Trip# 275 Flowers Avenue to Nansen Street, Hazelwood took place on April 6, 2019, and was published on April 17, 2019.
Two seasons have passed since I last visited Nansen Street. In my mind, this quiet section of Hazelwood with its grand, raised sidewalk stairs is frozen in time, September 3, 2018, to be exact. I have fond memories of that blisteringly hot day and the joy I felt in discovering the DIY empty lot park, the stencils of animals painted on the concrete, and the bright purple “Book House” box which was the featured attraction in my Polaroid. But since that late summer’s day, time has moved on. Today, the road is closed, from what appears to be landslides, and the book house is gone without a trace. However, despite the loss, there are gains. This little 12-step flight with crumbling stonework emerged from the knotweed that previously filled this corner. With my memory updated, I say goodbye to the fading animal stencils, taking a photo of the cat just in case that too disappears before my next return.
Field Notes: This is right across the street from Mis.Steps Trip #187 and because that visit was in the summer, the knotweed had totally obscured the ruins of these corner stairs. They must have looked very nice back in the day.
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!!
