Sebring, Ohio

Project Overview

Project Overview

Sebring was founded by the Sebring brothers in 1899 as a factory-town to support the growing pottery manufacturing industry and was known for a time as “The Pottery Capital of the World”. A well-planned and pleasant community, residents enjoy its small-town character and life-style. However, the deteriorated physical conditions and under-utilized buildings in the downtown business district communicated a negative image and hampered the economic development efforts of the community.

Recognizing the need to re-establish a positive downtown district image and re-create an environment supportive of economic development, the village engaged EG&G, Inc. to prepare a downtown revitalization plan including street corridor capital improvements and streetscape enhancemets. EG&G, Inc. worked closely with village leadership, downtown merchants and the community, and was actively involved in financial planning and in grant-making leading to construction of improvements.

The improvements and enhancements included new curbs, ramps, concrete sidewalks and crosswalks with decorative brick inlays, historic-style traffic signal and streetlight poles, pedestrian amenities and furnishings, landscaping and parking. Additionaly, the project included Schreckengost Park, a downtown gathering-place named for Victor Schreckengost, the world renowned artist and designer whose hometown was Sebring.

The attractive, welcoming and pedestrian-oriented environment established by the street corridor improvements has attracted new business investment to downtown and enhanced quality of life in the community.

Financing

Community Response

Community Response

“Establishing a strong positive image and sense-of-place downtown will enable subsequent economic and community development priorities their best chance to succeed,” said Daphne Cannell, Mayor of Sebring.

"Before" Photos