We are finishing our basement and would like to remove the wall at the bottom of the stairs, to open the house up and make it feel like "part" of the house, not just the basement. The walls of the basement are all cement, the floor joists run from the front to back of the house, we also have a steel support beam, that runs under the joists, from one side of the house to the other. There were previously no walls in the basement except for the 3 that inclosed the stairwell. The wall in question runs parallel with the joists, and houses the door at the foot of the staircase. On the first floor there is only a half wall that sits on top of the wall in question. Please, any advise would be great...

As you have describe it. That would not be a load bearing wall.

That steel beam is your load bearing.

Thanks very much for your speedy response..