Moving to PA from Chicago (Pittsburgh, Bethel Park: rentals, homes, neighborhood) - Pennsylvania - City-Data Forum

newresident1 · 08-26-2011, 09:21 AM

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry if this question is redundant. I am from Chicago and will be moving to PA in January sometime. I know I still have quite a few months but I need some help getting ideas of where to look for a place to live. My boyfriend is from the Imperial area, but I will be attending school in Monroeville. I want to live in a town where there is more then just a bunch of bars. I was thinking maybe somewhere inbetween the two towns? I think at this point we are comfortable renting but have also talked about buying a place too. Any suggestions would be helpful.

BrianTH · 08-26-2011, 09:45 AM

The whole central area is between Imperial and Monroeville. So it would probably be helpful if you could give us more details about your ideal sort of neighborhood, plus an approximate budget.

Craziaskowboi · 08-26-2011, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newresident1

Hi everyone,

I'm sorry if this question is redundant. I am from Chicago and will be moving to PA in January sometime. I know I still have quite a few months but I need some help getting ideas of where to look for a place to live. My boyfriend is from the Imperial area, but I will be attending school in Monroeville. I want to live in a town where there is more then just a bunch of bars. I was thinking maybe somewhere inbetween the two towns? I think at this point we are comfortable renting but have also talked about buying a place too. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Downtown Pittsburgh is the midpoint between Imperial and Monroeville. I think living on the South Side (across the Monongahela River from downtown) would be good, although East Carson Street is a mile-long nightlife district. It's not all bars, though; there are plenty of good restaurants, coffee shops, etc. on the South Side, plus all the basics like a supermarket, gas stations, etc.

From the South Side, you'll take the Hot Metal Bridge across the river to get to I-376 East to Monroeville. You'll have to deal with potential traffic jams at the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, though. To get to I-376 West to Imperial, you'll take West Carson Street to the West End Circle, and get on U.S. 19 South/PA 51 South, which takes you to I-376 on the other side of the Fort Pitt Tunnel, so you can bypass any potential traffic jams there.

ferraris · 08-26-2011, 01:13 PM

Are you trying to avoid bars, or just find a place that has more than just bars? If you're trying to avoid bars, then the south side is absolutely not for you.

AnneWest · 08-26-2011, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Are you trying to avoid bars, or just find a place that has more than just bars? If you're trying to avoid bars, then the south side is absolutely not for you.

I think her experience may have just been Imperial, since she said

"I want to live in a town where there is more then just a bunch of bars."

More info is indeed needed. Small townish, suburb with shopping within driving distance, or suburb closer to the city? Budget? Schools needed for any children?

gg · 08-27-2011, 06:34 AM

I am not sure what you are looking for, but Mt. Lebanon might be a place to check out.

1. budget
2. children
3. walkable
4. more details what you are looking for.

newresident1 · 08-27-2011, 10:02 AM

Sorry I'll be a little more specific. I am hoping to find an area that is more of a suburb with shopping within decent driving distance. I also enjoy running/biking so somewhere I can feel comfortable doing that would be a plus. I am trying to find a place that will make the both of us happy. I am used to living in a suburb of Chicago where I have access to almost any store/restaurant I need within 15 minutes of my house, if not within walking distance. My boyfriend grew up in the Imperial area, and although I know he wants to get out of that town I don't think he wants to go too far because that is where most of his family lives. We don't have any children right now, but a family friendly area wouldn't hurt. We plan to rent for a few months before buying anything. I think we would like to stay at or under $700/month. Hoping to buy a home within the next year and our budget then will be around $150,000.

Craziaskowboi · 08-27-2011, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newresident1

Sorry I'll be a little more specific. I am hoping to find an area that is more of a suburb with shopping within decent driving distance. I also enjoy running/biking so somewhere I can feel comfortable doing that would be a plus. I am trying to find a place that will make the both of us happy. I am used to living in a suburb of Chicago where I have access to almost any store/restaurant I need within 15 minutes of my house, if not within walking distance. My boyfriend grew up in the Imperial area, and although I know he wants to get out of that town I don't think he wants to go too far because that is where most of his family lives. We don't have any children right now, but a family friendly area wouldn't hurt. We plan to rent for a few months before buying anything. I think we would like to stay at or under $700/month. Hoping to buy a home within the next year and our budget then will be around $150,000.

