Moving to Pittsburgh and need help finding a best fit (Swissvale: apartment, rent)

[onemorerep812]

My fiance and I will be getting married in June and are starting to look into where would be the most suiting place for our needs and tastes. We're both so excited to move to Pittsburgh! We're both very fitness and health oriented and exercise daily. She actually prefers to run outside, which to me is going to be a major deciding factor as to location. She is an RN and is actually working in Pittsburgh now at UPMC Mercy. She has a 45 min commute currently. She insists on running BEFORE work at 430 AM (I know, she's a diehard )! So finding somewhere she could run anywhere from 1-3 miles oneway outside is ideal. I don't know if that's possible, I'm just trying to be specific. We definitely don't want a long commute, we're both so sick of commuting, so not far from the city (preferably 20-25 min commute max). Neither of us drink or like bars, so that's not important to us. We both LOVE church, and would like to continue going to her church, Pittsburgh East Community Church, in Monroeville if possible. We both are very family oriented and would like a more mature atmostphere (We'll both be 26 at the time of moving). We love being outside, so we'd prefer not to be couped up in the city, but rather somewhere a little more urban. Safety would be number one concern. We are sick of student housing being in college, so we'd like a nicer place. Price range 6-750 I guess? I really don't know anything about cost. We both come from places where everything is WAY cheaper. All I know is we're not living in student housing, but we arent looking to live in luxury either, somewhere in the middle maybe a leaning little more on the nicer side. Our income will come from us both - RN (her), and I will be graduating in May (doing personal training, cardiac rehab, or respiratory therapy), so we'll have a nice income. I'd rather pay more and be safe. If there's anything else that would help formulate and opinion or advice please ask! I hope i'm not being too picky or unrealistic, if so dont be afraid to say so. Thank you for any help I get, God bless!

[PreservationPioneer]

You might like Regent Square. From there you could walk to Frick Park, where your wife could go running, and there is lots of natural scenery there. Regent Square has a nice family atmosphere, but is still urban, walkable, and in the city. The drive to Monroeville to church wouldn't be too bad, either.

[gg]

Aspinwall would work. Safe, in your price range and driving to Monroeville on Sundays would take very little time.

[jay5835]

I like AA's idea of Regent Square. I used to run (before I moved to Pgh) and I've often thought that if I still ran, how nice it would be to live near Frick Park.

Not to say Aspinwall is a bad place, mind you. I'm just not familiar with it.

Living near Schenley Park would work, too. You can run there, and the Parkway (I-376) would just be one or two exits farther than if you live in Regent Square. But it is probably more expensive to live in Squirrel Hill than Regent Square (which are adjoining neighborhoods, btw).

[BrianTH]

I would also recommend Regent Square (and the nearby nice neighborhoods), which happens to be my neighborhood. Frick Park is a great amenity for runners, or people who like the outdoors in general, and it is a quick hop over to Monroeville. Generally, it is a nice, safe, friendly area with a strong community feel.

Edit: Oh, Aspinwall is pretty nice, but I think being right next to Frick Park would be a significant benefit. In that area, though, you could look at Morningside and Highland Park, which are right next to the park of the same name.

[allisen]

I would also recommend Regent Square. Close to 376 so quick to get out to Monroeville or to hop on the opposite direction for Mercy. Attractive, friendly, diverse neighborhood with a few decent neighborhood restaurants.

You might also consider Swissvale. It's just on the otherside of 376 from Regent Sq so still close to the park, close to restaurants in Regent Square, but also walkable to the more utilitarian day-to-day necessities in Swissvale (banks, grocery store, drug store, post office) which Regent Square doesn't have. Your rent budget would get you a bigger apartment or even a rowhouse. It's more of a working class nieghborhood, wherease Regent Square is more affluent, so if you're looking for quaint neighborhoods - Swissvale won't be your speed, but it is very safe. (Likelihood of being a victim of a crime in Swissvale matches the national average, likelihood is 3x the national average in Squirrel Hill or Shadyside just for comparison sake.)

[Uptown kid]

Not all of Swissvale is very safe. The part near Braddock (where some of my family lives so I know what I'm talking about) is rough. Rather pay more and be safe or whatever the OP said. The edgy parts of Swissvale are not bad at all if comared to other nieborghoods, but isn't great compared to most nieborghoods. Most of Swissvale & and Regent Square are nice/safe/fine areas to live in.

[gg]

Regent Square is one cool neighborhood and access to the park is a plus. I hate having to deal with the parkway, but I guess there are other ways to get in and out of the city.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Regent Square is one cool neighborhood and access to the park is a plus. I hate having to deal with the parkway, but I guess there are other ways to get in and out of the city.

From Regent Square it isn't difficult at all to take Braddock up to Forbes or Penn and go towards downtown and the other East End neighborhoods that way.

[SteelCityRising]

Here's another vote for Regent Square. BrianTH must be tickled pink that he'll be laughing all the way to the bank as his property value appreciates handsomely with all of the positive press this sub-forum gives to his neighborhood. LOL!

The only thing I hate about Regent Square is the sheer congestion along South Braddock Avenue, the main drag through the neighborhood. It took me literally ten minutes yesterday to pull right from Biddle Avenue onto South Braddock Avenue after making a delivery at around 4:30 PM. I'm going to use East End Avenue as a "bypass" from now on, as it parallels South Braddock Avenue.

I love that neighborhood overall, though. The Regent Theater showed It's a Wonderful Life for FREE during the holidays, and there are great hot dogs to be had right across the street---talk about a cheap date!