A Gateway is a means of access or entry to a place…And Manchester is deserving of a Gateway into this unique RVA neighborhood.

Gateways could be located at key locations up and down the Hull Street corridor as mentioned in an earlier article, Revival of Manchester Waterfront. The entry over The Mayo Bridge into Manchester should set the stage for that first impression. Why not do something sculptural, creative, and indicative of what Manchester is all about?

Images below show how sculptural elements can be used over the bridge or just at the entry points of the bridge. I’m not suggesting this is the final answer, but it gives you an idea of what can be done in creating not only a gateway, but also a unique experience for pedestrians, bikers, and car traffic alike.

But that’s not all. Other points along Hull Street could benefit from this idea including the intersections at Commerce and Cowardin. The sculptural artwork can be less or more playful depending on how much space is available. The images below show different ways in which this can be done. Some are at major intersections, and others are continuous down the street at certain intervals.

This would be a great statement to Manchester and the local arts community. We need to leverage the imaginative ideas from creative minds in and around RVA to bring this to life. Manchester is a blank canvas just waiting to be shaped, molded, and painted upon!

Photo Credit to High Ground News for Bike Arch Image.