Pa: Philly vs Pittsburgh (rates, comparison, places, highest)

[pman]

Originally Posted by thunderkat59

I lived most of my life in both. I would agree with this. Especially a few decades ago. Pittsburgh is very different than Philly to me. "pop" and "Yinz"-lol

So unlike wooder and youse.
Having lived in the Midwest I think Pittsburgh suffers from Americans insistence that those are the only two territories. When I lived in the Midwest Pittsburgh was considered eastern and people over estimated how far it is from them, people in the east are the same, considering it Midwest. Pittsburgh was laid out by a Philadelphia, the streets are narrower than the Midwest. It seems more like the missing link between the two.
I found it to be very similar, the strip is a lot like ninth st, both are rust belt cities that have found life in eds and meds. I think what really throws people off in Pittsburgh is the Appalachian locale

[thunderkat59]

Originally Posted by pman

So unlike wooder and youse.
Having lived in the Midwest I think pittsburgh suffers from Americans insistence that those are the only two territories. When I lived in the Midwest Pittsburgh was considered eastern and people over estimated how far it is from them, people in the east are the same, considering it Midwest. Pittsburgh was laid out by a Philadelphia, the streets are narrower than the Midwest. It seems more like the missing link between the two.
I found it to be very similar, the strip is a lot like ninth st, both are rust belt cities that have found life in eds and meds. I think what really throws people off in Pittsburgh is the Appalachian locale

I guess these forums are based on people having opinions. I thought they are very different. Everyone makes valid points, but overall, they seem different to me. One of the reasons I like where I live right now is due to the fact that it has a very "Pittsburgh", rust belt feel. Obviously, Pittsburgh was the city I prefer

[pman]

Originally Posted by thunderkat59

I guess these forums are based on people having opinions. I thought they are very different. Everyone makes valid points, but overall, they seem different to me. One of the reasons I like where I live right now is due to the fact that it has a very "Pittsburgh", rust belt feel. Obviously, Pittsburgh was the city I prefer

They are different but so are cleveland and detroit. Philadelphia is also the rust belt. Perhaps the biggest difference is that pittsburgh came to be dominated by one industry while philly was well diversified in production. The two places also have some similarities, more so than philly and cleveland or columbus or even buffalo. It's my understanding that settlement patterns drive this...cleveland was largely settled by people coming via upstate ny (read ny and boston) while pittsburgh was settled by people coming from ny and philly via the alleghenies, they then traveled down the ohio producing a similar place with "philadelphia style" architecture called cincinnati.

[Flyers Girl]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Terrain is a big difference between Pittsburgh and Philly. Philadelphia is relatively flat while Pittsburgh is surrounded by hills and is in a much more distinctive river valley than Philly is.

But there are similarities in that both are cities of neighborhoods(Pittsburgh has its own Point Breeze!), universities(Pitt, Duquesne and CarnegieMellon), medical centers, intense/loyal sports fans, museums(I love the Andy Warhol museum)and pretty good restaurants.

I like Pittsburgh plus it's not far from Frank Lloyd Wright's masterpiece: Falling Water. It's just a remarkable in IMO.

This made me chuckle because I remember watching the movie 10th and Wolf a few years back (my mom grew up in that area) and when the "mobsters" were meeting down by the river, they were surrounded by mountains. Yeah, they filmed in Pittsburgh and wanted it to be South Philly! It was quite funny.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Flyers Girl

This made me chuckle because I remember watching the movie 10th and Wolf a few years back (my mom grew up in that area) and when the "mobsters" were meeting down by the river, they were surrounded by mountains. Yeah, they filmed in Pittsburgh and wanted it to be South Philly! It was quite funny.

I saw that movie too. So ridiculous to anyone who knows S. Philly. The other nonsensical thing was showing row houses that look nothing like Philly row houses.

