The Cuyahoga River snakes back and forth all through Cleveland and this means lots of bridges - mostly of the motorized type to allow ships to pass. A decline in population had made a lot of these bridges obsolete so they've been cranked up and left to rust.

They're really cool structures and they define the skyline of Cleveland. At least one of them is green and there is another that is lit up at night in various colors. Most of them, though, just sit there - a rusty reminder of the thriving city that once was.

As far as Cleveland goes, I don't really have a dog in the race. I don't live there and I rarely go there as 'most everything I need is out here in the 'burbs. We might go for a show, I'll go to the big Habitat warehouse, we might go to a baseball game. Even so, I like the place and I especially like how it's turning around.

So when we moved here I signed up for a Facebook page where people discuss the architecture of Cleveland. Lots of pictures of cool buildings - there was a lot of money in the city at one time - but mostly people complaining that the City is falling apart.

In one post I suggested that the abandoned bridges might be viewed as a source of pride if they were spruced up a bit. Let's paint them - bright colors. Make them in to art pieces. Sherwin Williams has headquarters in town and maybe they'd like to participate! Either that or demolish them for scrap; right now they are visual blight.

Hoo-boy! I must have struck a nerve because the reaction to my suggestion was both intense and voluminous. How dare I suggest that such valuable landmarks be modified! How dare I suggest that the city could be made more beautiful and interesting! Cleveland is dead and they like it that way just fine. Ugh - I dropped the whole idea.

I also dropped the idea of either re-purposing or demolishing two 10 story factory buildings that were left to decay in the 1960's - one a Westinghouse light plant and another that used to make motorcycles. They're fine old buildings, and the Westinghouse building sits high on a bluff with a commanding view of the lake - why not make them in to condos or something? the graffiti and broken windows are dragging the whole area down - either fix them up or tear them down.

That idea got about as much traction as the bridge idea did. I don't read that board any more.

I did get a nice message from a guy who works for the city telling me that plans have been approved to convert both buildings to condos. He couldn't say anything earlier because of negotiations, but looks like both projects are going forward.

Back to the bridge. I was pleased to see this on Reddit this morning:



It's a pedestrian bridge - and a rare "swing bridge" to boot! It's been fixed up and they painted it red! Doesn't it look great? Like the Harp bridge in Dublin, it connects two areas that have been gentrifying and feature a number of restaurants, bars, stores, street fairs and such. Awesome!

I think the big black bridge in the background is an old railroad bridge, and a fine, sturdy old thing it is. It may be the one they light up at night.

Imagine if it were painted a rich navy blue!

Good news on the condo conversions. Why people wouldn't want to paint the bridges escapes me. Or tear down the useless ones.

Cleveland has so many neighborhoods close in just ripe for rehabbing. So much potential.