Having just put my feet down in Montreal, one major element that stands out everywhere are the stairs. Walking down many residential streets, the open metal stairs leading to the front doors tell you you're in Montreal for sure. But they also, quite unexpectedly, remind me of another place...
The front steps of Brooklyn brownstones aren't open and sinewy like the metal steps of many Montreal residences. They're big and beefy, made of heavy masonry. But look at the repetition, the bays in between, and that inviting feeling emanating from both cities' steps. When it comes to the stairs, I feel like these two great cities are kind of like cousins.
There is much more to come on Montreal stairs, as they're everywhere and they're incredible!
Photos: Flickr
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
On the Brooklyn photo: Is that Park Place, between Underhill and Vanderbilt in Prospect Heights?
view Fjorder's profile
Good eye! That is a cool similarity/difference to notice
view RedMaiko's profile
Make sure to stroll the Plateau Mont-Royal neighbourhood for some spectacular staircases. Also quite an experience come winter time!
view seb in montreal's profile
The weird thing about the stairs in Montreal is that you access upper level apartments from the exterior of the building, so in the winter you haul your heavy grocery bags up frozen, slippery, metal stairs. I always thought that was kind of weird.
view Vanessa in New York's profile
Aw... I miss Montreal now. Time for a road trip (thankfully I'm just 2hrs away)
view ChzPlz's profile
Here's an example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xav75/2206647466/
view Vanessa in New York's profile
This is a nice blog post on Montreal stairs! It's in English, for all that the title is French.
http://chicagomontreal.wordpress.com/2007/05/19/les-escaliers-de-montreal/
Interesting comments too.
view jrochest's profile
Snow shoveling is indeed our national sport...
view i'm all shook up's profile
Supposedly, the reason stairs are on the outside in Montreal is because buildings are taxed according to their interior square footage. Thus builders don't want to waste interior space on stairways and halls. It can really get perilous around February.
view Lisa Hunter (Montreal)'s profile
It's so great to see postings from Montreal! It's a great city for design. Just stroll down St. Laurent and see! Also, did you know that mail carriers actually jump from one second story landing to another in the winter time just to avoid trudging up and down all those exterior stairs?!
view annika's profile
I love my stairs, except in the winter when there is too much snow, its such a pain to shovel them!
view Hexstatic in Montreal's profile