Cleveland’s Penn Square could soon become a brighter neighborhood gateway under a proposed mural project for the Norfolk Southern bridge.
During a design review meeting, project representatives Joe Lanzilotta from Land Studio and Niraj Naik of MidTown presented plans to remove the deteriorated Health Tech Corridor mural, remediate the bridge and replace it with large-scale public artwork by British-Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori. The proposed design features bold circular and floral forms meant to represent seeds, growth, water, community contribution and Cleveland’s rooted neighborhoods.
The bridge sits at Euclid and 55th St., a key Midtown intersection connecting areas including AsiaTown, Huff, University Circle, downtown Cleveland and the lakefront. Supporters framed the project as a way to transform an aging piece of infrastructure into a more welcoming neighborhood landmark.
The Central East Region design and review committee board members raised several concerns before voting. Jerry Rothenberg questioned why a non-local artist was chosen, while Dick Pace asked whether the underside of the bridge, the columns, the abutment walls and the jersey barriers would also receive color treatment. Pace also called for a stronger long-term maintenance plan and suggested adding signage, a plaque or a QR code to explain the artwork and its neighborhood context.
The board granted conceptual approval, meaning the project is not yet in final form. The team is expected to return with more detailed renderings showing how the full bridge structure would be treated. The vote was not unanimous; Jerry Rothenberg opposed the concept, saying the design felt too visually intense for the area.
