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Old 10-17-2010, 09:01 PM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,163,891 times
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We haven't really considered Pitt. Not sure why. We have nothing against it, but have never been there. It is a good suggestion/compromise though.
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Old 10-18-2010, 08:27 AM
 
Location: Yeah
3,164 posts, read 6,671,863 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Magritte25 View Post
We haven't really considered Pitt. Not sure why. We have nothing against it, but have never been there. It is a good suggestion/compromise though.

I thought I'd chime in, being a former Erieite living in Pittsburgh.

There's lots I miss about Erie. But lots of things that are even better in Pittsburgh.

Both cities are full of people who are very behind the times, but Erieites know how to get around their city and know multiple routes to their destinations. You can be completely across Erie County in a half hour, not even close to that in Pittsburgh. City of Erie has around 108 thousand residents, and I believe Pittsburgh has around 300 thousand, with the metro area around 2.2 million.

One thing I love about Pittsburgh is it's neighborhoods. A lot of Erie's have their own character but they really don't offer a lot of things that Pittsburgh neighborhoods do, like unique shopping and dinning districts.
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Old 10-18-2010, 08:28 AM
 
Location: Western PA
3,733 posts, read 5,932,160 times
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I lived in Erie for four years while I went to Gannon U., and it's not a bad town. The economy is not very vibrant and good jobs are few and far between. It was a big industrial town until about the 1980s when most of the plants closed. Problem is that nothing really came in to pick up the slack, so it now looks pretty run down. It's a pretty socially conservative area, which I didn't really like. Yes, the winters are brutal, with feet of snow instead of inches. And it usually stays on the ground all winter. Pack a very good winter coat to shield you from the wet Lake Erie winds.

A nice residential area is the west side along Sixth Street - partly in Erie and partly in Millcreeek. The area around Frontier Park is very nice. A big downside is very few walkable business districts. There used to be a few, but they've gone into decline. Everyone goes to the big box stores and the Millcreeek Mall on Peach Street, and it looks like anywhere else with numbing traffic and cinder block shopping centers.

Preque Isle is the jewel of Erie. It's nice to be able to go to the beach only a few miles away.
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Old 10-18-2010, 04:30 PM
 
Location: Cleveland, OH
1,973 posts, read 5,189,961 times
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I would check out these areas, but I'm not sure about schools.

Lawrence Park
Wesleyville
Area around Gridley Park / 6th Street and west of there towards the base of Presque Isle
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Old 10-18-2010, 09:15 PM
 
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Yeah, I lived in Wesleyville. Harborcreek is also a possibility.
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Old 10-19-2010, 09:06 AM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,737 posts, read 74,692,347 times
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Good grief. Why is this in the Pittsburgh forum?!?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Magritte25 View Post
Our primaries worries are the following, in order: 1. Securing a job for my husband (well, he will do that himself, but you know what I mean) 2. Very good school districts 3. Nice "old style" neighborhoods.
1. The job market is not favorable, but you could get lucky. Most everyone I know in Erie is either in education or health care -- and has managed to stay employed -- but even those industries need support services.

2. The city school district, like any other urban district, has its problems. I've got friends who teach in the Erie district, and some who are support staff and administrators. Their take is that the elementary schools, for the most part, are well-run, but the high schools -- the Collegiate Academy to a lesser extent -- have problems common to all urban high schools. The county schools are a better bet; I've got friends living in every district, and their kids seem able to hold intelligent conversations and make their way into and through college. I'd not hesitate to send my kids to any of the school districts in Erie County.

3. You'll find those mostly in the city neighborhoods, in older sections of townships like Millcreek or Lawrence Park, or in some of the small towns around the city such as North East, Edinboro and Girard -- classic small towns; Edinboro also is a college town.

Quote:
How much worse is the snow up there than here in the eastern section of the state? How long are the winters? Much longer?
Don't worry about winter. Yes, it snows -- frequently! -- but we humans are amazingly adaptable! The natives are used to snow, know not to panic when it does, and carry on with business as usually despite a foot or two of white stuff. The upside is a plethora of winter activities and sports; I know some people who think winters aren't long enough!

