Homestead (Munhall, Carnegie, West Homestead: relocate, estate, apartments)

[Elder18]

Anyone have a strong opinion on Homestead? It's nearby but I haven't made it over there yet.

Is it worth my time?

Thanks.

[Geeo]

There are two Homesteads: The Waterfront "Lifestyle Center" and the historic town, one cut off from the other. The Waterfront is a couple hundred acre collection of big box stores, a fake Main Street with a Starbucks in the Town Square, lots of chain restaurants, and apartments along the river. It's on the site of the historic Homestead Work of US Steel.

The other Homestead is the actual town, which is a classic industrial town from the late 19th and early 20th century. The main drag, Eighth Avenue, is a shadow of its former self, and most of the buildings are still standing, but empty. Drive up the hill off the main drag and find the magnificent Carnegie Library, which has been restored and is in use. Patti Smith played there last weekend. Around the library is an area called Library Estates, which contains substantial houses that belonged to the mill superintendents and other affluent people, many of which are also restored.

Homestead has lots of interesting churches, and the bulk of the town (which is really three towns: Homestead, Munhall and West Homestead) contain mill worker housing that is in a wide state of repair. Some are well-kept, some not.

An interesting point is that the site of the eastern end of the Waterfront development has undergone two transformations in the last 70 years. It used to be a residential area, and 8,000 people were relocated to expand the mill during World War II. When the mill died in 1986, it too was razed to build the shopping complex in the late 90s.

While I appreciate the redevelopment that the Waterfron brought, it is pretty much like any other shopping center/mall, and it turns its back on the town. I understand that developers don't want to build anything within sight of anything unpleasant, or else it wouldn't attract the shoppers that they need.

But Homestead itself is a fascinating place with a rich history. It's kind of a microcosim of what happens when the one industry in a one industry town goes away. Lots of poor people and senior citizens are left when those who could move away.

I believe that once a month, the Steel Heritage Task Force offers walking tours of the Carrie Furnaces (the surviving piece of the mill located across the river).

[prototypepariah]

The strip mall is good and depending on where you are located it fulfills many day-to-day needs. The town itself is pretty run down and not so much fun to see...I didn't feel particularly unsafe driving around but there really is no reason to go there outside of the library and the strip mall.