Trip #630 Belasco Avenue, Beechview, Pittsburgh took place on August 15, 2021, and was published on September 1, 2021.
Sometimes, the unexpected catches your eye, and if you’re traveling along Coast Avenue in Beechview, you can’t help but notice this stairway’s presence. At one time, this flight of city steps likely blended into a landscape of bungalows and four-squares, porches, and small front yards with walkways, hedges, and flowers. The stairs were a part of everyday life, along with trolley cars, public payphones, and fire call boxes. Residents and visitors would have used or passed by these nearly every day; they were ordinary and expected. But fast forward 80 years, and the original homes have been replaced by a more modern one, with a two-car garage, concrete driveway, and ample green grass yard. In this landscape, city steps are an extraordinary curiosity and a testament to another time when this street corner was a different place.
Field Notes: This flight is interesting as it’s mainly sidewalk steps but at the end, there’s this almost 90-degree pivot and it becomes a traditional set that is built into the hillside and is prominently displayed on the street corner. The house behind it is of a newer design and construction so it likely replaced other, older homes that were once here when the stairs were built. A slowly dying conifer appears to be a recent addition to the scene.
Love city steps? Get yourself the latest issue of Mis.Steps: Our Missed Connections with Pittsburgh’s City Steps! Each copy is unique and features 10 randomly selected “trading cards” of Pittsburgh’s 739 public stairways. Visit the Mis.Steps online store to see all issues and place your order.
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.
