You love Pittsburgh, but you wish it had... (Erie, North East: middle-class, real estate)

[eschaton]

This could be a nice long thread methinks. Basically, despite probably loving the city, what do you wish could be changed about it?

My list, in no particular order, I wish...

• the city was located a bit further east, closer to the Northeast corridor and the ocean, while still not being directly within it
• there was a better full-time vegetarian restaurant than the Quiet Storm, which gets crappier by the year.
• we had an actual Latino neighborhood. An Asian neighborhood would be nice too. I'll give the latter a few decades though.
• more middle-class families would enroll their kids in PPS, because I think we'd begin to see a dramatic turnaround
• we had a state government which realized the value of mass transit, and wouldn't cut our existing system
• we had more T lines - particularly heading east into the Oakland corridor and where the East Busway is
• the Northside wasn't half-ruined by highways and poor redevelopment choices in the mid 20th century.
• local politics was less dynastic, and it was easier for residents to get involved.
• some form of municipal consolidation was feasible in the region.

I'm sure there's more, but I'll throw it out to the rest of you.

[wyoh]

Originally Posted by eschaton

• there was a better full-time vegetarian restaurant than the Quiet Storm, which gets crappier by the year.

Have you tried the Loving Hut? We haven't been to the one in Pittsburgh yet but the San Fran and D.C. ones were both great. Definitely a weird vibe in their restaurants but the food is good and cheap.

Loving Hut - Pittsburgh, PA

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by wyoh

Have you tried the Loving Hut? We haven't been to the one in Pittsburgh yet but the San Fran and D.C. ones were both great. Definitely a weird vibe in their restaurants but the food is good and cheap.

Loving Hut - Pittsburgh, PA

We went out there a few times. It's an interesting experience, but a haul for us unless we need to make a trip to IKEA.

That said, while they had some of the best vegan cake ever, some of the appetizers honestly came out half frozen. We tend to eat at Mad Mex if we go out that way.

[WhoIsStanwix?]

I'd like to see better development on the riverfronts, particularly the Mon riverfront and both sides of the golden triangle, with restaurants and such. The same way highways ruined the northside, highways/roads ruined the riverfront in the golden triangle, and highways and train tracks occupy or cut off the riverfront in much of the town. Poor long term planning there, though the terrain doesn't really offer many other options, particuarly on the Mon.

[LIRefugee]

Originally Posted by eschaton

• the Northside wasn't half-ruined by highways and poor redevelopment choices in the mid 20th century.

As bad as that is, it isn't nearly as bad as some of the devastation wreaked in other big cities in this country. In some ways Pittsburgh escaped relatively unscathed.

[robrobrob]

Originally Posted by eschaton

This could be a nice long thread methinks. Basically, despite probably loving the city, what do you wish could be changed about it?

My list, in no particular order, I wish...

• the city was located a bit further east, closer to the Northeast corridor and the ocean, while still not being directly within it
• there was a better full-time vegetarian restaurant than the Quiet Storm, which gets crappier by the year.
• we had an actual Latino neighborhood. An Asian neighborhood would be nice too. I'll give the latter a few decades though.
• more middle-class families would enroll their kids in PPS, because I think we'd begin to see a dramatic turnaround
• we had a state government which realized the value of mass transit, and wouldn't cut our existing system
• we had more T lines - particularly heading east into the Oakland corridor and where the East Busway is
• the Northside wasn't half-ruined by highways and poor redevelopment choices in the mid 20th century.
• local politics was less dynastic, and it was easier for residents to get involved.
• some form of municipal consolidation was feasible in the region.

I'm sure there's more, but I'll throw it out to the rest of you.

If we were closer to the North East Corridor our real estate woudn't be as cheap. With regard to the Ocean. Lake Erie is like an ocean. We need to some how promote it and make it a better option for a vacation as opposed to a day trip.

PPS caved to the teachers union a few years ago and let them move out of the city. Clearly, this hasn't help the city schools. Perhaps, Pitt could offer full rides to the top 5% of city high school students.

There are plenty of buses that go from downtown to Oakland but they make too many stops in Uptown.

Most of the suburbs are happy paying higher taxes in exchange for having their own police dept and government. It is really only the very poor municipalities that want consolidation.

[Hopes]

Riverfront residential property all along the rivers, even in the suburban areas.

A beach. But that would require moving Pittsburgh to the ocean or bringing the ocean to Pittsburgh.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

Much improved transit(including taxi service), better utilization of our waterfronts (city and suburbs).

[BrianTH]

High speed rail service.

More rapid transit service (dare I mention urban gondolas?).

More multi-unit residential in our walkable neighborhoods (I could put a long list here).

More investment in transitional/fringe areas (ditto).

A successful, reasonably dense, redevelopment of the Lower Hill site, and the remaining North Shore parcels.

Completion of the Three Rivers Park.

[stevo6]

1. Better and more creative low end food options. Pizza, hot dogs, mexican- that sort of thing. The sameness among pizza shops is notable, and the lack of other options that aren't chains is also unfortunate.
2. More downtown housing. I know its getting better but it has a long way to go.
3. Dryer weather- is that an option?