Even with West Main St. closed over in the West Village area (map) for a month's time (as noted in this week's The Durham News), the old industrial bridge across the road continues to connect two of the buildings in the old warehouse/factory complex, though today with only its steel infrastructure, sans the former metal siding and Liggett & Myers slogan on its side.
This bridge has been a source of much discussion on the local blogosphere. First we thought it was coming down; then, it wasn't. Heck, our dearly departed friend Blazer Manpurse even sponsored a little contest for the best new look for the structure.
Last we heard, the hope was that the W. Main St. bridge could be transformed into an art installation of some sort for the project. But a source says that hopes are dimming for that end, and that the most likely end for the industrial structure could be plain metal siding -- or the scrap heap.
Who's to blame? Believe it or not, the answer appears to be the National Park Service, which has had a significant say over the aesthetics of the project given that tax credits administered by the government agency are helping to fund the renovation of) the project.
As of this writing, the NPS has apparently given the project team two choices. Namely, the bridge can be restored to the form it originally held, or it needs to be removed entirely. Apparently, the latter option is rather more likely than the former at this point.
Which is, really and truly, a shame. The bridge across West Main Street has the potential to, if transformed into a more artistic form, be a real statement on the horizon akin to that made by the Lucky Strike water tower and smokestack at American Tobacco. Both of which, admittedly, are historic restorations true to their original form. But while the Ambacco skyline is well-served with its restored original, the vista between downtown and Brightleaf Square would seem to be far better served with a more interesting appearance worthy of the one-time factory's own transformation.
Quick update: I drove past WV on the way back from lunch today, and sure enough, the bridge is now down. I'll post photos after work today.
Posted by: Bull City Rising | October 22, 2007 at 01:22 PM