Biking through Homewood (Pittsburgh, Wilkinsburg, Swissvale: crime, house, safe neighborhood)

[Elder18]

Okay, so I'm pretty sure this is the stupidest question ever, but the Archive Center for Pitt that I'm going to be working at is just a bit north of, or maybe even in, Homewood. Which I did not know. Great!

The address is 7500 Thomas Blvd.

Here is the dumb question part:
Would it be safe to bike along N. Braddock Ave. to get to the Archives Center? I could possibly be working there at night too, which is another concern.

Whoo boy!

[Hopes]

It looks like you're going to be right near Construction Junction. That's more like Wilkinsburg even though it's technically Homewood. One or two blocks off of Penn isn't as bad as more towards the Homewood/Brushton are. I assume you'll be biking on N. Braddock from Edgewood or Swissvale, right? Most of that ride is through Regent Square which I wouldn't be afraid to ride early in the evening, but not late at night.

[TrayyBall]

i believe that thomas blvd is considered point breeze, i wouldn't ride my car let alone a bike across the braddock ave and penn ave intersection after 9:00. or any intersection on penn ave heading towards homewood/brushton. point breeze is a safe neighborhood though.

[Hopes]

It's not the Point Breeze side of Thomas Blvd. It's completely on the other end. Do a google map search for the address and you'll see.

[subdivisions]

Originally Posted by TrayyBall

i believe that thomas blvd is considered point breeze, i wouldn't ride my car let alone a bike across the braddock ave and penn ave intersection after 9:00. or any intersection on penn ave heading towards homewood/brushton. point breeze is a safe neighborhood though.

Sorry, but this is ridiculous. I live in N. Point Breeze. My house is one block from an "intersection on Penn Avenue heading towards Homewood/Brushton". We heard so many bad things about this neighborhood before we moved here, and not a one of them has turned out to be true. Our neighbors have all been very friendly, and we haven't seen a bit of crime or even any scary people on our block, except for one kind of weird old *WHITE* guy (i.e., whatever his problems are, they don't involve gangs, drugs, or guns). I regularly see totally normal-looking people biking or walking down my street after dark, even *gasp* after 9 pm. Single working women, white, black, and otherwise, walk their dogs after dark on my street. I don't think that would happen if it were the war zone the rumors say it is. In fact, living here has made me more aware of some of the racist attitudes in this city - my personal conclusion is that people see black faces here and assume the neighborhood is gang-ridden and dangerous. It might be true of other places, but it's not true here.

I'm not saying N. Point Breeze is a perfect neighborhood. But it's also ridiculous to caution others not to drive here after 9 pm! If you look at the crime statistics for this neighborhood, they are comparable to those of such neighborhoods as Beechview and South Side, including the *type* of crime - primarily property crime such as vandalism and theft. There are actually fewer crimes here statistically than in Friendship, a neighborhood that posters on this forum consistently recommend to new residents. So...would you caution people not to drive through the South Side after 9 pm? If not, why would you do that about N. Point Breeze? I hope it's not because people on the street in the South Side after 9 pm have white faces.

I didn't respond to the original poster because the location he is talking about is a fair ways to the east of me (although I think it is still technically Pt. Breeze), and that part might be worse after dark than my part. However, I will say in the daytime it seems basically normal. We go over there to visit Construction Junction every few weeks and nobody seems crazy or afraid of getting carjacked or anything.

I definitely would not go farther east than that after dark, though. We had to go over about 1/2 mile past Braddock to the post office to pick up a package last week. That was an interesting experience. All the postal workers were cocooned behind bullet proof glass and they had a ring a buzzer for you to give them anything. I've never seen that at any post office I've been to before, and it was certainly an indication of the quality of the neighborhood (Wilkinsburg).

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by subdivisions

I don't think that would happen if it were the war zone the rumors say it is. In fact, living here has made me more aware of some of the racist attitudes in this city - my personal conclusion is that people see black faces here and assume the neighborhood is gang-ridden and dangerous. It might be true of other places, but it's not true here.

