For Those New to Town (Pittsburgh: appointed, new house, neighborhoods)

[jinxd_13]

I would love to hear the opinions of anyone who has been in Pgh 2 yrs or less. Overall, do you like, love or hate the place? What in particular do you love/hate? Where in town did you move? Where do you wish you had moved? Pipe up, lets hear what you gotta say!!

[kettlepot]

This could be a very interesting post if people respond. Very useful to out of area relocators to get a new person's perspective.

Please give us the particulars. Saying that you wish you had moved to Cranberry Township without saying it's because you wish you had a big new house with a 3-Car garage would leave out a lot of valuable information.

[hinsey86]

We have been here since March although only recently settled down to a permanent residence in Gibsonia. We came from Seattle but have lived all over due to the military. My husband is from Pittsburgh but has been away for 26 years.
No big complaints so far but there are some things I don't like. Of course taxes is a given with residing in Allegheny county but I have no regrets about where we decided to live. I love the Gibsonia area. It is suburbia at its best but close enough to the city for me to get my urban craving met. We wanted to live in the city but were not willing to compromise on a few things. We do not have a McMansion nor did I want one but I did want a good size house for a descent price and with a large yard. We found that in Gibsonia.

I love the rolling hills. Of course they are not the Cascades but I love them just as much.
I also love the crazy streets in the city--although they can be a pain at times. But they have such character.
I also love the history here. I love the architecture of the old skyscrapers and buildings. I am still finding hidden nooks and crannies where there are such neat sculptures on the buildings.
I also love the skyline as I come from the north on 279? (Still learning the highways here.) I love the baseball stadium--the coolest and greatest city view I have seen from a stadium.
As for sports I do find the over the top obsession of the Steelers to be a bit much. Actually the Steelers were my second favorite team when we moved here but I am growing to hate them now. Of course my husband is loving being back among the land of his Steelers!
I love the culture in the different neighborhoods in the city and look forward to exploring those more and more. I have had some great food since I have been here. (Although I miss the million sushi bars I am used to.)
The saddest thing thus far I find about the city is that it is so much of it is so dirty looking. I drive to the South Side for work and often think that with just a bit sprucing up the feel would be so different. Seattle was not a perfect city but it was soooo much cleaner overall as have most cities I have lived in. Cutting the grass and a bit of trash pick up would do wonders.
There are many things I have not yet experienced as our lives have been super hectic since we moved here but I hope by next year my good list grows.
But I do I hate 28!
And also I love the fact that I was able to get a job in my field with such ease. Although that has little to do with the city and more about my resume.

[vwscottie]

I moved here Ocotober 30 2006, so almost a year.

I love how all the neighborhoods are divided and love all they have to offer.

I love the weather.

I love Frick Park.

I love living near Frick Park

I LOVE THE BIKING CULTURE

I love all the VW's down here

I love being in a NFL, NHL, and MLB City
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The streets/roads are the worst I've ever seen

The drivers, well, Im not sure I know what the other drivers problem is, but people love to put themselves into a known traffic tie up day after day and make it worse, and do more to slow traffic down then they do to keep it going.

The police and their attitude toward the public.

[guylocke]

But I do I hate 28!

Fret not. Rt 28 is an absolute mess and nightmare right now because they are doing so much work on it (which in the end, will definitely improve it). But I've traveled Rt 28 all my life, have done it in and out of traffic, and do it at least a couple times per week to go home to my parents. It is, without question, one of the easiest and less-delayed routes that exists to get in and out of the city. You'll see -once all this construction is gone, but doesn't seem like that will be anytime soon!! LOL!!

If you want my opinion, be grateful you live somewhere that you can use Rt 28! It is much better than most directions, believe me.

