On April 12, Wharton-Smith, along with the City of Leesburg and distinguished guest speakers including Daniel Webster, U.S. Representative; Allyson Berry, City Commissioner; John Christian, Chairman of the Board for the Community Development Corporation of Leesburg; and community leaders, gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Pine Street Improvements project.
The $2.9 million project has been in development for about 20 years. Pine Street has a historical significance as it was home to many Black-owned businesses in the past. However, over the last few decades, the area has faced a decline, and the city hopes this project will revitalize the area.
Al Minner, Leesburg’s City Manager, expressed his optimism about the project: “When you create areas that remove blight and take down dilapidated structures, which we’ve done, and then reinvest in it, you get people attracted to the area.”
Some project highlights include widening Pine Street to accommodate designated on-street parking, creating wider sidewalks for improved pedestrian capacity, implementing speed calming measures through horizontal deflection, and enhancing the landscaping plan to complement roadway improvements. Additionally, decorative lighting will be installed to increase illumination and aesthetics, and off-street parking will be increased to better serve the community.
Watch interview highlights and check out the Flickr album for more pictures.
