Gravel & Aggregate, the area's premier supplier of construction materials, officially broke ground yesterday on a new 20-acre yard along 4th Street in downtown. The $10 million facility will feature state-of-the-art storage and processing capabilities, allowing the company to significantly expand its offerings and better serve the region's builders and contractors. Company president James McAllister said the new yard represents a critical investment in the community and will enable Gravel & Aggregate to support the growth of local development projects for years to come. The project is expected to be completed within 18 months with an estimated 50 new jobs created during peak construction.