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“Fighting for a long time to see a vision come to fruition is nothing new for the Hi-Crest neighborhood.”- Johnathan Sublet, Executive Director
In the heart of Topeka, there is a story that beats with the rhythm of resilience, community, and hope—the story of Hi-Crest. This neighborhood has carried the weight of disinvestment and struggle for decades, but it has also been home to the people who refused to give up on its future. This year, as SENT Inc. breaks ground on Fremont Hill, we celebrate not only the homes that will rise but the spirit of those who have carried Hi-Crest through its most challenging days and into its brightest future.
This journey begins with three extraordinary women—Betty Dunn, who was once deputy mayor; Betty Phillips, who moved into her home in 1958; and Nellie Hogan, who moved into Hi-Crest in 1981, less than a year after our executive director, Johnathan Sublet, was born. Each has a park named in her honor, a testament to their impact on the community. Two of these women are still with us, offering their wisdom, encouragement, and the living history of the neighborhood they love. They continue to be a source of strength and inspiration. These women have witnessed the evolution of Hi-Crest, and their stories are woven into every milestone we celebrate.
But the road to renewal was not always clear. The Hi-Crest neighborhood worked for 40 years to turn what was once a dumping ground into a park for its kids. So, fighting for a long time to see a vision come about is nothing new for the neighborhood.
In 2003, the Kansas Health Institute even highlighted the housing crisis in Hi-Crest. Residents described conditions that made them feel as though they were unsheltered even when a roof covered them. One young mother shared how she had tried to escape Hi-Crest but lacked the tools to do so. That year, a proposal was made to the city—$1 million in Community Development Block Grants (CDBGs) spread over three years to complete a $10 million housing development on Fremont Hill. The proposal had support, but it fell short by a single council vote.
Then, in 2004, an outside developer proposed using the retail space once held by K-Mart as a storage facility in exchange for helping develop homes on Fremont Hill. The storage unit became a reality, but legal complications derailed the housing project. Then, when all of the businesses in the neighborhood started closing, it sent the neighborhood further into a downward spiral.
Yet Hi-Crest did not give up. In 2019, SENT built the first new house in the neighborhood in over 60 years. In 2020, SENT gained ownership of the 29-acre plot on Fremont Hill, reviving a vision that had nearly been forgotten. By 2023, SENT completed Topeka’s first Net Zero home. By the end of 2024, over 30 housing projects had been completed—proof that transformation was not just possible but already happening.
Now, in 2025, we plan to break ground on Fremont Hill, a symbol of what can be accomplished when a community refuses to give up. We have also developed wraparound services to support the housing developments and the 7.5 acres of commercial, revenue-generating space planned for Fremont Hill.
Johnathan Sublet
Founder, Executive Director
johnathan@senttopeka.com