Do Pitt students take the bus downtown? (I'm looking at commerical spaces) (Pittsburgh: neighborhoods, schools)

[pghdude28]

I do recall several people who spent most of their Pitt years without stepping foot in downtown. Maybe they are the more extreme versions, but like the other posters have stated, downtown just isn't a main draw for Pitt. Heck, many Pitt students don't even frequent Craig St. in Oakland.

[I_Like_Spam]

A lot of Pitt commuter students transfer busses in town, but I really don't think it attracts that many students to actually go there.

[eschaton]

IMHO if you want a healthy mix of students and nonstudents, you should go with Bloomfield.

Even if you could afford Oakland rents, basically no one who isn't attending (or works at) Pitt/CMU willingly goes there for something like shopping trips. Maybe if they really like a restaurant, but that's about it.

Shadyside and South Side obviously have a good student/non-student mix, but would be hella expensive for commercial rents. Lawrenceville could work, but I think Bloomfield would get you more students, and assuredly has cheaper commercial rents at this point.

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Even if you could afford Oakland rents, basically no one who isn't attending (or works at) Pitt/CMU willingly goes there for something like shopping trips.

What do you expect? They turned the department store into medical offices. Which reminds me, don't forget the UPMC people. There's whole bunches of them.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by eschaton

IMHO if you want a healthy mix of students and nonstudents, you should go with Bloomfield.

Even if you could afford Oakland rents, basically no one who isn't attending (or works at) Pitt/CMU willingly goes there for something like shopping trips. Maybe if they really like a restaurant, but that's about it.

Shadyside and South Side obviously have a good student/non-student mix, but would be hella expensive for commercial rents. Lawrenceville could work, but I think Bloomfield would get you more students, and assuredly has cheaper commercial rents at this point.

Have to say, my mind wandered to Bloomfield as well. It's entirely unscientific, but I thought the rents would be more reasonable but it would be a place that both students and others would go. The only issue might be if you think you're going to be reliant on a lot of FOOT traffic, it may not be the best mix of foot traffic. The question is, I guess, if you expect this to be more of a destination business or more of an impulse walk in sort of business. If the latter you probably need to pay to get into the spaces with the right foot traffic, be it South Side, Shadyside, whatever and see if your model works for that. If it could lean more towards a destination, then it could work in Lawrenceville or Bloomfield just fine I think.

Another thing to consider is if it should be closer to people's work or home. If work, you could argue Oakland for the variety of workers there, but do they really venture out into shops, etc. that much for work? If closer to home and students aren't your main focus then Oakland may not be right anyway. Downtown is a little marginal on all fronts I'd say unless it's food.

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by Hopes

We finally settled on a business plan that excites everyone involved. I'm in the process of trying to locate the rental. Students will be a portion of our customers, not the main draw but it will be an advantage to be near them. We want Oakland but the rent is super high. I'm looking at Downtown, which has Point Park and Duquesne. I'm just wondering if Pitt students take the bus downtown. Would they take the bus downtown for a destination that appeals to them? I might bite the bullet and due Oakland anyway. I'm just checking out my options.

I must have missed something, Hopes. What kind of business are you opening? I thought you were looking for a place where you could paint.

[SteelCityRising]

I also vote for Bloomfield. While Lawrenceville is currently the "hip" area, Hopes, it is a bit further removed from the core of the East End's population base whereas siting yourself on Liberty Avenue closer to Baum Boulevard will more easily pull people from Shadyside, Friendship, East Liberty, and Oakland to your business. Lawrenceville will pull from Millvale, Polish Hill, and Stanton Heights.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by Moby Hick

What do you expect? They turned the department store into medical offices. Which reminds me, don't forget the UPMC people. There's whole bunches of them.

Department store?

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Moby Hick

What do you expect? They turned the department store into medical offices. Which reminds me, don't forget the UPMC people. There's whole bunches of them.

True, but the fact remains, you don't go to Oakland just to hang.

Since the Upstage closed, I've gone to Oakland on rare occasions to eat somewhere on North Craig, to go to the Carnegie museums or Phipps, or because I had an appointment with a doctor. I can't think of too many people above 25 who aren't grad students who go to Oakland for anything unless there happens to be an interesting show that Pitt or CMU is hosting.

Mind you, I see nothing wrong with Oakland, but the positives of the area aren't worth the negatives of dealing with the student-related congestion. Before the Mad Mex in Shadyside opened up, we'd be more likely to eat at a suburban Mad Mex than go to Oakland, despite it being closer, just because it was a PITA to drive, park, and wait around for a seat during any period but the summer.

[Moby Hick]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Department store?

I've always assumed the Kaufmann Medical Building was a department store at some point in the distant past. I could be wrong.