An afternoon walk in McKees Rocks & Stowe Twp. (Pictures) (Pittsburgh: apartment, renting)

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by daroxsux

Excuse me but I beg to differ on my opinion as I have watched this place go to pot rapidly in the last 8 years, getting worse as years go by, I am seeing the crime go on every day, and the people who own their homes, such as me, can not even sell them without a loss, AND I am on a GOOD street. I have nothing absolutely nothing good to say about this place and I would not get on here and even give my opinion if I felt I was wrong. I originally found this forum because I am so desperately wanting to move that I was looking to even rent, but to each his own. I would ask this poster if he or she would feel safe to go out and walk broadway at night? I don't even go to mancini's when its dark, and I have my relatives all around this area and their homes have been broken into, vandalized, drug houses are established and not so recent crimes taken place a block away from the big bright beautiful new Municipal/police station.....I don't have kids in the school district, pay high taxes, for what? The homes around me were abandoned or sold so cheap just so people could get out of this area, so as I said I am speaking from being here, living here and remembering this place as being a very nice quaint safe peaceful place to live AND raise a family. As my user name speaks the rox sux, wish it didn't wish it was a decent place to live, everyone should feel safe in their homes......and you are lucky no one has broken into your house or vandalized it. My place has been vandalized, spray painted, egged, bricks thrown through windows, used needles in my yard, dog crap on my front sidewalk, garbaged thrown all around the street....etc.

I respect your opinion, but I must say I have had a completely different experience here. The only thing I can agree on is the litter (there is a litter problem, although there are neighborhood litter pick-up walks you can participate in if you are interested).

I can see you are disillusioned with the neighborhood, however I have walked around the neighborhood at night many times and found it very quiet. However, you still need to utilize the same street skills you would use downtown, The South Side, Lawrenceville, or other urban areas. Perhaps the urban concerns are what you find unappealing about Stowe. There are some riff-raff in the neighborhood, but show me a poor working class neighborhood that doesn't have some people like that.

I honestly don't understand the mentality that "this neighborhood sucks, but why can't I sell my house without a loss?" If you feel that way about your neighborhood, you should understand why nobody wants to pay much for your house.

I think Stowe/ West Park is a great place to live if you are looking for a $10k - $20k house. In that price range, you are probably not going to find a safer or quieter area. Alternatives in that price range are places like Homewood and Duquesne.

That said, Stowe has the same problems that other aging first-ring suburbs have. I am struck by the similarities of complaints of residents in Penn Hills and Stowe. I think Penn Hills and Stowe have a lot in common, in terms of long-term residents who have been disillusioned by the changes in their neighborhoods over the years. They are unhappy that the suburban areas are going through the same changes that city neighborhoods went through decades ago, and in turn becoming much more urban-like: more affluent citizens moving out, poorer people moving in. People who moved to the first-ring suburbs decades ago were trying to escape the ills of city-life, and now find their neighborhoods becoming poor relatives of the city.

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by daroxsux

Excuse me but I beg to differ on my opinion as I have watched this place go to pot rapidly in the last 8 years, getting worse as years go by, I am seeing the crime go on every day, and the people who own their homes, such as me, can not even sell them without a loss, AND I am on a GOOD street. I have nothing absolutely nothing good to say about this place and I would not get on here and even give my opinion if I felt I was wrong. I originally found this forum because I am so desperately wanting to move that I was looking to even rent, but to each his own. I would ask this poster if he or she would feel safe to go out and walk broadway at night? I don't even go to mancini's when its dark, and I have my relatives all around this area and their homes have been broken into, vandalized, drug houses are established and not so recent crimes taken place a block away from the big bright beautiful new Municipal/police station.....I don't have kids in the school district, pay high taxes, for what? The homes around me were abandoned or sold so cheap just so people could get out of this area, so as I said I am speaking from being here, living here and remembering this place as being a very nice quaint safe peaceful place to live AND raise a family. As my user name speaks the rox sux, wish it didn't wish it was a decent place to live, everyone should feel safe in their homes......and you are lucky no one has broken into your house or vandalized it. My place has been vandalized, spray painted, egged, bricks thrown through windows, used needles in my yard, dog crap on my front sidewalk, garbaged thrown all around the street....etc.

