Underrated neighborhoods (Pittsburgh, Plum, Baldwin: best neighborhood, low crime, cheap house)

[tranceFusion]

I'm really tired of those "best neighborhood" threads where everyone pumps the same handful of neighborhoods, and the "rich get richer". So let's hear the underrated neighborhoods and why you think so..

I'll start...

Millvale -

It's a bridge away from Lawrenceville at a lower price. It has easy access to downtown and the Strip. Washington's landing is a stone's throw away. It is a short drive from suburban shopping paradises such as Ross Park Mall and Pittsburgh Mills.

It has a great riverfront park where you can put a kayak in, have a party at the pavillion, or ride your bike only a couple of miles to the north shore and connect with all the other bike paths around town.

It has a ton of character as home to the original Pamela's (best pancakes in town!), Mr Smalls Theatre (many of the best bands coming through town), Mr Smalls Skate Park, The Attic record store, Yetters homemade candies, Jean-Marc Chatellier Bakery, the Lincoln Pharmacy.

It also hosts many events such as weekly farmers market and annual Beer Festival, Wine Festival, and Millvale Days.

The only thing Millvale is missing is some city-data pumping and a bunch of folks that think they are better than everyone else, and it would be the next Lawrenceville!

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by tranceFusion

I'm really tired of those "best neighborhood" threads where everyone pumps the same handful of neighborhoods, and the "rich get richer". So let's hear the underrated neighborhoods and why you think so..

I'll start...

Millvale -

It's a bridge away from Lawrenceville at a lower price. It has easy access to downtown and the Strip. Washington's landing is a stone's throw away. It is a short drive from suburban shopping paradises such as Ross Park Mall and Pittsburgh Mills.

It has a great riverfront park where you can put a kayak in, have a party at the pavillion, or ride your bike only a couple of miles to the north shore and connect with all the other bike paths around town.

It has a ton of character as home to the original Pamela's (best pancakes in town!), Mr Smalls Theatre (many of the best bands coming through town), Mr Smalls Skate Park, The Attic record store, Yetters homemade candies, Jean-Marc Chatellier Bakery, the Lincoln Pharmacy.

It also hosts many events such as weekly farmers market and annual Beer Festival, Wine Festival, and Millvale Days.

The only thing Millvale is missing is some city-data pumping and a bunch of folks that think they are better than everyone else, and it would be the next Lawrenceville!

Millvale is pretty cool, but it can be kinda shady sometimes. I've alot of time outside of Mr. Smalls going in and out of concerts and there can be some shady characters sometimes (but they're probably coming from the concert I'm at). The only real bad thing is that you have to get there from Route 28. That's rough.

My vote for underrated places goes to Baldwin. Cheap houses, low crime, no one bothers you. That's all I need.

[DaBurgh]

Swissvale towards Braddock Hills - nice scenery, outside the city limits (avoid city wage tax), close to parkway, Waterfront, walk to East Busway.

[BrianTH]

Absolutely agree about Millvale.

I'll nominate Swisshelm Park, just because this came up in another thread recently. It is a very peaceful, pleasant neighborhood. It lacks its own commercial district, but it is otherwise very conveniently located.

[tranceFusion]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

The only real bad thing is that you have to get there from Route 28. That's rough.

I don't think you need to use 28 to get to Millvale any more than you do to get to Lawrenceville. There are plenty of local roads to get you places, usually quicker than 28. The construction to widen 28 and eliminate the lights at the bridges would ideally make 28 the most efficient route to get many places, but this is Penndot we are talking about, so I am sure after years of pain, effort, and money, it will look and flow as poorly as it does right now.

[Craziaskowboi]

I nominate Brighton Heights. The housing stock appears to be solid yet affordable; it has a cluster of neighborhood businesses, and it's convenient to many of the high-profile areas of town. From Brighton Heights, you can get to the North Shore in five minutes, downtown Pittsburgh, the North Side and Station Square in less than 10 minutes, the South Side and Strip District in 10 minutes, Uptown in Less than 15 minutes, and Oakland in 15 minutes. You can also get to I-79 in about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on traffic on Ohio River Boulevard.

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by DaBurgh

Swissvale towards Braddock Hills - nice scenery, outside the city limits (avoid city wage tax), close to parkway, Waterfront, walk to East Busway.

Plus down the street from Regent Square and Frick Park, around the corner from Squirrel Hill and decent housing costing less than most new cars

[DaBurgh]

Originally Posted by jimmyev

Plus down the street from Regent Square and Frick Park, around the corner from Squirrel Hill and decent housing costing less than most new cars

Indeed... the area is actually on my short list to buy, once I'm ready. Do you live there? The property taxes seem pretty reasonable too.

[nuwaver88]

The problem with listing neighborhoods like Millvale and Swissvale is that they are not city neighborhoods, although they are right on the fringes and should be just like Homstead, Wilkinsburg and several others. I prefer to stay within city limits because then we can get int to areas like Plum, Oakmont, Cheswick, and that gets pretty boring although some may feel that they are underrated. The city of Pittsburgh has ninety neighborhoods. This thread should be "Most underated neighborhood in Allegheny County."

[Copanut]

Millvale was a great area at one time. 20 years ago I remember getting a camera repaired on the main drag, and at that time business was booming. Not so much now, the repair shop closed and the bank across the street did the same. It's still a very affordable area, but the houses aren't exactly what people want today. Very few homes have 2.5 baths, which is standard, or a 2 car garage. Great place to start out, don't know that I would retire there.