EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio – A set of two photos, before and after, give a glimpse of East Cleveland that may surprise you.
One shot is lush and green, the other is dry and desolate. A before and after separated by two years.
They were snapped by local photographer Johnny Joo, famous for capturing abandoned buildings throughout Northeast Ohio and the nation.
“It givces you a look at life after people,” Joo said.
The first, taken in January of 2014 with professional equipment. The second, just a few days ago on a cellphone camera.
“It looks like the world would look like in an apocolypse,” Joo said.
The street is Elderwood Ave. in East Cleveland. Gritty and grimy, block after block left lifeless.
When Joo took the first photos, trees were growing out of windows, into windows and ivy covered every inch of boarded-up apartment buildings long left vacant. Trash can be seen scattered in every image.
Now, the trees are long gone and for the most part, so is the trash. The second photo may look like things are getting worse — but slowly, it’s improving.
According to East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton, that’s thanks to the men from Arco Recycling, who took it upon themselves to clean up the streets pro bono.
READ MORE: NewsNet5.com
Article and Picture Courtesy of WEWS NewsChannel 5 Cleveland