People in the neighborhood have to take some control. I've noticed that people on my block buy those houses that are in danger of being abandoned or turned into Sec. 8. They still turn them into Sec. 8 but they're selective about the leasers, choosing stable families. And they actually take care of their rental properties, helping the residents trim their bushes, plant gardens, etc. They even help them fix their cars. A first step may be to pick-up that litter on the street if you care about your neighborhood.

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

I think Stowe/ West Park is a great place to live if you are looking for a $10k - $20k house. In that price range, you are probably not going to find a safer or quieter area. Alternatives in that price range are places like Homewood and Duquesne.

And Troy Hill.

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

That said, Stowe has the same problems that other aging first-ring suburbs have. I am struck by the similarities of complaints of residents in Penn Hills and Stowe. I think Penn Hills and Stowe have a lot in common, in terms of long-term residents who have been disillusioned by the changes in their neighborhoods over the years. They are unhappy that the suburban areas are going through the same changes that city neighborhoods went through decades ago, and in turn becoming much more urban-like: more affluent citizens moving out, poorer people moving in. People who moved to the first-ring suburbs decades ago were trying to escape the ills of city-life, and now find their neighborhoods becoming poor relatives of the city.

Just out of curiosity, why would Penn Hills be considered a first-ring suburb? Most of it is sprawling Post-WWII, and the housing is quite different from places like Crafton, Dormont, Bellevue, McKees Rocks, Wilkinsburg, Swissvale, etc. If Pittsburgh follows normal developmental patterns, Penn Hills and other areas like it (West Mifflin, Monroeville, Ross, Shaler) are most likely to become worse in the next 10-25 years, with areas like Crafton, Dormont, Bellevue, McKees Rocks, Wilkinsburg, Swissvale most likely to become gentrified.

[PreservationPioneer]

Troy Hill's houses are more in the 25k to 40k range. I know because I looked there for a house last year. Loved the neighborhood, but I only had about $15k to spend on a house and there was nothing in that range (except maybe a total rehab).

Penn Hills is not a first-ring suburb, however I think a lot of the people in Penn Hills complain about their neighborhood the same way people in Stowe do, and find similar complaints.

[daroxsux]

Hey I do want to sell my house, and so does about 4 others on my street. 10-20,000 How about I paid 60.000 for it 10 years ago, and fixed it up and going to just give it away.......no, maybe I will look into the section 8 thing and just move to a rental, then I will fit right in with all the other people who are giving up too........and as far as litter, I am disabled and limited in my walking abilities and just picking up the trash, cans, beer bottles, used condoms, needles, glass, dog crap is about all I can do and that is on my property and around my garage........so sorry it suckd to live here, and as far as quiet, if you know stowe, how many times a week does the fire alarm sound? And you are a brave soul to walk around here at night.........you really are.......enough said, it just make me sad that this place was so nice a while back and what its become is a travesty........everyone is entitled to their opinion and if I had something good to say about it I would say it..........and most people that live here feel the same, well the ones on my street anyway........

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

Penn Hills is not a first-ring suburb, however I think a lot of the people in Penn Hills complain about their neighborhood the same way people in Stowe do, and find similar complaints.

How could it not be, it borders the City. What is the definition of 1st ring suburbs?

[Katarina Witt]

Nice pictures. It looks a little bit like downtown Beaver Falls.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by Copanut

How could it not be, it borders the City. What is the definition of 1st ring suburbs?

My understanding was that Homewood and Wilkinsburg were the original first-ring suburbs. Penn Hills is a bit newer. Am I mistaken?

[BrianTH]

As I recall the area that became Homewood was annexed before there was much to it. Wilkinsburg was actually annexed briefly too, then fought its way back out. Penn Hills was originally a much more rural, low-density area, and only developed relatively recently as compared to places like Wilkinsburg or Edgewood. So I agree there is a sense in which it is at least atypical for an inner suburb.

[John Buettner]

Ahh, my home town of the Rocks. Went to that theatre many,many times back in the day. Great photo's AA. Thanks.
Missed Jenny Lee bakery and beautiful St. Mary Church and school ( mine ).

[countonme]

Thanks for the Pix's My parents are from Pittsburgh. They left for Cailfornia in 62. Looking at those pix an the brick alley's.. All the hard work the people of Pittsburgh Like my Grandpa did in the old days. I would here story's about how all the streets an grass were edged an looked good even if it was crazy in the house.

Those houses would be over 500k nothing under 400k as of 9/27/10