Trip #235 Ivondale Street, Greenfield, Pittsburgh took place on January 1, 2019, and was published on January 14, 2019.
Winter reveals what summer hides and it’s rarely pretty. Litter, ill-gotten personal effects, and the remains of habits hidden away on the stairs of dead end streets. And here I am, scanning my eyes over an exposed landscape: a massive school built in the commercial style of the 1920s, and a permanently closed and crumbling flight of stairs temporarily free of knotweed and vines. At the end of Ivondale, both the street and the roof of its final house have sunken in and collapsed, and I wonder if they’ll ever be repaired. A lace curtain flutters in a still-intact window, and I wonder if it’s the wind or someone indicating awareness of my presence. So many bits and pieces vie for my attention here, but I don’t need to wander any further. Soon enough, summer will return, and all of this, including anyone who walks up these stairs, will be removed from you and your view.
Field Notes: I visited this area in the summer when it was all overgrown. The Anthony Street stairs (closed) intersect the Ivondale Street ones. Coming here in winter allowed me to see the area better – and I got to see what the overgrown, closed flight looks like!
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!!
