The dozen striking red brick smoke stacks looming tall at the edge of the Waterfront are all that's left of the U.S. Steel Homestead Works. The stacks stand on the cusp of the massive development along the Mon River, a mixed-use complex that includes a lavish Loew's theater complex, scads of restaurants of all kinds and the latest offerings for retail therapy.

On the other side of the river, rising up the hillside, stands West Homestead where, more than than two decades after the decline of steel, the community seeks to redefine itself while maintaining its heritage.

And there is much to maintain in this historical neighborhood: from the Bost Building and the Pump House to the Bulgarian Macedonian National Educational and Cultural Center, once a local gathering sport for the eastern Europeans who congregated in what was known as the "Steel Valley."

Transit:  The 52L, 53L and 61C bring workers to Downtown and Oakland from Homestead and adjacent Mon Valley towns. Looking for a thrilling adventure? The 61C stops at Kennywood! The 61D is popular among students who travel from Oakland to the Waterfront, while the 64 links the Waterfront to Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Bloomfield and Lawrenceville. The 57 also provides service to Downtown via Hazelwood.

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W. Homestead