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Old 07-10-2015, 06:15 PM
 
Location: Crafton via San Francisco
3,463 posts, read 4,645,493 times
Reputation: 1595

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I thought there was already a thread on this subject, but I couldn't find it when I searched. I just got back from a vacation in San Francisco and the Bay Area. I visited two public staircases that have recently (within the last 10 years) been tiled. Not only are they gorgeous, they draw visitors and create neighborhood pride. Pittsburgh artist Laura Jean McLaughlin has created a design for a set of steps in the Southside. According to McLaughlin "We just have to wait for DPW to repair the steps but they already approved the project. We also have to get the approval of the public arts commission which is scheduled for the 22nd."

I couldn't remember how to get my photos of the SF stairs to show within a post, so I had to post them with links. If anyone can give me instructions how to get them to show within in a post, I would appreciate it. I did ask this question and got an answer years ago, but I wasn't able to find that post.

Laura Jean McLaughlin's Design for Southside Steps: Pittsburgh Steps/Stairs-11539259_10153513695214974_4629494036326435375_o.jpg

GoFundMe campaign: South Side Steps Art by Lissa Brennan - GoFundMe

Post Gazette article: Mosaic tiles planned to spruce up stairs in Spring Hill, South Side Slopes | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

KDKA TV news story: Artists Hope To Turn Public Steps Into Works Of Art « CBS Pittsburgh

Photos of SF steps:
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/BU34U3
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/NVV880
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/jZ1Y3T
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/TU5g42
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/MbwiRC
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/y8gD3N
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/79G7b6
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/q07Gv6
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/J29D6r
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/ZMv2fX
https://www.flickr.com/gp/20550177@N03/h49Mg8
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Old 07-11-2015, 06:55 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
13 posts, read 14,152 times
Reputation: 24
How pretty! I'm fascinated by Pittsburgh's steps. I use a set to get to the bus stop in the morning. A portion of these have been re-done recently but the lower half aren't so pretty. The one's that I use show up as an unopened street in most maps.

Who maintains the vegetation on the steps? Does the city cut it back or does that fall on homeowners adjoining the step right of way?
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Old 07-11-2015, 07:50 AM
 
Location: Charlotte
1,763 posts, read 3,292,682 times
Reputation: 1179
I love the idea, but it seems like just another urban feature to get broken with no money for maintenance.
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Old 07-11-2015, 07:52 AM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,616 posts, read 77,600,575 times
Reputation: 19101
Quote:
Originally Posted by ex-burgher View Post
I love the idea, but it seems like just another urban feature to get broken with no money for maintenance.
We have a $16,000,000 budget surplus thanks to the ongoing gentrification of the East End leading to soaring wage tax revenues, and considering I'm only seeing people buying even flashier vehicles recently I'm guessing next year's wage tax revenues will be even higher.

With such large surpluses this will be a great time for the city to start getting its house in order in regards to maintenance.
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Old 07-11-2015, 07:58 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
7,541 posts, read 10,257,754 times
Reputation: 3510
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelCityRising View Post
We have a $16,000,000 budget surplus thanks to the ongoing gentrification of the East End leading to soaring wage tax revenues, and considering I'm only seeing people buying even flashier vehicles recently I'm guessing next year's wage tax revenues will be even higher.

With such large surpluses this will be a great time for the city to start getting its house in order in regards to maintenance.
Budget surpluses are temporary phenomena. It would seem more prudent to use excess funds to pay down the huge pension debt the city has. As far as city steps, it would seem to be a good opportunity for corporate sponsorship, particularly in areas with prominent steps.


I can see the "Google steps" being dedicated on Herron Avenue or the UPMC stairs at 2nd and the 10th Street Bridge.
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Old 07-11-2015, 07:59 AM
 
Location: Manchester
3,110 posts, read 2,916,899 times
Reputation: 3728
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelCityRising View Post
We have a $16,000,000 budget surplus thanks to the ongoing gentrification of the East End leading to soaring wage tax revenues, and considering I'm only seeing people buying even flashier vehicles recently I'm guessing next year's wage tax revenues will be even higher.

With such large surpluses this will be a great time for the city to start getting its house in order in regards to maintenance.
Fact check....

Pittsburgh is operating within its budget so far this year, and revenue is outpacing expenditures at a rate that will generate a $1 million to $5 million surplus, Controller Michael Lamb said Tuesday.

Much smaller, but I agree a good sign.
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Old 07-11-2015, 08:13 AM
 
1,653 posts, read 1,585,714 times
Reputation: 2822
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelCityRising View Post
We have a $16,000,000 budget surplus thanks to the ongoing gentrification of the East End leading to soaring wage tax revenues, and considering I'm only seeing people buying even flashier vehicles recently I'm guessing next year's wage tax revenues will be even higher.

With such large surpluses this will be a great time for the city to start getting its house in order in regards to maintenance.
http://apps.pittsburghpa.gov/dcp/Ste...ield_Guide.pdf
They are having volunteers survey the step conditions. If anyone would like to help solve the problem. I read about this originally at http://bikepgh.org/2015/06/10/help-t...a-steps-count/

Last edited by sealie; 07-11-2015 at 08:27 AM..
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Old 07-11-2015, 08:22 AM
 
1,653 posts, read 1,585,714 times
Reputation: 2822
Also I believe with property tax, at least, there are laws against an excessive windfall. Highly skilled highly paid people are not the City's piggy bank. But that's not the point. The point is the City is doing what they can about a quarter century of disinvestment, balancing it against the desire not to tax the highly skilled and make them run off. I think they're doing a decent job, but I'm also used to working on projects with a five year timeframe with competing wishlist/budget/interdepartmental politics.
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Old 07-11-2015, 09:37 AM
 
Location: Crafton via San Francisco
3,463 posts, read 4,645,493 times
Reputation: 1595
I don't know how funding for maintenance works or what the setbacks are related to homeowner/city responsibility. I don't know if it shows in my photos of the SF steps, but just about every one of the larger tiles has a donor's name on it. I assume their donations went toward the creation and possibly the maintenance of the steps.
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Old 07-11-2015, 01:29 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,616 posts, read 77,600,575 times
Reputation: 19101
Quote:
Originally Posted by PghYinzer View Post
Fact check....

Pittsburgh is operating within its budget so far this year, and revenue is outpacing expenditures at a rate that will generate a $1 million to $5 million surplus, Controller Michael Lamb said Tuesday.

Much smaller, but I agree a good sign.
I swear I read an article recently that said wage taxes received were now expected to be $16,000,000 higher than initially projected. I could have sworn it was a Tribune-Review article related to the city pursuing long-owed casino money, but now I can't find it anywhere. I'll defer to your figures instead since I may have misread something.
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