The Art Institute of Pittsburgh

[suzeeq521]

I am quite familiar with the area around the AI "dorms" on the North Side.

And honestly, that area isn't bad.

However, according to some acquaintances of mine, the dorms themselves are pretty skanky. It is a complex of buildings, some of which are dedicated strictly as dorms, others which are rented like apartments to non-students.

There seems to be tension between the students and non-students. Also, there seems to be tension between all the residents and the building management. This is when the accusations of skanky always come up.

Also, they don't seem to have any kind of good contingency plan for holidays. When the dorms close, they close - no leaving a day later or coming back a day earlier, let alone folks who can't/don't go home at all.

(I may be the only one who finds this weird, but it seemed like every school that anyone in my family - even my brothers' boarding high school - attended provided some sort of plan - like consolidating all students who didn't go home onto one floor, etc. - for those who wanted/needed to stay.)

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by gallacus

The Art Institute just renovated the Try Street Terminal building in First Side District, which is becoming quite the nice little area of town. The building is now dorms for 650 kids, and there are plans to put street-level retail in on the first floor. I drive right past PNC and the Art Institute dorms every day after work and there's always tons of kids walking to and from their classes. I've never had any experience with the North Side dorms, or if they even still use them, but the dorms in the Try Street Terminal building are really nice and in a good part of town. If you had the choice, I'd definitely try to live in these. On another good note, they are RIGHT across the street from the T station (Pittsburgh's light-rail).

Here's a little article about when they announced the project:
The Art Institute of Pittsburgh - News & Calendar

This is really good stuff, thanks! I am printing all this out to take with us when we visit.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

As a parent of college students myself, I would prefer my freshman in a dorm, rather than at the mercy of the rental market in a strange town. I think there is more safety at least inside the dorms, than if you were in an apt on the N. Shore. College freshmen don't usually have much of an idea of how to run a home. IMO, better to live in the dorms for at least a year, and learn how to do laundry (yes, my kids were doing this for yrs before they went to college, but were surprised at how many others didn't have a clue), buy a few necessary supplies, in general be on your own a little bit. Then, move out into the real thing of cooking, cleaning, etc. This assumes, of course, that the dorms are safe.

Spoken like a mom That truly is my concern - that a traditional dorm might be a better transition into being on his own the first year. Is your college student at school in Pittsburgh?

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

Spoken like a mom That truly is my concern - that a traditional dorm might be a better transition into being on his own the first year. Is your college student at school in Pittsburgh?

No, though I went to Pitt many moons ago and lived in the dorms there for 3 years. One daughter went to college in Minnesota, one went to Indiana but has now transferred home to the U. of Colorado.

RE: holidays - It is my recollection that the Pitt dorms kept some floors open over Thanksgiving, but not over Christmas. I would guess that even then, they would help students make arrangements if it were truly impossible for them to travel home. The colleges my kids went to had specific days one had to be out of the dorms, and/or could move back in. You were supposed to make your plans accordingly or make other arrangements. I am sure they would help you if you found yourself in dire straits.