Next Up-Homestead. (Pittsburgh, Liberty, Lawrenceville: renters, crime rate, how much)

[Rocket88]

There is a pretty good show on channel 13 every Wednesday at 7:30pm called Pittsburgh 360. It focuses on places and things in the Pittsburgh area. Last Wednesday there was a good piece on Homestead.
When the Waterfront opened in 1999 at the site of the famed Homestead Works, many felt that this would lead to the revitalization of the Eighth Avenue business district. With the exception of a few token business, this hasn't really transpired. Fifteen years later, this may be changing. As with what happened in the South Side in the 1980s and Lawrenceville in the 1990s, artists are moving into a depressed neighborhood because of inexpensive rents. This is the first good sign. Another good sign is that unlike East Liberty, it does not have to worry about landing a Target or other Big box chains because they are already there at the Waterfront. Just across the Homestead Bridge is Squirrel Hill. Five minutes from that are Oakland and Shadyside. The South Side is just a few miles down the road to the west. Given the location and the fact that housing prices in the aforementioned neighborhoods is pricey and scarce, Homestead is poised to boom in the next five to ten years. Even though Homestead is just outside of city of Pittsburgh limits, I think most people think of it as a somewhat forgotten Pittsburgh neighborhood. If there is one municipality that the city of Pittsburgh should acquire, given it's proximity and historical impact on the Pittsburgh region, it is Homestead. Of course, some of those who are there now who are paying low rent and have their own little somewhat secret enclave may not like the growth. This is typical of the gentrication of any neighborhood.

[Geeo]

I saw the show on WQED last week. It was very good and showed how much is going on in Homestead. I would have never known.

I think Homestead has the chance for revitalization, given all the reasons you mentioned. It's close to the action of the city and it has the infrastructure to support rehabilitation. One of the people interviewed also said that they're not looking to make it the next Shadyside, and they want it to remain affordable, which might be doable. The Library Estates area up the hill does have the potential for pricier housing, since it was developed for mill managers with more substantial housing.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Homestead has got a lot of cool stuff going on but it's crime rate is still really high. If there ever was to be a full scale Lawrenceville-level revitalization it would have happened after the Waterfront opened. That never happened.

The only chance it has of becoming a destination is if Eight Avenue isn't still shady enough to scare people off. I know people who will go to the Waterfront but literally will not go to the other side of the tracks.

[gg]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Homestead has got a lot of cool stuff going on but it's crime rate is still really high.

Homestead is a great location. You have a bike trail to the South Side and city which is flatter than a pancake. Not a bad commute to the East End. It sure has a lot going for it geographically. I don't know if there are good parts and bad parts? I was just there on my bike and loved the access and ride. Possibly the best commute into the city or Oakland of anywhere! I have gone to the stores and movie theater and it is okay for what it is. The downtown is kind of cool. I think there is still hope for that place, but I don't know it very well. It doesn't seem that bad overall. I was just at a funeral there up on the hill and it seemed okay, but not great. Lots of older people, but maybe it was just the streets I was on. It didn't seem dangerous, but it was the middle of a weekday. Is it in decline or is it stable? Could it make a full comeback? I would LOVE to live in that region for cycling. How cool to ride a bike to the South Side and the city with ease and it is long enough to be a little workout.

[Geeo]

Homestead still has some longtime residents from its hub as a steel center, but it's also kind of transient. When industry started to decline, longtime residents started leaving or dying in the 1970s. Many of these people were homeowners. Renters started moving i because it was cheap, but they had no ties to the area - they did not participate in the churches or the lodges, and they were of a lower socio-economic class. This led to more homeowners selling houses, and the cycle started.

[AaronPGH]

How is the local government in Homestead? I think those types of things make a huge difference – what they invest in, what their priorities are, how easy it is to work with them on ideas. To be honest, I haven't really heard of any sort of public welcome wagon being put out there but maybe I haven't been paying attention.

[bluecarebear]

Hell no. Almost every shooting crime on the news seems to be in Homestead. I drive around the SWPA region a lot. From what I am witnessing the inner city revitalization is slowing down and the burbs, including those in Allegheny County are where the growth is being centered.

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by bluecarebear

Hell no. Almost every shooting crime on the news seems to be in Homestead. I drive around the SWPA region a lot. From what I am witnessing the inner city revitalization is slowing down and the burbs, including those in Allegheny County are where the growth is being centered.

Is it possible you have Homestead and Homewood confused?

[Der Schwabe]

It is possible bluecarebear is confused on quite a few things. Though I am curious to hear specific observations of the revitalization slow down.

[speagles84]

Originally Posted by Der Schwabe

It is possible bluecarebear is confused on quite a few things. Though I am curious to hear specific observations of the revitalization slow down.

This. His post doesn't even make sense.