West Penn Hosp area and Lawrenceville

[accm10]

Hi

I wasn't asking of safety in terms of living there. We're quite happy in the suburbs and the 1/2 hour or so commute to get into Lawrenceville to get the shuttle is fine with me

I was asking more so b/c this isn't your typical 9 to 5 (after school anyway) and I just wondered if the hospital area is generally safe esp after dark, or if so-called thugs wander around the areas/garages, or if the monitored (supposedly) security would make that impossible, therefore the thugs take their business and try elsewhere. I've never heard anything about the hospital, but the news doesn't always report things accurately if at all.

I truly don't know anywhere that's perfectly safe. You take an area like the forementioned Fox Chapel and you have a women abducted in broad daylight. I'd venture to say she may have even known that Waterworks area can get dicey at night so she goes in the morning. I'd say the criminals are getting bolder no matter where, but it's more a matter of "alert" vs "high alert" for whatever area. Sad commentary on the world today.

[Hopes]

I wouldn't hesitate to walk the sidewalks into the West Penn's ER at night.

[CaptainObvious]

Originally Posted by Hopes

What's obvious about Captain Obvious is that he prefers the suburbs.

Not nessarily true. Just that alot of people ask,"Where is safe?" My answer...the suburbs. They ask, "Where can I find a yard?"...my answer...the suburbs.

If they asked "Where can I walk to the corner coffee shop?" or "Where can I be close to work" or "Where can I find a good loft?" I'd recommend city neighborhoods.

I understand safety and city are not mutually exclusive, but it is quite "obvious" that IN GENERAL (please don't post all the exceptions to the rule)...the less people you pack into an area (suburbs) the safer it gets.

As for not living in, but walking through, Friendship on the way to the shuttle after a night class? You'll be just fine...especially if you're with others doing the same thing. I too, like Hopes, would have no problem walking around the area immediately surrounding West Penn Hospital. In fact, I've done it a hundred times and am still here to tell the tale.


Captain

[LadyDeanna]

Originally Posted by CaptainObvious

No doubt somebody will post them and compare them to an area that is considered generally safe to make a point that Friendship is safer than Neighborhood X.



I think that is probably the case for most crime anywhere. There really aren't too many places full of completely indiscriminate crime. Having said that, the more I read people's posts here, the more I wonder why people are even willing to consider the places where one has to ask..."I know THIS block is safe, but THAT block over there is horrible, should I be worried?" My answer is YES. If you are looking into an area where the "bad" area is BLOCKS away, you're too close. I see all kinds of posts saying, "The X-side of this neighborhood is great, but move over to the Y-side and you'll be shot". Why? All the bad people don't have legs? They can't WALK ONE BLOCK over to your house? Pittsburgh neighborhoods, more so than most other cities I've spent time in, are very small. I mean, here you are talking about "Friendship", which encompasses, what?, 8 blocks total? The area east of Friendship is NOT a good place to be, and seeing as criminals don't look at a map and say "Whoa, wait a minute, I'm in FRIENDSHIP now. I should turn back and head over to East Liberty", I say Friendship is too close to East Liberty.

In fact, I hereby institue the "2 neighborhood rule". You've got to be at least 2 Pittsburgh neighborhoods away from a "bad" neighborhood to be considered a "good" neighborhood. It's risk/reward for me.

I don't know. I'm in a weird mood today.

Captain

There is no such place unless you move out of the city limits. And Friendship is not all that safe either no matter what is north, south, east or west of it. My sister and her husband bought a house on Pearl 15 years ago and during that time I watch that street (which is right by the new hospital) go from decent (it was never good if you ask me) to crack city.

In my opinion the only way to get to know an area is to check it out in person. Pittsbugh has always had pockets of good and bad blocks, never an whole area. There are wonderful blocks in the Hill, East Liberty and Homewood. Just like there are awful blocks in Shady Side, Squirel Hill, Carnegie, or North Hills.

[princesspolamalu]

I think all of this discussion is uncalled for.....the area where the nursing school is should not be a problem....especially if all you are doing is leaving school and getting into your car.....i grew up in garfield and never had a problem with anyone....as one of the posters mention earlier most things that go on in garfield are targeted at specific people.....the school is closer to the bloomfield liberty avenue area than it is to garfield......their are so many ppl moving around on the liberty avenue side that safety shouldnt be that much of a concern ever