It's just the proximity to Homewood/Brushton that concerns people. Homewood/Bruston is arguably Pittsburgh's most dangerous neighborhood. People aren't just making it up based on the color of the skin of Homewood/Brushton residents. People base their opinions on the fact that there are shootings and murders in Homewood/Brushton. Sure, it doesn't happen every night but that's not a chance many people want to take. Granted, my comments are about Homewood/Brushton, not Point Breeze. But it would be irresponsible not to caution someone that N. Point Breeze is right next to Homewood/Brushton.

Originally Posted by subdivisions

I didn't respond to the original poster because the location he is talking about is a fair ways to the east of me (although I think it is still technically Pt. Breeze), and that part might be worse after dark than my part.

It's technically Homewood. Do a google map search of the address and you'll see the word "Homewood" plastered right there..

Originally Posted by subdivisions

However, I will say in the daytime it seems basically normal. We go over there to visit Construction Junction every few weeks and nobody seems crazy or afraid of getting carjacked or anything.

I agree. I go to Construction Junction fairly often. It's not a dangerous area during the daytime.

Originally Posted by subdivisions

I definitely would not go farther east than that after dark, though.

You should be leary of going much farther North than where you live too.

Originally Posted by subdivisions

We had to go over about 1/2 mile past Braddock to the post office to pick up a package last week. That was an interesting experience. All the postal workers were cocooned behind bullet proof glass and they had a ring a buzzer for you to give them anything. I've never seen that at any post office I've been to before, and it was certainly an indication of the quality of the neighborhood (Wilkinsburg).

It's an indication of Wilkinsburg AND Homewood/Brushton. Believe it or not, people from Homewood/Brushton do go into Wilkinsburg (and N.Point Breeze too). Wilkinsburg is the closest business district to Homewood/Brushton which makes it the most convenient place to commit robbery. Regardless, I'm not afraid of Wilkinsburg or North Point Breeze. I am afraid of Homewood/Brushton though. I'm not talking about the part of Homewood that runs along Penn Avenue. I'm talking about the part near Brushton.

btw, if you want a real thrill, go into the gun shop in Wilkinsburg! All of the employees are wearing visible side arms! I've never seen that in any other gun shop.

Here's a link to the gun shop so you'll recognize it and know where to go: Our store front

[Elder18]

So, is there some sort of consensus here?

Is the area around Thomas Blvd. and N. Braddock safeish at night, or should I take a bus or something?
Also, should I be worried about the area around Regent Square?
It seemed really nice to me.

By the way, the exterior for that gun shop was not awesome, no matter what the website says.

[Drover]

Since people seem caught up in technicalities here, the address is in fact, technically, in North Point Breeze.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Thanks. Google maps certainly isn't accurate.

I have found that their neighborhood labeling is something of a guesstimate, no matter the city.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Drover

Since people seem caught up in technicalities here, the address is in fact, technically, in North Point Breeze.

Thanks. Google maps certainly isn't accurate. btw, I noticed that Brushton is technically North Homewood.

Originally Posted by Elder18

Is the area around Thomas Blvd. and N. Braddock safeish at night, or should I take a bus or something?

Define "night." Exactly what time do you anticipate riding after dark? Do you have a car? You could take a drive into the area around the times you anticipate riding your bike so you can get a good idea of what it's like at that time.

Originally Posted by Elder18

Also, should I be worried about the area around Regent Square?
It seemed really nice to me.

I like Regent Square. I think it would be the same as riding through Squirrel Hill--except Squirrel Hill is busier which means there's more people. I personally would ride through Regent Square after dark.

Originally Posted by Elder18

By the way, the exterior for that gun shop was not awesome, no matter what the website says.

I wasn't showing the building because I was impressed with it's looks outside. I was impressed by the atmopshere inside. It's not every day you're waited on by large men with loaded guns. LOL