moving to pittsburgh in late dec 2007 (Liberty, Highland Park: fit in, 2013, apartment complex)

[new2pitt]

My wife and I are moving to pitt in late december 2007. we had seen an [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]apartment[/color][/color] (broken link) complex (highland park club) located on north negley and wellesely ave. The area is officially highland park, but I think it might be a few blocks from east liberty area. Does anyone know about safety in these areas, and in particular about this apartment complex? We will have a car, but will have to park in the street.

It also seems quite difficult to find apartments that are in modern condition that are close to the university area. Does anybody know of a good place?

Thanks in advance.http://www.pittsburghindian.com/board/templates/Aeolus/images/spacer.gif (broken link)

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by new2pitt

My wife and I are moving to pitt in late december 2007. we had seen an [COLOR=orange! important][COLOR=orange! important]apartment[/color][/color] (broken link) complex (highland park club) located on north negley and wellesely ave. The area is officially highland park, but I think it might be a few blocks from east liberty area. Does anyone know about safety in these areas, and in particular about this apartment complex? We will have a car, but will have to park in the street.

It also seems quite difficult to find apartments that are in modern condition that are close to the university area. Does anybody know of a good place?

Thanks in advance.http://www.pittsburghindian.com/board/templates/Aeolus/images/spacer.gif (broken link)

I know exactly where it is. We actually looked in that area when we moved. Highland Park does indeed border East Liberty, but you are much closer to the park (the nicer area) than you are East Liberty. We drove the area at around 11pm at night many times to see what it is like.

[vwscottie]

And by the way, the closest thing to modern looking apartments near Pitt/CMU seem to be in the area of Bayard Street where Shadyside borders Oakland.

[new2pitt]

thanks vwscottie. Any reason you are willing to share regarding why you didn't move to the highland park complex? I did look in shadyside, but apts seemed overpriced for their condition.

On somewhat the same topic, how about the area near st. mary's cemetery and the new children's hospital? I saw a decent apartment on penn avenue there, but a few blocks down things didn't look so nice as I drove around. however this seems to be the trend in pitt, good areas and not so good areas right next to each other. I wonder if I should look much further out, and resign myself to driving to the university.

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by new2pitt

thanks vwscottie. Any reason you are willing to share regarding why you didn't move to the highland park complex? I did look in shadyside, but apts seemed overpriced for their condition.

On somewhat the same topic, how about the area near st. mary's cemetery and the new children's hospital? I saw a decent apartment on penn avenue there, but a few blocks down things didn't look so nice as I drove around. however this seems to be the trend in pitt, good areas and not so good areas right next to each other. I wonder if I should look much further out, and resign myself to driving to the university.

You are 100 percent correct about good constantly bordering not so good.

When we moved, we looked at Highland Park, Friendship, Regent Square, and I was currently living in Shadyside so looked there too, but as you stated, for what we wanted together, to much money. We drove through these areas at all times of the day. There are two reasons we did not move to Highland Park, well, actually three or four. Number one was we love living in a neighborhood where we can walk to dinner, shop, get coffee, bike, so on. Highland Park has a "business district", but blink and you'll miss it. Reason number two was, after driving through at night, there are alot of people, especially closer to the border of Highland Park/East Liberty just wandering Negley at night. Stanton Avenue is the border and I said if we were to move there, we would actually move closer if not in the area you are looking. Reason three, no off street parking. I was blessed deeply with a garage for my car in our new home, but would never park it on a Pittsburgh city street permanently. I however am anal about my car, but it disgusts me to see people bumping others cars to fit into a parking spot. Fourth, there is a huge high rise near where you are looking in Highland Park, and we researched the rental company and read alot of bad reviews.

[NowACityGirl]

I moved to Pittsburgh 2 months ago from a small town in PA. We looked at apartments in Shadyside, but like you said, they were way overpriced for the condition. I found this apartment on Stanton (Highland Park/borders East Lib.) and it is a very, very nice apartment. I love it, it's huge, and it's very well priced. The neighborhood isn't that bad, really...I don't venture outside too long in the night, but I don't really have reason to. It's not that bad of an area, and the apts generally are very reasonably priced. There's a really awesome coffee house at the corner of Negley/Stanton that is a church and they have awesome coffee and sandwiches. Good luck, and welcome to Pittsburgh!

[new2pitt]

Well, we finally picked an aptmt in shadyside, more for the convenience of getting to the university and because they had off-street parking. We got a 6 month lease so we can look around for better places afterwards. That way we have a chance to really get to know the area.

I actually called up the pittsburgh police, and they have an officer (Mike Gay) who is very nice. He can answer your questions about all the different areas in terms of safety.

Thanks for all the great responses and information. At least now I know where to go for a great coffee place!

[vwscottie]

Originally Posted by new2pitt

Well, we finally picked an aptmt in shadyside, more for the convenience of getting to the university and because they had off-street parking. We got a 6 month lease so we can look around for better places afterwards. That way we have a chance to really get to know the area.

I actually called up the pittsburgh police, and they have an officer (Mike Gay) who is very nice. He can answer your questions about all the different areas in terms of safety.

Thanks for all the great responses and information. At least now I know where to go for a great coffee place!

Enjoy Shadyside, I sure did. I think it's the ultimate place to live in Pittsburgh, you can walk everywhere, to Giant Eagle and and all the great coffee shops and eateries.

[roothead1]

Don't move to Pittsburgh. There is absolutely nothing fun to do.

[kpoeppel]

ummm...for all of Pittsburgh's shortcomings, I don't think a lack of having fun stuff to do is one of them. There's all kinds of fun stuff to do in the 'Burgh.