Moritz Metal and Wood installed the Tower which is a collaboration of artist Christopher Diehl, and Moritz Wood & Metal / fabricator and artist Mike Moritz.
The placemaking and public art armature Tower was conceived as part of the Waterloo Streetscape Plan working with the Transportation for Livable Communities Initiative of NOACA. The initiative was spearheaded collectively through the efforts of the community with Northeast Shores Development. Continued streetscape improvements are planned for the district. Construction is expected to commence in 2012 for the total plan which included final programming of the area surrounding the Tower. This planning phase will be conducted together with Osborn Engineering, Knight & Stolar, Inc., Planning Consultants & Landscape Architects and The City of Cleveland Department of Construction and Engineering.
The Tower was done in partnership with The City of Cleveland with support from Councilman Michael D. Polensek, Cuyahoga Arts and Culture and the community through the efforts of Arts Collinwood and Northeast Shores.
Chris Diehl from dielio inc artist provided some history regarding the philosophy behind the creation of the Tower concept. “The large area of asphalt intersection at E. 156th and Waterloo streets was created in order to turn street trolleys around. The trolleys served this vibrant working class neighborhood and they, in turn, served the Collinwood rail yards. Visitors also poured onto Waterloo in order to spend the day at the Euclid Beach Park Amusement park just north off of Lake Shore Blvd. After the trolley service ended, the amusement park closed and I-90 cut the Waterloo neighborhood off from the rail yards. This intersection became a large and ungainly place for cars and trucks to pass through and a hazard for the wary pedestrian.”
“The Waterloo placemaking Tower stakes a flag, of sorts, into reclaiming that area as a new civic heart for this reawakening district now reprogrammed for the visual and entertainment arts. The tower will act as the centerpiece of the new pedestrian-friendly plaza next to Arts Collinwood Gallery and the Café at Arts Collinwood. As such, the raw stainless steel structure will become a site for temporary public art installations and live music performance. Like the neighborhood around it, it becomes the container to house and display the incredible talent and gifts of the Waterloo community.
Sarah Gyorki Executive Director at Arts Collinwood stated, “The Waterloo Public Art Selection Committee has been established to review artist submittals that will be solicited following the course of each season throughout the year. Congratulations to Mike Moritz and to Chris Diehl for the work that they have done. Now that the tower's in place, Robin Van Lear will collaborate with another artist after a site visit. As soon as we have the proposal from them, we'll share it with the full committee. The merchants on Waterloo are planning a Walk All Over Waterloo event for the tower unveiling on Sept 17. We hope to have an installation in place and some entertainment for that evening -- live music, food and drink, specials at various venues on the street, including the lighting of the new sign at Blue Arrow Records and Books.”
Fabricator / Artist Mike Moritz appreciated the congratulations offered for the initiative, but tempered his comment with the team effort that went into the project. “Thanks to everyone involved with the Tower project. I still have a few finishing touches on the structure. I will also be creating the specifications regarding future installations of public art on the Tower. The document will then be turned over to the Tower Public Art Committee as an addendum to the request for proposal submittals to artists. The coolest thing about this endeavor is that it stands alone as a placemaking structure, but the evolution of possibilities is endless regarding art installations within the context of the Tower.”
Vince Reddy from Cleveland Public Art commented that: “The tower looks great. I think the Tower being placed there is a triumph in the aesthetically conservative atmosphere of Cleveland.”
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