The Plantation Country Club Estates Homeowners Association has raised $15,000 to put a pair of brick walls at Broward Boulevard and Northwest 46th Avenue to match those west of Florida's Turnpike. The city will chip in another $15,000.
"We were fervently, feverishly wanting this," said Linda Odess, secretary of the association and a 12-year resident. The association represents 880 homes east of the turnpike and south of Broward Boulevard.
Country Club Estates wants to put up columns, entranceway walls, lanterns, brass identification plaques - "the whole nine yards," Odess said.
The Park East Homeowners Association, which represents about 1,100 homes east of the turnpike and north of Broward Boulevard, has raised about $3,000 of the $24,000 they'll need. "They're trying to build just one entranceway at 46th Avenue, while we're trying to build two, at 46th and 48th," said Oswald Ewers, president of the Park East association and a five-year resident of Plantation.
Brick walls at Northwest 48th Avenue would cost Park East $12,000 to $15,000. Two brick pillars at Northwest 46th Avenue would cost another $7,000 to $9,000. The entranceways will match other intersections west of the turnpike. The Plantation Junior Woman's Club raised about $55,000 of the $130,000. Some Park East residents, thinking the original project would spruce up their neighborhoods, donated money only to watch the project stop at the turnpike.
Park East is selling plain bricks for $25; bricks with one line of engraving for $35; and bricks with two lines of engraving for $50. Notices about the campaign were tucked into this month's city utility bills.
If the association raises at least half the money, the city will match its donations.
The majority of Country Club Estates' money came from residents.
"The response was so great, it overwhelmed us," said association president Robert A. Levy, an 18-year resident. One person donated $1,000, asking for two bricks labeled "Anonymous."
Mayor Frank Veltri said: "It'll be nine to 12 months before they get those walls," because the city needs permission from property owners to put them there. "I've already announced to the council that we're ready to go."
The Tropical Way Homeowners Association, which represents about 200 homes around the Golf Club of Plantation, has talked about putting entranceways at East and West Tropical Way south of Broward Boulevard.
The association's beautification committee recently sent residents questionnaires asking if they'd be interested in entrances, but the association has not drafted formal plans or raised money.
Contributors to the Park East campaign need not be residents.
"Anybody who wants to make a donation to the beautification of Broward Boulevard in Plantation" can buy a brick, Ewers said. "If we have to go house to house and talk to every family, then we will."