I recently visited Bridgeville.... (Pittsburgh, Upper St. Clair: real estate, housing, rent)

[tommygoat]

... A very nice community with a walkable main street. Anyone have even the smallest personal input about shopping, living, and convenience of doing business in Bridgeville? It would be much appreciated. I have googled fairly deep, but I could have missed the obvious angle or your invaluable first hand personal info on the community scene.

Thanks, Tom

[new2theNC]

I lived in Bridgeville for a few months last year, right along Washington Avenue (maybe the "main street" you refer to, either that or Bank street, Washington has all the little shops and restaurants and stuff). I have to say it's decent, there's not a ton to do, the Rhythm house (bar) is about 1/4 mile down the road and there's like 2 bars along the main strip. Not really much for shopping at all either.

The traffic isn't bad, it gets pretty busy going up towards Heidelberg during the day, but 79 is right up off Washington Avenue so you have easy access, but either way the actual Bridgeville area is congested to get around on weekends and during rush hour in a car. Parking is metered everywhere as well, so make sure you get a parking spot with your apartment because you'll go nuts without one.

Bridgeville Police are known to be hardasses and keep the crime way down in the area, there always making drug busts the second they suspect something so it's really good as far as crime goes, they always patrol the main strip so living there is definitly safe.

I liked living there, the rents for apartments above the shops and stuff on Washington is dirt cheap and alot of them are really nice, I got the entire top floor above a dentists office for 475 a month, 2 bedrooms and completely re done inside, real clean and everything. Some places I looked at with 1 bedroom were like 350 a month so it's about as cheap as it goes in Pittsburgh without bein anywhere close to any bad areas. You're actually right near some of the nicest areas around, Upper St. Clair and Collier are both upscale places and South Fayette's pretty much that way too.

Sorry if thats a ton to read, i got carried away there I guess

[tommygoat]

new2theNC. Thanks, that is exactly the type of info I'm looking for! I am actually scouting small business locations along Washington Ave. So, a high traffic count is desirable. I visited The Rhythm House one night for fun. I also ate dinner at Burgh's Pizza Wing. I saw several buildings for sale/lease. The surrounding upscale neighborhoods are encouraging. That's what drew me to the area. The fact that it has ramps to I79 at both ends of town is a big plus for access as well. I am also scouting homes in the same area.

[new2theNC]

Hm well just be careful about housing hunting in that immediate area because some the areas right off Washington are less than desirable (not bad or anything, just prob. the worst part of Bridgeville IMO). If you're looking for a house, check a lil farther off Washington Avenue, down on Bank St. is a great part of the neighborhood and is only 5-10 minutes walking from Washington Avenue. But yeah, Washington Ave. is a good place to have a little business, it gets more foot traffic than you would think and the traffic can get real busy like I said, esp. down by Burghs and right at the intersection of Washington and Station a bit up the road

[Hopes]

But he could find a horse farm or a house with some land in the area on the other side of I79 which is rather rural.

[tommygoat]

Hey, thanks for the extra input! I do like the corner of Washington & Station! The huge brick building on the corning is for sale. Was the 'Bridgeville Diner' open when you where there? That space is currently available and the building is huge as well. It does seem like a great business district, but many empty spaces worries me just a little.

My other concern is flooding from Chartiers Creek. Anyone know how that small area was/is effected by floods? It appears that specific corner is the high spot in town? I know 'Ivan' wrecked some nearby areas.

A farm would surely be a sweet setting, but in reality I am not ready for the tractor life of cutting grass in the summer kind of guy. More like two car garage with auto-door type, hopefully in a house that is pretty much done.

[tommygoat]

BTW - There is a cool old building on Railroad Street for $200k. Behhind the gas station. Directly across the street from the library and that old caboose car. Is that a dead zone for traffic? I asssume Washington Ave. is the place to be seen?

[new2theNC]

Originally Posted by tommygoat

Hey, thanks for the extra input! I do like the corner of Washington & Station! The huge brick building on the corning is for sale. Was the 'Bridgeville Diner' open when you where there? That space is currently available and the building is huge as well. It does seem like a great business district, but many empty spaces worries me just a little.

My other concern is flooding from Chartiers Creek. Anyone know how that small area was/is effected by floods? It appears that specific corner is the high spot in town? I know 'Ivan' wrecked some nearby areas.

A farm would surely be a sweet setting, but in reality I am not ready for the tractor life of cutting grass in the summer kind of guy. More like two car garage with auto-door type, hopefully in a house that is pretty much done.

Yeah the Diner is pretty prime real estate, it was open for years but for some reason never caught on as a popular place to go, mainly because it was only open for breakfast. But nontheless everyone knew where it was despite never going there, so it says something about the location and visibility of the place.

Chartiers Creek flooded pretty bad back in 2004, but not really along Washington Avenue. Mainly along Baldwin street and McLaughin Run (2 other crappy parts of Bville) was the significant damage.


I wouldn't worry too much about the many vacant places, it's mainly because alot of them aren't very big and the options for a store is quite limited, thats why it's mainly lawyers and dentists and CPA's. But either way, everyone in the area knows that the main strip is safe so residents won't be deterred from stopping in if they see something they like.

[new2theNC]

Originally Posted by tommygoat

BTW - There is a cool old building on Railroad Street for $200k. Behhind the gas station. Directly across the street from the library and that old caboose car. Is that a dead zone for traffic? I asssume Washington Ave. is the place to be seen?

That particular location has had it's fair share of businesses come and go. Not sure why, but they just don't seem to do well, it's very close to the creek and right by the Baldwin Road area that I mentioned above that isn't so great. I'd advise you to avoid there for a business, Washington Avenue seems like a much more appealing option to me.

[tommygoat]

Thanks a million! That affirms my basic gut reaction to the area, and Railroad St.

Anyone else have Bridgeville info? I can't make a move until atleast summer 2008, but I'm digging hard now for vital insider information...

Thanks Tom