Potential Move to Pittsburgh - Have a Few Questions (Washington: apartment, rentals)

[Lobick]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

Oh please! The $350K-$500K price range and you want them to live in the Mexican War Streets? STOP IT! Shadyside is a much better place to live with Walnut and Ellsworth. Seriously, what are you going to tell me compares to that in the North Side?????? The dump of a Giant Eagle next to the old Sunoco? FFS, you have to be kidding. These people are not in the under 200K price range. They can afford Shadyside. I realize that some people in the Mexican War Streets want them to move there, but I cannot let if fly as a real estate mogul for many years. Put your money into an area that is and has been a winner for a very long time. You can afford to buy in an established place. Goodness!

I agree there are more places to purchase with that budget in Shadyside, no doubt but increasingly I find that the East End doesn't meet my sensibilities and others may feel that way too. Walnut always felt pretentious and manufactured to me. I got enough of Shadyside when I was an undergrad of CMU and as a grad student mostly avoided the area, despite most of my classmates living there. I prefered the Southside of ten years ago so that's where I lived. Not sure I'd make the same decision today, regardless of budget, but still wouldn't live in Shadyside before some other hoods.

If status shopping matters all that much, I'm much closer to Ross Park Mall in the War Streets than I would be in Shadyside. Most people still probably drive to the supermarket, even living in Shadyside, so you're not bound to the Geagle on Cedar.

Whatever, to each his own, which is all I suggested, just check it out. You can have Fox Chapel and Shadyside, personally I'll live someplace with a soul.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Lobick

I agree, it was admittedly tangential and that's why I tried not to dwell. I suspect that it's probably not a big factor in his decision given the OP's demographic. It was the thought that the War Streets didn't have businesses that "catered" to the LGBT demographic (apparently solely "gay bars" for SCR) whatever that means that I found objectionable and in need of rebuttal.

It's worthy to note to SCR, that the OP said the following:

Originally Posted by UpstateNYNative

Our experience in Minneapolis has been that the GLBT community lives throughout the city and there is not really any one particular "gay" neighborhood. This is great, but I know it's not the case in all cities.

That's a clear indication to me that you have a more accurate grasp of what's important to the OP.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Lobick

I agree...

[gg]

Originally Posted by Lobick

Most people still probably drive to the supermarket, even living in Shadyside, so you're not bound to the Geagle on Cedar.

Whatever, to each his own, which is all I suggested, just check it out. You can have Fox Chapel and Shadyside, personally I'll live someplace with a soul.

Shadyside has that cool new walkway going in so people can walk to Whole Foods. It really is special and very flat.

As far as people with sole, that doesn't have boundaries geographically. I think you will find people with and without everywhere. Believe me, there are lots of people with sole in Fox Chapel. Lots of them give huge amounts of money for great causes as well. I can't get over what some do for others around here and what donations are made to great causes. Some may say, oh they have money anyway, it means nothing to them. It is sad some people don't appreciate what some folks do. They don't have to do anything, but many do and in a huge way! Someone just donated over $100K to the friends of the Riverfront to help promote that new park in Aspinwall. What a great gift to the future of the are for our children. Of course UPMC wanted to make the riverfront area a parking lot. Such class!

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Lobick

I agree, it was admittedly tangential and that's why I tried not to dwell. I suspect that it's probably not a big factor in his decision given the OP's demographic. It was the thought that the War Streets didn't have businesses that "catered" to the LGBT demographic (apparently solely "gay bars" for SCR) whatever that means that I found objectionable and in need of rebuttal.

I didn't mean to partially hijack this thread either, and I do apologize for my part in it. Perhaps those of you who grew up in and have lived in larger urbanized areas for the vast majority of your lives have become jaded to how much of a "liberal mecca" Pittsburgh truly is, but I can safely say you need only cross this state to go to a place like Schuylkill County or even Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to experience an area that is socially regressive due to the reluctance of the general populace to educate themselves on life in general. The dense concentration of people who just were hellbent on keeping Scranton/Wilkes-Barre stuck as the nation's laughing-stock was just one of many factors that led me to relocate. For God's sake the people there actually view higher education as a BAD thing (ask people on the NEPA sub-forum for their opinions about the University of Scranton, for example), yet they also wonder why they have to power-commute to NYC to work.