There are five suburban commercial nodes in the Pittsburgh area: Ross Township (north), Robinson Township (west), Monroeville (east), Bethel Park/Upper St. Clair (southwest) and West Mifflin (southeast). Each of those places has a shopping mall.

In Ross Township, the main commercial corridor is McKnight Road, and the epicenter is Ross Park Mall, which is the most upscale mall in the Pittsburgh area. It's the only mall with Nordstrom as an anchor store, and the only one to have stores like Ann Taylor, Bare Escentuals, BCBG Max Azria, Burberry, Crate & Barrel, Godiva Chocolatier, Joseph A. Bank, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, L.L. Bean, Louis Vuitton, Pottery Barn, Tiffany & Co. and Williams-Sonoma. The exclusivity of those stores has made Ross Park Mall a more regional destination in recent years.

Robinson Township is right next door to Imperial, and there's not so much a commercial "corridor" there as there is a commercial cluster. Most shopping areas are located within a mile of the I-376/U.S. 22/U.S. 30/PA 60 interchange. The Mall at Robinson isn't as upscale as Ross Park Mall, but it's the newest mall in the Pittsburgh area, opening about 10 years ago. IKEA is the big retail destination in Robinson Township, and the Giant Eagle Market District at Settler's Ridge is the largest, most upscale supermarket in western Pennsylvania. And being from Chicago, I'm sure you'll appreciate that Mike Ditka has a restaurant in Robinson Plaza.

Monroeville pretty much has all the eastern suburbs to itself since there's very little shopping to be found in any of the adjacent suburbs. William Penn Highway is the main commercial corridor, and the epicenter is Monroeville Mall. Unfortunately, Monroeville Mall has tumbled a bit in recent years. It's not "dying," but the recent renovations were half-assed, and the closure of Boscov's a few years ago has left the far east end of the mall pretty dark. There's been talk of a Wal-Mart and a movie theater occupying that space soon, so that should reinvigorate the mall.

U.S. 19 south of Pittsburgh straddles the line between Bethel Park and Upper St. Clair, and it's where South Hills Village Mall is. South Hills Village was the first mall built in the Pittsburgh area, and it's the smallest mall in the area as well. Its size is the main reason why the mall doesn't have more upscale stores in spite of having some wealthy suburbs nearby with enough aggregate income to support them.

West Mifflin has seen better days. Century III Mall is the largest mall in the Pittsburgh area, but it's dying because the market nearby is relatively poor, and The Waterfront in nearby Homestead is stealing business. The PA 51/Lebanon Church Road intersection is where most of the action is, and I think that it'll continue to be so even if Century III Mall closes one of these days, but in general, the area is just not very desirable.

In terms of housing prices, $150K should put you firmly in the market in Ross Township, Robinson Township, Monroeville and Bethel Park. Upper St. Clair will be above your price range, and West Mifflin will be below your price range.

In terms of convenience to both Imperial and Monroeville, you're probably going to have to pick one or the other. The difficult terrain in the Pittsburgh area has hindered east-west mobility. North-south mobility is much easier. From Ross Township, it's about 30 minutes to both Imperial and Monroeville except during afternoon rush hour, when it's more like 45 minutes. (You'd be traveling inbound to downtown Pittsburgh, and then outbound to either place.) From Robinson Township, you're no more than 10 minutes from Imperial, but you're on the other side of Pittsburgh from Monroeville. If you live in Monroeville, then you'll get to class easily, but you'll be on the other side of Pittsburgh from Imperial. If you live in Bethel Park, then you'll get to Imperial faster than you'll get to Monroeville, although neither will be especially convenient, and if you live in West Mifflin, then you can forget getting to either place in any reasonable period of time.

BrianTH · 08-29-2011, 08:32 AM

You might check out the Squirrel Hill/Greenfield area. Even though it is in the City it has a somewhat suburban feel, and you would have a reverse commute to Monroeville, and a fairly easy trip to Imperial. It is very family-friendly but has lots of rentals (thanks to being close to the universities). There is lots of shopping in the area or very nearby, and good running and biking, including in a couple huge and nice parks (Schenley and Frick).