CASTO partners with Ohio City Incorporated to bring local artists to The Dexter project

CASTO manages 4,700 residential multifamily units throughout Ohio. We are extremely excited to expand our reach to the Cleveland Market with our latest property, The Dexter. The Dexter is a new mixed-use, five-story, 116-unit community that offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom loft style apartment homes with approximately 8,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor. Located in the vibrant, walkable Ohio City community, this neighborhood offers a wealth of cultural institutions.

The Dexter fits right in with the lively community featuring 932 square feet of exterior public art installations located along Dexter Place and within the pedestrian walkway at the center of the building connecting Dexter Place and the newly constructed Franklin Circle. To bring five murals to the project, CASTO partnered with Ohio City Incorporated (OCI) to issue a “Call for Artist” in search of local artists interested in creating murals in these designated areas around the property. CASTO dedicated $17,000 in payment to local artist to curate the five murals. OCI Chief Operating Officer Ashley Shaw and Special Improvement District Manager Michaela Lowery sent multiple email campaigns that advertised the call for artist. “We reached out to our community partners, such as Campus District CDC, LAND Studio, Cleveland Museum of Art, and our database of previous artist, and personal recommendations,” said Lowery. The information was also shared with Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, the Cuyahoga Community College, and other businesses and institutions to reach artists.

Local artists were encouraged to submit an application with a draft of their artwork to be considered for the mural opportunity. We then outsourced the final applicants to an external panel who narrowed down the selection. The call for artists received 29 applicants and four artists were selected. The grading criteria was based on a point system.

The photos below are the final mural that have been installed around The Dexter and a short video from each artist describing his or her creative process and the meaning behind the artwork. Check out the murals for yourself by visiting The Dexter at 2800 Franklin Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio.

Antwoine Washington

Title: ‘Family Outings’
Materials: Acrylic paint on wood
Website
Review the artist video here, for more details and description of their artwork.

Mac Love

Title: ‘Dreams’
Materials: Acrylic latex, permanent ink, and holographic paper collage with protective marine coating.
Website
Review the artist video here, for more details and description of their artwork.

Mac Love

Title: ‘Hug’
Materials: Acrylic latex, permanent ink, and holographic paper collage with protective marine coating.
Website
Review the artist video here, for more details and description of their artwork.

April Bleakney

Title: ‘Joy + Wonder’
Materials: Mixed media (acrylic, spray paint, screen print on boards)
Website
Review the artist video here, for more details and description of their artwork.

Lindsey Krivenki

Title: ‘Under Their Rays’
Materials: Blick Mural paint, Adobe Illustrator for the concept, Blick outdoor mural polyurethane, Blick Gesso
Website
Review the artist video here, for more details and description of their artwork.

We are thankful to have partnered with OCI to make the process as smooth and seamless as possible.

“I am glad we have a strong corporate partner in CASTO, this project demonstrates the importance of community value, not only by hiring local art talent, but keeping the integrity of what the neighborhood used to be. The area where the murals are currently hanging, once was a manmade pedestrian walkway. Locals would use this to cut through to get from one part of the neighborhood to the other,” said Lowery.

The Dexter will be a new standard of living. High-end quartz countertops, upgraded fixtures and finishes, coveted amenities, and convenient on-site parking options make The Dexter a highly desired place to live. Residents can enjoy a 24-hour fitness center, indoor/outdoor rooftop patio with kitchenette, beer tap, spacious lounge area with fireplace, and a pet wash station. The lobby provides a Starbucks coffee station with multiple workstations and community lounge areas.

The private Grand Opening of The Dexter was held on Thursday, May 20. Guests enjoyed cocktails, miniature hors d’oeuvres and refreshments. Safety precautions and social distancing were enforced while guests participated in self-guided tours. For more information about The Dexter visit its website, or check out these articles from Cleveland Business Journal and The Land. The Dexter is also on Facebook at @TheDexterApartments.