Matthew Shepard wasn't tortured and murdered all that long ago, and the uneducated right-wing parts of our society who championed such a despicable crime still does exist outside of that "liberal bubble" that is Pittsburgh. You mean to tell me, Lobick, that if I went to a bar in Kittanning, per se, and told a guy sitting next to me that he had beautiful eyes that I wouldn't be at-risk of being sucker-punched? Pittsburgh is an incredibly brilliant, "progressive", and open-minded cultural oasis amidst the otherwise vast cultural right-wing wasteland that is "Pennsyltucky". Take it from someone who HAS lived elsewhere in our state besides just Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

[gg]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Matthew Shepard wasn't tortured and murdered all that long ago, and the uneducated right-wing parts of our society who championed such a despicable crime still does exist outside of that "liberal bubble" that is Pittsburgh. You mean to tell me, Lobick, that if I went to a bar in Kittanning, per se, and told a guy sitting next to me that he had beautiful eyes that I wouldn't be at-risk of being sucker-punched? Pittsburgh is an incredibly brilliant, "progressive", and open-minded cultural oasis amidst the otherwise vast cultural right-wing wasteland that is "Pennsyltucky". Take it from someone who HAS lived elsewhere in our state besides just Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

This is very true and should be taken seriously. Pittsburgh is cool, but get out of this area, it can be different. Could Shepard happen in PA? I think it would be rare, but my answer would have to be yes, out of protection for the person asking me. It can get pretty backwards in the middle of this state.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I didn't mean to partially hijack this thread either, and I do apologize for my part in it. Perhaps those of you who grew up in and have lived in larger urbanized areas for the vast majority of your lives have become jaded to how much of a "liberal mecca" Pittsburgh truly is, but I can safely say you need only cross this state to go to a place like Schuylkill County or even Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to experience an area that is socially regressive due to the reluctance of the general populace to educate themselves on life in general. The dense concentration of people who just were hellbent on keeping Scranton/Wilkes-Barre stuck as the nation's laughing-stock was just one of many factors that led me to relocate. For God's sake the people there actually view higher education as a BAD thing (ask people on the NEPA sub-forum for their opinions about the University of Scranton, for example), yet they also wonder why they have to power-commute to NYC to work.

Matthew Shepard wasn't tortured and murdered all that long ago, and the uneducated right-wing parts of our society who championed such a despicable crime still does exist outside of that "liberal bubble" that is Pittsburgh. You mean to tell me, Lobick, that if I went to a bar in Kittanning, per se, and told a guy sitting next to me that he had beautiful eyes that I wouldn't be at-risk of being sucker-punched? Pittsburgh is an incredibly brilliant, "progressive", and open-minded cultural oasis amidst the otherwise vast cultural right-wing wasteland that is "Pennsyltucky". Take it from someone who HAS lived elsewhere in our state besides just Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

Why would you tell a random guy in a bar that he has beautiful eyes? That's not even how men successfully pick up women. You remind me of girlfriends who only dated married men and then cried they couldn't find someone who would make a committment. A bar is the LAST PLACE to find love, regardless of your sexual orientation. If you're simply trying to live the gay stereotype of the 80s, I sure hope you're using condoms and going to the health department regularly for free testing.

But what the HELL does any of this have to do with Pittsburgh's neighborhoods when you've admitted that Pittsburgh is a safe "liberal bubble?"

[Yac]

People please. Focus on helping the OP, you can discuss anything you want (Pittsburgh related) in other threads, you can start your own. But here, stay on topic.
Yac.

[Lobick]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

As far as people with sole, that doesn't have boundaries geographically. I think you will find people with and without everywhere. Believe me, there are lots of people with sole in Fox Chapel. Lots of them give huge amounts of money for great causes as well. I can't get over what some do for others around here and what donations are made to great causes. Some may say, oh they have money anyway, it means nothing to them. It is sad some people don't appreciate what some folks do. They don't have to do anything, but many do and in a huge way! Someone just donated over $100K to the friends of the Riverfront to help promote that new park in Aspinwall. What a great gift to the future of the are for our children. Of course UPMC wanted to make the riverfront area a parking lot. Such class!

Not at all what I was talking about, indulgences have nothing to do with it and fwiw I'm sure everyone in FC has a sole, probably at least two.

Hope some of this has helped the OP, although I fear not.

My advice stands to check out the North Side prior to settling down anywhere, I think we've got a good thing going that would mesh with you outlined "wants". Should your search lead you elsewhere, great, but fully informed decisions are the best kind.

[ferraris]

One thing I want to point out about Shadyside's nightlife is that it caters generally to a very young demographic. I have been to 5801 (one of the gay bars there), and It was primarily 20-somethings. The Mexican War Streets area would cater more to the OPs age range, and is closer to all of the cultural ammenities downtown.

Though they certainly have the budget for Shadyside if they'd like, it's not like the Mexican War Streets are full of $50K homes anymore. For the nicest homes on the nicest blocks, the range seems to be 200K - 300K, a larger home right on North Ave was just listed at half a million I was told. If OP looks into it and it comes down to Shadyside vs. Mexican War Streets it's really a question of Shadyside's Prestige and Shopping/Nightlife vs Mexican War Streets' more bang for your buck on homes, proximity to downtown, and older gay demographic. No reason for them to spend the extra money just because they have it, it should be something they do only if they decide Shadyside is the best place for them.

Incidentally, if I had that budget I would probably choose Downtown itself.