WHERE: Stair streets at Staten Island Borough Hall, St. Peter’s Place, Park Place, and Avon Place, Staten Island
START/FINISH: St. George Ferry Terminal
DISTANCE: 3.36 miles (5.4 kilometers)
Photographs attributed as noted. Map courtesy footpathapp.com.
Route of this walk.
On this bright, sunny October day I tackled the four stair streets in the City I had not yet visited, accompanied by friends. The stairs had their own challenges but the hills in this corner of Staten Island were quite steep, giving all a good workout.
We started out from the St. George Ferry Terminal, past the Empire Outlets, a new shopping center built on a deck over the Staten Island Railway yard, to the first stair street, alongside Staten Island Borough Hall. 41 steps up, these were in the best condition of the four stair streets on this walk.
Starting up the Staten Island Borough Hall stairs. Photograph by Sarah Joos.
Staten Island Borough Hall stairs, looking down. Photograph by Sarah Joos.
Uphill from Borough Hall is St. Mark’s Place. From there we saw a large container ship heading out and riding high in the water. Along the street we saw some fine old houses and the dominant feature of the neighborhood, Curtis High School.
Photograph by Michael Cairl.
Photograph by Michael Cairl.
Photograph by Mark Foggin.
Photograph by Sarah Joos.
Photograph by Sarah Joos.
Curtis High School. Photograph by Michael Cairl.
The next stair street is a continuation of St. Peter’s Place and easily is in the worst condition of all the stair streets I have climbed. Pavement that is broken and uneven, handrails that are broken and too low, and steps that aren’t always level - these stairs have it all. They have been neglected for a very long time and need a complete rebuild. 42 steps down.
St. Peter’s Place stairs, looking down. Photograph by Michael Cairl.
Down the St. Peter’s Place stairs. Photograph by Sarah Joos.
St. Peter’s Place stairs, looking up. Photograph by Michael Cairl.
After these stairs we walked for a few blocks along Richmond Terrace, which hugs the waterfront along Staten Island’s north shore, to York Avenue and the start of some very steep hills.
Making our way up Highview Avenue. No, the hill didn’t tear Mark and me apart; it’s just something about the image. The slope of the street is real, though. Photograph by Sarah Joos.
Another view climbing Highview Avenue, slowly and steadily. Photograph by Sarah Joos.
Some strenuous hill climbing brought us to the Park Place stairs. These were in somewhat better condition than those at St. Peter’s Place but at the bottom was wobbly wooden planking to walk on. I was able to get safely to the street only with a hand from my friend Mark. The stairs deserve a rebuild that includes a proper landing at the bottom. 30 steps down.
Park Place stairs, looking down toward York Avenue. Photograph by Michael Cairl.
Park Place stairs, looking up from York Avenue. Photograph by Michael Cairl.
From the bottom of the Park Place stairs we continued generally downhill to Victory Boulevard and the last stair street of the day and in the cycle, Avon Place.
A unique portal guides people to the Avon Place stairs. Photograph from urbanarchive.org.
The charming portal to these stairs is a bit deceiving. The steps up to the sidewalk are a small challenge, but the stairs themselves have risers that are too high, treads that are too narrow, and handrails that are either too high (at the bottom) or too low (going toward the top). Keep the portal, rebuild the stairs. 29 steps up. All this notwithstanding, I made it to the top and completed the cycle of climbing or descending every stair street in New York City at least once. The trips to stair streets will continue.
Mark and I climbing the Avon Place stairs. Note the condition of the stairs and the low handrail. Photograph by Sarah Joos.
At the top of the Avon Place stairs. Photograph by Mark Foggin.
From the top of the Avon Place stairs we made what was for me a treacherous descent of Willis Avenue, them down to Victory Boulevard and to Bay Street, stopping for lunch at the Cargo Cafe before getting the ferry back to Manhattan.
The participants on this trip, left to right: Matt, Kaitlyn, Sarah, Michael, Mark. Photograph by Mark Foggin.
It is deeply satisfying to have got to this point in my travels and in my recovery. Before climbing my first stair street, at West 215 Street in Manhattan, I went to the viewing platform at Fort Tilden in Queens, looked at the stairs, and decided “I can do this.” It was 66 steps up and 66 steps down, and absolutely worth the effort. On the bus going back, I thought of the West 215 Street stairs and decided “that’s next.” After I did that my friend Uli suggested the Joker Stairs in the Bronx, and I climbed them. From there I had to discover and climb all of them. In so doing I’ve learned much about this great city and met many kind people along the way. I’m especially grateful to all those who walk with me. The journey continues.
Stair count recap: 70 up, 72 down, total 142.