Trip #727 Glen Mawr Street, Sheraden, Pittsburgh, took place on April 16, 2022, and was published on May 13, 2022.
Appearances are like an external veneer that creates different responses in different people. How a place looks may make one person smile, another angry, and yet another fearful. But to truly understand and know a place, you need to look past the veneer because it’s only the thin surface layer. You have to will yourself not to be swayed this way or that based solely on appearance, but to also incorporate what you find inside and underneath. Once you’ve done that work, you might be surprised by how your initial reaction or opinion has changed.
Field Notes: This little corner flight in Sheraden looks very “modern” and new-ish (compared to most stairs around the city) but a careful look from below, as I was taking this photo, revealed that there’s a fair amount of decay happening underneath each step. Doesn’t bode well for longevity!
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.
