TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Urban League of Tallahassee, along with community members and police, held a meeting Thursday night to discuss the future of the Frenchtown community and how to tackle crime and poverty within the neighborhood.
Those living and working in Frenchtown say they want to see the area revitalized.
The City of Tallahassee defines Greater Frenchtown as marked by Tennessee Street, Bronough Street, 7th Avenue, and Woodward Avenue.
The area most focused on, in the meeting was the D-block area of Frenchtown.
"Some people are scared to even leave their houses sometimes. We've got kids playing in the roads, we need safety," said Bruce Watson, Frenchtown resident.
It's a common theme throughout the Frenchtown area, which has residents calling for more safety features to help improve the quality of life.
Community leaders say the D-block area of Frenchtown needs the most attention.
"We need better street lighting. There's no street lighting. All of that will hopefully reduce the crime elements in our community," said Curtis Taylor, CEO of Tallahassee Urban League.
A block over from Dewy Street, on Dunn, Taylor says there's a lot to be done.
"On Dunn Street, what we would like to see happen here is more surveillance cameras, cleaning out the over growth, and have more of a police presence," said Taylor.
Casey Rychlik has called Frenchtown home for more than a year now. He said the need for safety improvements is a growing concern.
"Frenchtown needs to be on the top of the list. It's in the middle of town. It affects the university, midtown, and it mostly affects the residents. It's a historic area, it should be prioritized," said Rychlik.
Updates will be discussed at the next Frenchtown planning meeting.
That will take place April 25 at 6:00 p.m. at the Watson Institutional Church of God.