[jinxd_13]

Thanx so much Hinsey. It seems the things you love are the things that are drawing me to the city!
Scottie, I can't wait to be another one of the Vdubs you love. We can run circles around those slow a$$ drivers and teach 'em a lesson I honestly can't wait to drive around there. Having grown up in 2 different hilly, if not mountainous, places. New Orleans has got to the single most boring place to drive. Bad, and I mean really bad, straight, flat roads. They tell me to "go down the hill" around here and I am like, "what hill?". I look forward to some butterfly hills (was that what you called them, Boylocke?) and some curves!!

[oktaren]

Ive been here for just over 6 months, never hated a place so much in my life.

the roads and the rest of the infrastucture are 30 years behind. Like someone else mentioned, the roads are the worst in the country. It isn't easy to get anywhere.

I don't find the people that are actual pittsburghers to be very nice or congenial.

There are alot of jobs here, which is why I moved in the first place. but after 6 months i am very tired of it here, can't wait to get out.

[Rona]

Been here since July (arrived 4th and was welcomed by fireworks everywhere).
The roads and general infrastructure are pretty poor - and why do they have all the power cables overhead? Ugly, and not very clever when there are so many trees...
Love the museums and galleries, the free concerts and films in the parks.
Hate not being able to let my dog run free.
Find alcohol selling bizarre.
Disappointed at poor recycling facilities.
Ditto public transport.
Love the big parking spaces, hate the big cars.
Hate that huge amounts of tax go on schools when I have no kids!
Love the fact that complete strangers stop to help when you're looking at a map, trying to read a notice, looking pzzled.
Hate the television.
Love the history, and that people are proud of it.
Amazed by the old fashioned lorries and cars.
Love the fountain going pink!
Hate the dirty streets and sad, falling down buildings.
Love the different areas with different characters.
Amazed that words I use are not universal ("I'm off for a fortnight on holiday" got blank looks). I expected the colloquial ones to get that reaction, but this is queen's English!
Love the trees.
Scared by the fact that guns are so easy to buy.
Amazed that venison is so difficult to buy.
Hate the humidity.
Love the fact that so many people have said "Welcome to Pittsburgh!"
Puzzled by the fact that, when they know I'm Scottish, loads of people with American accents instantly tell me they're from Scotland, England or Ireland. They know where their families came from and often can tell you their family motto, but they've never actually been to the place they "come from".
Love that you can buy such a variety of food stuffs in the shops, particularly the fish.
Wish there wasn't so much sugar in everything.
Stunned that people here seem still interested in Diana Spencer.
Overall - not the best place in the world I've lived, not the worst, we've met some great, friendly, helpful people here (some Pittsburghers, some not) and we really are beginning to feel at home. I've even learnt to drive on the wrong side of the road...

[hinsey86]

Originally Posted by Rona

Been here since July (arrived 4th and was welcomed by fireworks everywhere).
Disappointed at poor recycling facilities.
Ditto public transport.
...

I agree with these dislikes. In Seattle they nearly forced people to recycle by charging more for putting out more garbage. I am having a hard time getting an extra recycle bin here. We have become accustomed to recycling so much that the small bins just don't get it.
I do like that Pittsburgh is leading the way for green buildings though--hopefully recycling is not far away.

And so far I love the Spring, summers and fall here. I am in fear of the winters though!

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by boylocke

Fret not. Rt 28 is an absolute mess and nightmare right now because they are doing so much work on it (which in the end, will definitely improve it). But I've traveled Rt 28 all my life, have done it in and out of traffic, and do it at least a couple times per week to go home to my parents. It is, without question, one of the easiest and less-delayed routes that exists to get in and out of the city. You'll see -once all this construction is gone, but doesn't seem like that will be anytime soon!! LOL!!

If you want my opinion, be grateful you live somewhere that you can use Rt 28! It is much better than most directions, believe me.

There should be two restrictions for driving on 28

1. You should have to demonstrate you can handle your vehicle over 45mph

2. You should have to demonstrate you are over a certain IQ. Together one permit would be issued to drive on this road.