Trip #297 Graib Street, Fineview, took place on May 19, 2019, and was published on June 10, 2019.
When a house is unoccupied for an extended period, decay sets in, and if the human-home relationship isn’t re-established, it’s only a matter of time before condemnation and demolition occur. The same is true for people. The majority of us benefit greatly from having a place of our own and a community of our choosing. As I travel this section of the Graib Street stairs, I see the remains of homes – stone foundation, garden walls and walkways, abandoned ground tarps and camping materials, a towel hanging on a line strung between two trees. I’m no expert on homelessness, and it’s a complicated situation filled with unique individuals. But there’s something about standing in the middle of all these household ruins from long ago and yesterday that feels profoundly tragic. We know what ultimately happens to homes without people and people without homes.
Field Notes: This stairway leads past one of the homeless encampments that caused some controversy when city officials worked to remove the people living there last year. Now there’s a sign on the stairway saying that camping is not allowed.
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!!
