Neighborhood advice (Aspinwall, Liberty, Highland Park: fit in, schools, to live)

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by iwonderwhy2124

She wants to live in a "family" kind of neighborhood. Bloomfield is pretty much old people and hipsters. Deutschtown is too near the seediness of the North Side. Lawrenceville is hipsters and still gentrifying and trashy in spots. Oakland...are you kidding me? I would never raise a family in the middle of that undergrad slum. South Side Flats....maybe some of the quieter streets and nicer homes down past 22nd street and back toward the slopes (but not too far back because the train is very loud). I personally wouldn't raise a family on the Flats though. Too nutty.

The OP said they wanted a neighborhood that was "urban and walkable." I don't see any reason why raising a family in Bloomfield would be a bad idea, if you wanted to live in the city anyway. There are great areas in Oakland...have you ever seen Schenley Farms? Those are probably the nicest houses in the city, and walkable to everything. The South Side Flats has some quieter areas, and there is also the slopes. I also stand by Lawrenceville. I don't see why parents refuse to live with kids in urban neighborhoods. Your kids are going to be so bored out in the suburbs.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

Your kids are going to be so bored out in the suburbs.

Yep.

Signed,
One of those bored suburban kids.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

Yep.

Signed,
One of those bored suburban kids.

+1.

Where I grew up, North Jersey, most kids couldn't wait until they grew up and could get their driver's licenses.

When I was a kid, I couldn't wait until I could move to NYC and have a doorman.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

Your kids are going to be so bored out in the suburbs.

I grew up in the 'burbs, had a great time.

[Craziaskowboi]

My personal recommendation if you wanted to live in Pittsburgh city proper would be Squirrel Hill, Greenfield or Regent Square. All three are convenient to the Parkway East (I-376), and all three have central business districts,plus a "lifestyle center" and a shopping plaza nearby.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v437/DBR96/EastEnd.jpg (broken link)

Here's a map illustrating where the neighborhoods are. Green is Greenfield; blue is Squirrel Hill, and purple is Regent Square, which actually straddles the city limits. The streets in each neighborhood's central business district are highlighted in orange, and the lifestyle center (The Waterfront) and the shopping plaza (Edgewood Towne Center) are highlighted in pink.

If you move to any of those neighborhoods and you have to get on I-376 eastbound, use the on-ramp interchange marked light blue. Do NOT use the on-ramp at the interchange marked red. As for public transit, unfortunately, rail service is not as extensive as it should be, but bus service is good.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Copanut

I grew up in the 'burbs, had a great time.

I was bored, but my biggest concern, looking back as a now-parent, is all the reckless driving (and statistics support that concern).

[gg]

Originally Posted by Copanut

How did you cross all the traffic? That's one heckuva haul.

What traffic? There are sidewalks the whole way there. Highland Park Bridge has a nice sidewalk.

[gg]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

The OP said they wanted a neighborhood that was "urban and walkable." I don't see any reason why raising a family in Bloomfield would be a bad idea, if you wanted to live in the city anyway. There are great areas in Oakland...have you ever seen Schenley Farms? Those are probably the nicest houses in the city, and walkable to everything. The South Side Flats has some quieter areas, and there is also the slopes. I also stand by Lawrenceville. I don't see why parents refuse to live with kids in urban neighborhoods. Your kids are going to be so bored out in the suburbs.

City schools are not very good. Just look at the test scores. If the child is lucky enough to go to one of the magnet schools, then that is great, but I personally wouldn't take that chance.

Also, growing up in a nearby suburb isn't always a situation that a kid needs to be driven everywhere and will be bored. Aspinwall, Oakmont and Sewickley are all neighborhoods a kid can walk to friend's homes and all kind of places. Oakmont and Sewickley are not great commutes into the city. Aspinwall has lots of options to get into the city. If you don't like 28, take Penn Ave or Baum to BofA. Aspinwall isn't cheap however, but most nice city areas aren't either. Price rent or a home in Shadyside or Point Breeze. Ouch.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

City schools are not very good. Just look at the test scores. If the child is lucky enough to go to one of the magnet schools and gets lucky, then that is great, but I personally wouldn't take that chance.

The parents I know haven't had much problem getting into either a magnet program or charter school. Some of the feeder schools are also fine. I'd agree not all of the schools are acceptable, but I don't think it makes sense to just rule the whole district out either.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I was bored, but my biggest concern, looking back as a now-parent, is all the reckless driving (and statistics support that concern).

I'd like to see those stats, don't recall any of my friends getting hit.