Starting today at Gallery 22, visitors can stop by to view downtown Delaware in a way they’ve never seen it before — showcased through the use of Lego bricks.

“Downtown: Re-Imagined Brick by Brick,” the newest exhibit on display at Gallery 22 through Dec. 19, was created by art teacher and Delaware resident Ike Greenwood.

While he’s always loved working with Lego and has a massive collection of the building blocks, it wasn’t until he saw a large scale model of the National Mall that he decided he would use his collection and knowledge to build a large scale model of his own.

“What better thing to use than a town that I love?” Greenwood said. “I want this to be recognizable as Delaware.”

Greenwood’s model of the downtown is both sides of Sandusky Street from Central Avenue to William Street, and it includes 49 buildings. Greenwood said the entire model is made up of 10,968 bricks.

The most challenging building for Greenwood to construct turned out to be the PNC building at 40 N. Sandusky St., he said.

“I had a love-hate relationship with that building at first,” Greenwood added. “With Lego, you’re very limited to colors … I blocked it in all orange and I hated it. Then I did a strip pattern of orange and red brown, (now) the details are there.”

Greenwood said he’s also hidden Easter eggs throughout the downtown model and hopes that people enjoy seeing the city in a miniature form.

“I hope they get a little extra love for their city,” he said. “To see it in a small scale and see all the little details. I’m hoping when they see it, they’ll think it’s cute and nice … especially for those who live here and see it every day. Now that I walk through downtown, I have a much better appreciation for downtown as a whole.”

Greenwood said he hopes to expand the model to include both sides of Winter Street in the future.

“I’m excited to figure out how to put those bricks together,” he said.

Greenwood said the buildings will be available for sale during the exhibit, and he’ll also be working on a scale model of The Arts Castle in Delaware.

Greenwood said he’ll be at the premiere today, and he hopes to be at the gallery either Friday or Saturday every week the model is displayed.

Gallery 22 is located at 22 E. Winter St. in downtown Delaware. The gallery is open from 6-8:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Pictured is a section of Ike Greenwood’s Lego display showing the block of North Sandusky Street that stretches from just south of Old Bag of Nails to East Winter Street in downtown Delaware. Greenwood said he hopes to build all of Winter Street one day in the future.

https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/11/web1_IMG_20201102_181902-002-1-1.jpgPictured is a section of Ike Greenwood’s Lego display showing the block of North Sandusky Street that stretches from just south of Old Bag of Nails to East Winter Street in downtown Delaware. Greenwood said he hopes to build all of Winter Street one day in the future. Courtesy photo

Ike Greenwood, an art teacher and Delaware resident, sits behind his model of buildings on North Sandusky Street in downtown Delaware.

https://www.delgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2020/11/web1_GREENWOOD-LEGO-MODEL-DISPLAY-TEASER-1-1.jpegIke Greenwood, an art teacher and Delaware resident, sits behind his model of buildings on North Sandusky Street in downtown Delaware. Courtesy photo