[shamcity]

As somebody who has grown up in Philly and has been going to school in Pittsburgh I can tell you this much... They are similar cities with Pittsburgh being much smaller. I agree with the terrain and outside of a few neighborhoods Pittsburgh is Manayunk on drugs in terms of hills. Because it's smaller a lot of places die out at night. I miss wawa and good cheesesteak if imma be honest, however being a Pole from Port Richmond I can attest that there are some good pierogis here. Pittsburgh can be a little harder to navigate due to the hills and windy streets making the walkability a little lower. They both have hoods and maybe because I know Philly much better I would say the worst in Philly is worse than the worst in Pittsburgh. Also just a side note i have swam in many fountains in Philly to cool off and not once have I been yelled at by the cops and first time I do it here I get yelled at so Pittsburgh's police suck. I think Philly has more going on overall and is a better city though.

[speagles84]

Philadelphia is essentially Pittsburgh's big brother. I've lived in Pittsburgh most of my life, and spent a copious amount of time in Philadelphia (specifically Center City/Far Northeast/Bucks County), and can easily say there is no city that reminds me of Pittsburgh as much as Philadelphia.

Dialects may be different, weather is drastically different, and Philadelphia has wealthier suburbs/Pittsburgh is a wealthier city, but the similarities significantly outweigh the differences.

[speagles84]

Originally Posted by shamcity

As somebody who has grown up in Philly and has been going to school in Pittsburgh I can tell you this much... They are similar cities with Pittsburgh being much smaller. I agree with the terrain and outside of a few neighborhoods Pittsburgh is Manayunk on drugs in terms of hills. Because it's smaller a lot of places die out at night. I miss wawa and good cheesesteak if imma be honest, however being a Pole from Port Richmond I can attest that there are some good pierogis here. Pittsburgh can be a little harder to navigate due to the hills and windy streets making the walkability a little lower. They both have hoods and maybe because I know Philly much better I would say the worst in Philly is worse than the worst in Pittsburgh. Also just a side note i have swam in many fountains in Philly to cool off and not once have I been yelled at by the cops and first time I do it here I get yelled at so Pittsburgh's police suck. I think Philly has more going on overall and is a better city though.

Agreed.

Philadelphia is flat as a pancake compared to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has vibrant nightlife spots separated by sleepier neighborhoods, whereas development is more uniform in Philadelphia. Food is definitely different, and the hills can cause a variety of challenges.

Philadelphia's summers are brutal compared to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's winters are brutal compared to Philadelphia. Crime in Pittsburgh is concentrated in tons of hidden projects and tucked away ghettos. Philadelphia only has two or three (albeit MASSIVE) ghettos.

Both are much more similar than most people think. If you've spent as much time as I have in both, you'd agree.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by speagles84

Philadelphia is essentially Pittsburgh's big brother. I've lived in Pittsburgh most of my life, and spent a copious amount of time in Philadelphia (specifically Center City/Far Northeast/Bucks County), and can easily say there is no city that reminds me of Pittsburgh as much as Philadelphia.

Dialects may be different, weather is drastically different, and Philadelphia has wealthier suburbs/Pittsburgh is a wealthier city, but the similarities significantly outweigh the differences.

I totally agree with you. I know I could spend lots of time in Pittsburgh without feeling homesick for Philadelphia. It has a great symphony orch. which I need! Heinz Hall! Terrific sports teams... something else I need.

And it's own culture ... something I can appreciate too.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by speagles84

Agreed.

Philadelphia is flat as a pancake compared to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has vibrant nightlife spots separated by sleepier neighborhoods, whereas development is more uniform in Philadelphia. Food is definitely different, and the hills can cause a variety of challenges.

Philadelphia's summers are brutal compared to Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's winters are brutal compared to Philadelphia. Crime in Pittsburgh is concentrated in tons of hidden projects and tucked away ghettos. Philadelphia only has two or three (albeit MASSIVE) ghettos.

Both are much more similar than most people think. If you've spent as much time as I have in both, you'd agree.

Speaking of brutal summers, it's been pretty bad in Philly this year. Lack of rain/t-storms hasn't helped any.