Drive past the Southland Business District on Pearl Road, and you’ll be greeted by a sweeping mural of vibrant colors that embodies what it means to be in Middleburg Heights.
Created by local artist Hector Vega and located at 6901 Pearl Road, the 72-foot by 20-foot multipanel mural incorporates various elements representing the city of Middleburg Heights: the little red schoolhouse, the new police station, onions, the Lake to Lake trail, the clock tower, the beautiful hanging flower baskets and more.
“It represents community. It represents things you can physically touch and feel within our city. It’s got everything from nature to business and what’s special about the town,” says Anthony Crea, chairman of the City Club.
The idea for the mural came about when Middleburg Heights updated its master plan, which included a proposition to incorporate more gathering spaces and public art, says Mayor Matthew Castelli. The mural project began to take shape when Crea and the City Club expressed interest in bringing public art to the community and commissioned artist Hector Vega to help bring that vision to life. Around the same time, Brixmor, the owner of Southland Shopping Center, approached the city with a similar interest in featuring a mural at Southland. That shared vision ultimately led to Brixmor’s generous sponsorship of the project, making the mural a reality.
“I hope people are excited to be part of this community — there’s a lot we have to offer and a lot we’re really proud of,” he says.
