LATEST UPDATE!
HOME TOWN TAKEOVER ANNOUNCES 6 EPISODES FOR SEBRING MAKEOVER
In the third season of Home Town Takeover, Ben and Erin Napier renovated the historic downtown area of Sebring, Florida.
The episode “Greetings From Sebring!” Hit Series ‘Home Town Takeover’ will premier Sunday, March 9, at 8 p.m. ET on HGTV.
What was renovated?
- Homes of key local leaders
- A soda shop
- A kindergarten teacher’s home
- A family-owned restaurant
- A Cuban cafe
- A theater
- Public spaces, including a gazebo and murals
Why was Sebring renovated? To revitalize the struggling lakeside community, To encourage community gatherings, and To drive downtown visitors.
SEE MORE [DISCOVERY MEDIA RELEASE]
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Original Post by R. Michael Brown, February 21, 2024 – Updates Below:
The HGTV Hometown Makeover is Done in Sebring Florida!
May 26, 2024
By: R. Michael Brown, Premium Feature Writer, Ghostwriter, and Marketing Consultant
It is done. Erin and Ben Napier from HGTV’s Hometown Takeover held an event on Thursday, May 23 at the Downtown Circle in Sebring, Florida to show off the renovations. The project started in February and will air on HGTV early in 2025. We can’t wait to watch it.
Many changes were made – some subtle and some not so subtle. New crosswalks with decorative art, new facades and painting on buildings, a new gazebo, and a wave sculpture are a few of the notable changes.
We took photos and video of the before and will be posting them, and the after shots, sometime this summer. Stay tuned.
From comments we heard around the circle and reported by the Highlands News-Sun, residents and visitors like the changes.
See the latest press that covered the process below in our “In the News/Press” section!
Original Post from R. Michael Brown:
The Sebring Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) approved an agreement to participate in a TV show’s makeover of the downtown Circle Park Drive area with the network proposing to spend about $1 million and the CRA pitching in $1.35 million.
One of the questions seen on social media is where does the CRA get the $1.35 million? From the CRA Website:
The CRA is primarily funded through tax increment revenues. Properties located in the CRA district do NOT pay any additional property taxes, rather, a portion of the annual City and County taxes collected in the redevelopment area is transferred to the CRA for redevelopment activities. The greater the increase in taxable property values over the CRA’s base year (1983), the larger the incremental increase in revenues transferred to the CRA. Other sources of funding for redevelopment activities include grants, the sale or lease of property, and the issuance of taxable and nontaxable bonds.
https://downtownsebring.org/about
Another question has been answered by HGTV about when the new show will air – They say early 2025.
Sebring Hometown Makeover
Show hosts Erin and Ben Napier of Home Town Takeover has been renewed for season 3, and they will be taking their renovation expertise to Sebring. Their original and still running show is Home Town, which has eight seasons on HGTV, starting in 2016. Home Town currently airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on HGTV.
Home Town Takeover previously stopped in Wetumpka, Ala. in Season 1 and Fort Morgan, Colo. in Season 2. The Napier’s announced the new season on the Jennifer Hudson Show.
“It’s a new location and you’ve probably never heard of it because it’s not tourist Florida, which is our favorite Florida,” Ben said.
Erin added, “It’s off the beaten path. It’s not the beach. It’s not the amusement parks.”
People Magazine reported that the couple described Sebring, which is located about 92 miles east of Tampa, as a “beautiful lake city” since it is right next to Lake Jackson. However, they also noted that the place is in need of “a lot of work.”
“It’s a really interesting town that we are really excited — We are cautiously optimistic about it,” Ben shared. “But this show is really hard to make and we have … a lot of special guests coming and a lot of people coming in to help, but there’s going to be a lot of work that’s going to go into it.”
The TV-show pre-production and building contracting plans must already be in place because it takes months to plan this kind of complex show and construction. They don’t reveal their plans upfront because that would take away from the reason to watch and it adds an element of suspense to the show. So expect surprises.
Why I’m Covering this ReDevelopment in Sebring
As a writer and producer, my work and reporting has included civil engineering (Ardaman & Associates), community development and redevelopment (Ave Maria; Abacoa in Jupiter, Florida; Town of Palm Beach) that focused on new-urbanism and traditional hometown architecture and design, real estate (My State MLS and Agent Magazines – South Florida, Chicago, nationwide), civics and public policy at the Town of Palm Beach Civic Association*, and I’ve been a guest speaker for Community Redevelopment groups (Lake Worth, Florida CRA). In short, I’m REALLY interested in these types of projects!
*Multimedia Content by R. Michael Brown:
[75th Anniversary History of the Town of Palm Beach Civic Association]
Since moving to a lake house in Lake Placid, Florida in August, 2023 (20 minutes south of Sebring), we’ve been intrigued about the hidden gem that is Highlands County. I learn about a place by creating media about it and sharing it. I try to be helpful so if you see a news report or media about the project, please send it to me at:
So here we go on this adventure together… stay tuned to reporting, media, and press on this awesome makeover here in our area. I’ll try to cover it all here.
In the News/Press [Latest First]
Circle Celebration – HGTV wraps up makeover
May 24, 2024
By MARC VALERO Staff Writer, Highlands News-Sun
Excerpt:
HGTV celebrated and videoed its finale Thursday of the Home Town Takeover of the Circle in downtown Sebring, which has a whole new look after about three months of a major spruce up.
HGTV’s “home-renovation power couple” Ben and Erin Napier were back for the celebration after they made the Feb. 19 announcement with great hoopla that Sebring was chosen for a downtown takeover.
What do people think about the new look for the City on the Circle?
