the neighborhood will feature a walking trail and park.

"This will be a new start for the neighborhood," said PACE Community Action Agency Representative Amy Fehrenbacher. "We hope that this acts as a catalyst for people to step back and look at their own homes; say what can I do to my home and make my community better."

"We need this," said Bicknell Mayor Jon Flickinger. "It's been back in the 70's, the population is going down, we have lost businesses, you know, we have applied for a downtown revitalization grant so we are working a little bit at a time to build Bicknell back up."

Construction is scheduled to begin this summer and the homes will be completed within the next six months.

For more information on the project or to apply for housing click here.