Form meets function

10 jazzy bike racks placed in Uptown Toledo

A bright bike rack on the 1800 block of Adams in front of Ottawa Tavern.

The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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A bright bike rack on the 1800 block of Adams in front of Ottawa Tavern.

No more chaining your beach cruiser to light posts and newspaper boxes in the Uptown District.

The neighborhood has some fancy new parking spots for bicycles only.

Street art in the form of bike racks was unveiled in the neighborhood earlier this month. The racks were designed by artists in the Greater Toledo area as part of the Arts Commission's Artist Designed Bike Racks Project. The end result of the year-long project is 10 uniquely shaped racks next to businesses along Adams Street in Uptown.

"This is an area that's developing as a cultural center. There are a number of galleries and creative businesses that are starting to pop up," said Dan Hernandez, Art In Public Places coordinator for the commission. "We see this as an area that will respond positively to public art."

The Arts Commission will celebrate its bike racks project today with a public reception from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Manhattan's, 1516 Adams St.

The $20,000 project was funded by the city of Toledo One Percent for Art program, with support from Parker Steel Co., Flatlanders Sculpture Supply, and 2020 Exhibits. More than 80 entries were submitted for the design contest and 10 were chosen by a selection panel.

The pieces, which look more like statues and sculptures than designated parking, are some of the only bike racks in the area.

"Adams Street is a main connector from the Old West End, where they often host bike rides to [Uptown]," Mr. Hernandez said. "In the summer, there's a lot more pedestrian and bicycle traffic. We hope that the racks will attract even more traffic."

The Owl rack was designed by Matt Taylor, of Toledo, and sits next to Great Finds resale shop. The silver Raindrops, designed by Jake Burkard, of Haskins, is in front of the shop.

Bike racks located on 17th Street, left, at the corner of Adams Street in front of Manos’ Restaurant, and on the 1800 block of Adams Street in front of Ottawa Tavern.

A black sailboat designed by Hannah Sypniewski, a cartoonist and student at Bowling Green State University, and a pale blue replica of the Anthony Wayne Bridge, designed by clay artists Jeffrey Rodriguez and Dale Lehmann of Rossford, are parked outside of Manhattan's.

Neon blue, pink, and green up-and-down arrows were designed by Anthony McCarty, of Toledo. The rack sits next to a bright orange ladder design by Daniel Calmes, of Toledo, across from the Life Skills Center.

The TOL-edo rack also was designed by Mr. Taylor. The rack features the letters TOL in red with blue squiggly lines underneath. The rack is on 17th street next to Manos Greek Restaurant. Its companion is a blue and gray speech bubble rack called Word.

Michael McWhorter, of Toledo, designed the Double Dipper, a black high-wheel bicycle. The rack is parked near Wesley's Bar and Grill, along with Some Machine, a black and red rack that looks like a mechanical device.

"There wasn't a theme," Mr. Hernandez said. "We just wanted to showcase Toledo's aesthetics."

Phase two of the bike racks project has been approved, and by this time next year, artist-designed racks will be in the Warehouse District, Mr. Hernandez said.

Contact RoNeisha Mullen at: rmullen@theblade.com or 419-724-6133.