[/quote]I also like that it's so much closer to Cleveland and Pittsburgh. [/quote]
Well ... Cleveland, yes ...

Quote:
Originally Posted by RestonRunner86 View Post
I don't think I can agree with the suggestion above for Millcreek Township because it is typical suburbia
LOL, at least you're consistent in your lack of knowledge. Millcreek is not typical of anything.

Magritte25, Millcreek is a very large township that wraps around Erie on the west, south, and southeast sides, and has everything from farms and orchards, industry, commerce and neighborhood business, planned and unplanned neighborhoods, farmhouses, 1950s brick ranches, and McMansions. It is urban, suburban and rural depending on where you are. Your next door neighbor could be 10 feet or 500 yards away from you. The school district, too, is large and is quite well regarded.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 5Lakes View Post
I would check out these areas, but I'm not sure about schools.

Lawrence Park
Wesleyville
LP and Wesleyville are older, small towns on Erie's east side. Both have sizeable business districts, parks, rec programs for kids, etc. The houses in Wesleyville generally are smaller and are on smaller lots. LP -- founded as housing for General Electric employees about 100 years ago -- has everything from three-story row houses, 1920s Dutch colonials and Arts-and-Crafts homes, brick ranches, and 1970s colonials to (seemingly) palatial homes overlooking the lake.

LP and Wesleyville comprise the Iroquois school district, which 40 years ago was bursting at the seams, but now is very small as the families have aged; this is bound to change within the next 10 years or so, as my parents' generation moves on (in one way or another). For the past 25 years the district has seen some money problems as GE has contracted (and therefore paid fewer taxes). It's still a very solid school district. The district's two schools are in Lawrence Park; Wesleyville kids and some LP kids are bused.
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Old 10-19-2010, 10:25 PM
 
92 posts, read 228,778 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Magritte25 View Post

I am pretty sure we are thinking of the same neighborhoods. The one I am thinking of has beautiful treelawns in the middle of the streets, little cottages lining each side of the street and is a very short drive from the downtown area. Is this the area?
I think the area you are referring to is Frontier Park; it's west of downtown along the lake shore and has that feel, except most of the houses aren't cottages.

Don't let iwonderdwhy throw you; obviously, Erie is not what s/he was looking for in a location, but believe me, there are many worse places out there.

Yes, Erie does get pounded during the winter with snow. The average annual snowfall is around 90-100". And the people are tough: unless it's a really significant storm (usually 1-2" per hour of accumulation over an extended period), it's business as usual. There can be delays, but not much closes down. It's just a fact of life in the snow belt. A snowblower and snow tires are the best investments you can make. However, summer and fall are absolutely gorgeous, and they make up for the winter. (And honestly, I currently live in Milwaukee and would much rather have the snow than the butt-freezing cold that exists here!)

As far as old-style neighborhoods, look at the Frontier area and Lawrence Park (where GE is). I grew up in North East, which is 20 min. east and has a little downtown area and is the major grape-growing region (Welch's has a plant there).

Not sure if you've been to the area, but I would suggest a visit (longer than a weekend) to look around and get a feel for it and make sure it's a place you would be happy. Good luck!
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Old 10-19-2010, 10:35 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,606 posts, read 77,274,241 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
LOL, at least you're consistent in your lack of knowledge.
LOL, at least YOU'RE consistent with your rudeness, but I digress.
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Old 10-22-2010, 08:20 AM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,163,891 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
Good grief. Why is this in the Pittsburgh forum?!?
When I searched Erie, there were numerous posts in the Pittsburgh forum. Not a big deal.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
1. The job market is not favorable, but you could get lucky. Most everyone I know in Erie is either in education or health care -- and has managed to stay employed -- but even those industries need support services.
We would not and will not move anywhere until my husband secures steady, reliable, profitable employment. If we cannot find that in Erie, we won't move there.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
2. The city school district, like any other urban district, has its problems. I've got friends who teach in the Erie district, and some who are support staff and administrators. Their take is that the elementary schools, for the most part, are well-run, but the high schools -- the Collegiate Academy to a lesser extent -- have problems common to all urban high schools. The county schools are a better bet; I've got friends living in every district, and their kids seem able to hold intelligent conversations and make their way into and through college. I'd not hesitate to send my kids to any of the school districts in Erie County.
Is Erie the only urban area in the county?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
3. You'll find those mostly in the city neighborhoods, in older sections of townships like Millcreek or Lawrence Park, or in some of the small towns around the city such as North East, Edinboro and Girard -- classic small towns; Edinboro also is a college town.




Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
Don't worry about winter. Yes, it snows -- frequently! -- but we humans are amazingly adaptable! The natives are used to snow, know not to panic when it does, and carry on with business as usually despite a foot or two of white stuff. The upside is a plethora of winter activities and sports; I know some people who think winters aren't long enough!
What sort of winter activities are there in the area?


[/quote]I also like that it's so much closer to Cleveland and Pittsburgh. [/quote]
Well ... Cleveland, yes ...

I've never been to Cleveland. We are planning a vacation next summer and Cleveland is one of our stops.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
Magritte25, Millcreek is a very large township that wraps around Erie on the west, south, and southeast sides, and has everything from farms and orchards, industry, commerce and neighborhood business, planned and unplanned neighborhoods, farmhouses, 1950s brick ranches, and McMansions. It is urban, suburban and rural depending on where you are. Your next door neighbor could be 10 feet or 500 yards away from you. The school district, too, is large and is quite well regarded.
That sounds very, very nice!


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
LP and Wesleyville are older, small towns on Erie's east side. Both have sizeable business districts, parks, rec programs for kids, etc. The houses in Wesleyville generally are smaller and are on smaller lots. LP -- founded as housing for General Electric employees about 100 years ago -- has everything from three-story row houses, 1920s Dutch colonials and Arts-and-Crafts homes, brick ranches, and 1970s colonials to (seemingly) palatial homes overlooking the lake.

LP and Wesleyville comprise the Iroquois school district, which 40 years ago was bursting at the seams, but now is very small as the families have aged; this is bound to change within the next 10 years or so, as my parents' generation moves on (in one way or another). For the past 25 years the district has seen some money problems as GE has contracted (and therefore paid fewer taxes). It's still a very solid school district. The district's two schools are in Lawrence Park; Wesleyville kids and some LP kids are bused.
You have given a lot of great, detailed information! I really appreciate the time and effort you put into this post. I am passing this info on to my husband.
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Old 10-22-2010, 08:22 AM
 
28,164 posts, read 25,163,891 times
Reputation: 16664
Quote:
Originally Posted by dolphin40 View Post
I think the area you are referring to is Frontier Park; it's west of downtown along the lake shore and has that feel, except most of the houses aren't cottages.

Don't let iwonderdwhy throw you; obviously, Erie is not what s/he was looking for in a location, but believe me, there are many worse places out there.

Yes, Erie does get pounded during the winter with snow. The average annual snowfall is around 90-100". And the people are tough: unless it's a really significant storm (usually 1-2" per hour of accumulation over an extended period), it's business as usual. There can be delays, but not much closes down. It's just a fact of life in the snow belt. A snowblower and snow tires are the best investments you can make. However, summer and fall are absolutely gorgeous, and they make up for the winter. (And honestly, I currently live in Milwaukee and would much rather have the snow than the butt-freezing cold that exists here!)

As far as old-style neighborhoods, look at the Frontier area and Lawrence Park (where GE is). I grew up in North East, which is 20 min. east and has a little downtown area and is the major grape-growing region (Welch's has a plant there).

Not sure if you've been to the area, but I would suggest a visit (longer than a weekend) to look around and get a feel for it and make sure it's a place you would be happy. Good luck!

I am hoping to make my way back there sometime soon because I really did fall in love with the area.

I hadn't realized that Welch's and GE had branches in the area. And good point about snow vs. cold!
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