Residents, businesses look at change with hope
By PHIL ATTINGER Staff Writer May 25, 2024
Looking into the windows of Sophie’s Cafe on Thursday, not yet opened on Ridgewood Drive, Daisy Saldaña said it’s great to have people investing in the downtown area.
A four-year resident, transplanted from Chicago, Saldaña said it’s great to have improvements downtown, especially a greater variety of places to eat.
Mike McMillen of Pelican’s SnoBalls in Sebring said he and his wife still live in Polk City, but set up shop in Sebring because they love the town. With improvements recently added to the downtown by HGTV’s “Home Town Takeover,” he hopes to see more business.
Gazebo coming to Sebring’s Circle Park
By MARC VALERO Staff Writer Apr 11, 2024
Excerpt:
The HGTV “Hometown Takeover” in downtown Sebring includes something new for Circle Park – a gazebo.
Community Redevelopment Agency Board Chair David Leidel said Wednesday they will be putting a gazebo in there. They will be pouring a concrete slab and there will be a build-on-site gazebo coming in.
Painting the town: TV show’s makeover brings a new hue to downtown
Excerpt:
The Circle Park area of downtown Sebring is in the midst of taking on a new look with an HGTV makeover, but it means some departure from the past to make way for the new design for the Circle of today and tomorrow.
The Historic Preservation Commission decided against giving its O.K. for the plans to paint the brick on two buildings on the Circle – the J.B. Brown Building at 201 Circle Park Drive and the Circle Theatre at 202 Circle Park Drive.
But, the owners of the buildings successfully appealed the Commission’s decision before the City Council.
Erin & Ben Napier Reveal They’ve Reunited With Beloved ‘Home Town’ Cast Member [heavy.]
Excerpt:
In a February 23 Instagram post, Erin revealed the mystery cast member. She shared a photo of her, Ben, former “Home Town” director Jim MacPherson and another blast from the past: their former contractor Jonathan Walters, who appeared on every episode of “Home Town” during its first three seasons.
Fans were thrilled to see Walters again in the photo, which Erin captioned, “Gettin the band back together!”
Walters was part of the cast of “Home Town” from the beginning, when the show debuted on HGTV in April 2017. According to Yahoo, he served as the project manager on 34 home renovations across three seasons of the show in the Napiers’ hometown of Laurel, Mississippi.
Walters is now the President/Owner at Royal Corinthian Homes in Ft. Myers, Florida.
Sebring Chamber seeks appeal on Circle Theatre facade decision [Highlands News-Sun]
Excerpt:
While many Sebring Circle buildings are getting a new look, a proposed change for the Circle Theatre was not approved by the Historical Preservation Commission.
At their March 14 meeting, the Historical Preservation Commission (HPC) did not approve a Certificate of Appropriateness for the Circle Theatre, 202 Circle Park Drive.
The request was to paint the original brick front facade of the building.
‘Home Town Takeover’ for Sebring [FloirdaRealtors]
Excerpt:
Their most successful whole-town reno to-date is Wetumpka, Alabama, which has become a full-fledged destination since it was the site selected for the original “Takeover” in 2020.
“What we’ve found is that people are not only coming to visit, but they’re coming back and have been here two or three times,” said Shellie Whitfield, executive director of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce, during a recent HGTV interview. “They’ve fallen in love with the town since the show aired.”
Ben and Erin Napier Take Their ‘Home Town Takeover’ Talents to Florida [HGTV]
Six-episode run is slated to premiere early in 2025.
As always, a slew of HGTV stars will join the Napiers in their quest to revamp Sebring. “Great town about to get a little greater!” 100 Day Dream Home’s Brian Kleinschmidt wrote on HGTV’s Instagram announcement post. “Can’t wait to help out.”
Excerpt:
While they didn’t divulge much about what’s to come, Erin and Ben went on to share that the Sebring season will feature an appearance by “someone from Home Town past” to help them with the renovations.
According to HGTV, the couple will tackle several renovation projects across homes, local businesses, and public spaces in the historic lakeside town. The goal of the projects will be to “amplify the town’s charm, build community pride, and make Sebring a must-visit destination.”
Season three of Home Town Takeover is slated to premiere on HGTV early next year.
HGTV Stars Erin & Ben Napier Reveal Big Changes for ‘Home Town Takeover’ Season 3 [TVInsider]
HGTV makeover starts with pink building [Highlands News-Sun]
Sebring, Florida, You Are Getting A Hometown Makeover [Highlands News-Sun]
Interesting Media, Facts, and Content About Sebring
Sebring Downtown Walking Tour
This Walking Tour PDF shows all of the downtown buildings on the circle. A special project of the Sebring Historic Preservation Commission.
When will this on our hometown Sebring fl be on HGTV on tv and we have Direct Tv so what time is this to be shown..
Usually my sis and I go to Rally’s and stuff but this yr unable to walk but want to see on tv
We were there for celebrating 100 yr….and that was a memories too
Keep 🤗
Hi Syl, As far as I know the air date hasn’t been announced. As soon as I find out, I’ll post it here! Thanks for your question.
Thank you for covering this. Last Friday one of my neighbors and I drove up from North Fort Myers. A wonderful day trip. It was our first trip, but definitely not our last. And brunch at Dee’s Place was awesome too.
Thanks Greg! Glad you had a good time.
I read somewhere that it will sometime next year (2025).
HGTV has announced it will air early 2025.
Six-episode run is slated to premiere early in 2025 on HGTV.
I live in Sebring, are they going to add parking lots? We will very much love to see that.
Sorry Trixy. Don’t know.