Washington Heights Gets Ready For Bigger Things

SEBRING - Since Washington Heights got a $1.3-million sprucing-up, soaring expectations by some suggest a brighter future for the struggling neighborhood.

Antoine Lenton, 27, was putting the finishing touches on the streetscapes project Monday. The lifelong Washington Heights resident said it felt good to work on the neighborhood project where he grew up.
"I'm glad to be on the job and give back to the community," said Lenton.

"You've got to start somewhere," said Lenton. "You've got to believe it's going to improve things. It looks good, feels good, but takes time to improve."

Tim McGahee is pastor at Bountiful Blessings Church of God. On Martin Luther King Boulevard, in front of the 700-seat church, are new sidewalks, improved drainage, landscaping and several antique replica streetlights.

"When there is community development, it actually raises the respect of the community and society," said McGahee. "Once individuals have respect for their community, then the level of expectation rises.
"If you're going to live here you ought to value it -- and take care of it. Individuals have to take pride."

Community activist Robert Saffold said the improvements were beautiful.
"It looks so much better than anything we could have imagined," said Saffold. "Kids are now taking pride in the neighborhood."

The streetscape project is only a start. Saffold is a member of the fledgling Washington Heights Concerned Citizens.

Debbie Love, an outside planning consultant with Keith and Schnars, will work with the committee and residents.

Saffold hopes to bring the community together for the upcoming Juneteenth celebrations and again during formal visioning sessions on July 18 and 19, to discuss the neighborhood's future.

"Come out and see the changes we've made in our neighborhood," said Saffold. "We've got a lot of pride."

Pete Pollard, Community Redevelopment Agency executive director, said the streetscapes VIII project is one of the first steps to successful development of a neighborhood plan.

"Streetscapes is a way to kick off the project," said Pollard. "With assurances to the community that we mean business."

The project was paid for with a $750,000 Community Development Block Grant and a $200,000 Florida Department of Transportation Highway Beautification grant.

The City of Sebring and the CRA pitched in about $460,000.