This Mt. Lebanon street has a Steelers logo painted on it
Jonquil Place in Mt. Lebanon has been adorned with a large Pittsburgh Steelers logo for nearly three decades. An annual tradition is to refresh the paint every year during the neighborhood block party, where neighbors gather on the street for food, fun and fandom.
“We are all sports fans,” said Kevin Baverso, while wearing an apron with the Steelers logo as he flipped pancakes for the breakfast-themed block party on Sunday for the Steelers and Minnesota Vikings game in Dublin. “This is about a sense of community and making memories.”
The memory-making began in the fall of 1996, when Libby Johnston noticed a Steelers logo spray-painted on a brick street in Brookline.
“When I got home, I asked my neighbors, ‘How could we do this on our street?’ ” said Johnston, who, with her husband Bruce, attended the block party on Sunday morning, a television showing the game propped up on the sidewalk nearby.
Their neighbors, Nadine and Eddie Englert, were more than happy to embrace the team effort. Every year (except during the 2020 pandemic) the Johnstons and Englerts helped coordinate the block party. They’ve recently passed on the planning to the younger neighbors, such as Baverso and his wife, Laura.
Devon and Sean Naccarelli, along with their daughter, moved into the neighborhood in February. Devon Naccarelli said neighbors came out of their homes to help carry boxes when they moved in — and told them about the block party.
“This gives you an old-time neighborhood feel,” Devon Naccarelli said. “You become part of the community right away. I love the concept.”
It’s what drove Kevin and Laura Baverso to move to the area. When they were looking for houses, Kevin Baverso suggested they drive up Jonquil, and once he saw the logo, he said to his wife, “We have to live on this street.”
There were two homes for sale. They bought one and were invited to the next block party.
Everyone chips in to cover the cost of the permit to close the street to vehicular traffic for a day and any other expenses. They schedule the block party early in the season during a Steelers road game, because some neighbors attend home games at Acrisure Stadium.
Since the game was early, the festivities began at 8 a.m. when neighbors of all ages gathered to watch the Steelers defeat the Vikings at Croke Park. Terrible Towels swirled. Irish music played in the background. Guinness was consumed.
Children rode bicycles and scooters and were part of a doughnut-eating contest.
After the 24-21 Steelers victory, it was time to paint. The circle is covered with three coats of white street paint by Warren Ashbrook, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1976. He said he remembers when it was a brick street.
A stencil is used for the word Steelers and for the three hypocycloids, which are traced and then painted twice.
Maity Kirk, wearing a green T-shirt with a shamrock and the word Yinz across it, helped paint the border.
“You get a real sense of community here,” Kirk said. “These block parties are where you can meet all your neighbors.”
“The logo is striking when you see it finished,” said Dan Kirk, who was painting the blue hypocycloid.
Nadine Englert was painting the yellow hypocycloid and Kevin and Baverso the red hypocycloid.
“We need more stories like this one of community in this day and age,” said Nadine Englert, whose three adult children continue to ask their mom to send photos from the block party.
The team spirit has spread to two other Mt. Lebanon streets — Broadmoor Avenue has a Pittsburgh Penguins logo and Questend Avenue has a Pirates logo. The artistry has created some buzz on social media.
Valerie Christofel and Jennifer Yocca, who live on Broadmoor Avenue, attended the Jonquil block party. Christofel said they were a “little jealous” of the Steelers logo, so they got some of their neighbors together to create a Penguins logo three years ago.
“The street logos are yet another testament to the black and gold fanbase in Pittsburgh,” said Pittsburgh Penguins chief communications officer Jennifer Bullano Ridgley via email. ”We love the passion and creativity of our fans and we love to see it bringing people together in the community.”
They refreshed the Pens logo during their street’s block party on Saturday — fittingly on the same night the Penguins honored goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who played in the third period of a preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena. Yocca said she organizes a Penguins game party once a year with the neighbors.
Back on Jonquil, the logo painting began early in the afternoon and was completed around 5 p.m., with neighbors sharing stories about the history of the logo — and how utility companies try to go around it when they have to go underground.
Mt. Lebanon officials are aware of the logos but declined to comment on them.
“The logo looks so good when it’s done,” Kevin Baverso said. “The colors really pop.”
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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