Walking through the doors of a once-vacant building, I was completely taken by surprise: A marvelous climbing gym seemed to transport me into the vibrant canyons of the American Southwest.
Built in the 1930s, the Ohio City Masonic Arts Center was originally a fraternal hall and more recently operated as a multipurpose center for events ranging from live music to performance wrestling. Once vacated in the mid-2010s, it was exposed to vandals, looters, and the elements, contributing to its eventual dilapidation.
Now, where W. 29th Street and Franklin Boulevard meet, the Cleveland Rocks building stands revived with a new name and purpose. Cleveland Rocks is owned and operated by business and life partners Karen Thang, 34, and Kevin Wojton, 33.
The…
