Trip #60 Savina Street, Spring Garden, Pittsburgh took place on October 21, 2017, and was published on November 20, 2017.
Rust. It’s either destroying your car, making bridges fall apart, and rendering stairway railings unusable, or it’s a finishing design touch people pay hundreds of extra dollars for when added to yard ornaments, door and drawer fittings, or various home accessories. There’s not much middle ground here; it’s either one or the other. In the case of the latter, there’s a certain price premium placed on objects that look old rather than be old. All the functionality with a lot less danger and decrepitude. With the former, all the negative connotations of “Rust Belt” come to mind. But rust happens in all kinds of places both above and below the belt. All you need is iron, water, air and time. Add salt if it’s to your liking.
Field Notes: There are several empty/abandoned buildings around this area, but the vibe is still good, very community/neighborhoody-focused.
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!!
