Trip #511 Vinecliffe Street, Mount Washington, Pittsburgh took place on October 15, 2020, and was published on November 6, 2020.
(Part 2 of 2) In the years before 2007, the lower portion of Vinecliffe Street brought residents to East Sycamore in Mount Washington. But by 2008, according to Google Street View, the bright turquoise railings had disappeared, and the last dozen steps reduced to a giant pile of rubble. That enormous mass of debris is still there today because, as some of us know, concrete doesn’t just “melt away.” As I wander around this land of the lost, many emotions come knocking on my door. It would be easy to join up with angry, nostalgic, or even afraid, but curiosity wins my attention. Why was this entire street of homes demolished so quickly? Why has a hillside with a fantastic view of downtown been empty for 14 years? Why are the city steps still here? I have no answers to these questions, but if you’re also curious, head over to YouTube and look for Michael Burner’s video called “Mt Washington, (Vinecliffe St) Stairs Down to Pittsburgh.” You’ll get an up-close view of the city steps courtesy of one wild, bumpy ride!
Field Notes: This is the second portion of the abandoned Vinecliffe Street city steps. The lowest portion, which connected to East Sycamore Street, was reduced to rubble around 2008 (based on images from Google Street View). There’s a great video that was made in 2015 of a local cyclist riding down this entire flight – it’s worth watching to see what the area looks like when it’s winter!
See the Risograph print of this photo and story in the Mis.Steps Shop.
Want to visit these stairs? You can locate them on the Pittsburgh City Steps Plan website!
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.
