Trip #117 Lawn Street to Ophelia Street, South Oakland, Pittsburgh took place on March 18, 2018, and was published on April 6, 2018.
Housing isn’t always designed with beauty in mind. More often than not, the focus is on functionality and maximum return on investment. But even in neighborhoods where one isn’t expecting to find anything beyond harried, youthful faces, little bits of beauty appear. Bricks with “Toronto” stamped on them, an old coal hatch on the side of a house, cornerstones depicting a building’s former use, and aged railings that teeter and totter but remain in place. These elements serve no current purpose, but they do add a bit of character and history. And if you look up, you’ll see that across the street and down the hillside lies the river. Steadily flowing with ease and grace, Lady Monongahela reminds us that a marriage of functionality and beauty is possible, and common, in the natural world.
Field Notes: This flight of sidewalk steps is near the hospitals in South Oakland, and with all the student housing, it’s a little congested and worn down, but the view of the Mon River from the bottom of the flight is rather nice.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Be a good neighbor! Have you visited these stairs and found them in poor condition or that illegal dumping (large items like tires, old furniture, and construction debris) and trash were abundant in the area? There are two things you can do to take action and make our city steps cleaner and safer for everyone! First, grab a photo if you can, and submit a report to Pittsburgh 311. All problems, both broken stairs, and railings, as well as trash and dumping, should be reported to the city. You can easily do this online or by calling. If the location has an abundance of illegal dumping and trash, also contact Allegheny Cleanways, letting them know the location and the nature of the garbage. Thank you!!
