photo series: braddock, pa

Images of Braddock- a borough in Eastern Pittsburgh. The stop in Braddock was unplanned. A few road signs led to a detour. My grandmother replied with a raised brow, "You didn't get out of the car, did you?"

The post-apocalyptic feel is overwhelming- I simply had to snap a Braddock series. There is a distinct motif of forgotten structure and discarded projects. I looked a little deeper-
Photo- snap shot by my father- Vadim & myself.
The first industrial plant was put into motion in 1850- at one point bustling- the 1984 collapse of the steel industry marked a crumbling of Braddock's economy.
The erasure of the steel industry, coupled with the crack-cocaine epidemic that swarmed in the 1980's very nearly (if not certainly, as it appears) destroyed the community. Gutted buildings and high violent crime rates define the climate and lack of economic opportunity.
In 2005, Mayor John Fetterman began to focus on stimulating growth by attempting to attract new residents from urban, creative and artistic backgrounds. There is most certainly a place for residents of these backgrounds, (as myself and Vadim were immediately drawn to the exhausted, empty grit). I view Braddock as a Red Hook in the making.