Mount Oliver?? (Pittsburgh, Robinson Township, Brownsville: rentals, home, neighborhoods)

[wep561]

Hi, I'm hoping that some of you fine 'bergers will be kind enough to give me some info about Mt. Oliver. I've been able to find very little so far.
I hope to move to Pittsburgh sometime soon after the New Year and I'm thinking about buying an old brick home on the west side of Brownsville Road near Transverse Park. It needs interior rehab but the structure is solid and in good condition. I'm a building contractor in Southeast Florida and will be doing the entire renovation myself. Not interested in rentals or flippers. Just a nice home to live in myself with my 18 year old son.
I was born in Pittsburgh but never lived there so my knowledge is limited. We fly up a couple of times per year to go to Heinze Field for Steeler games and we stay at the Marriot in Robinson Township. It's only a weekend thing with no time to explore the city.
The reason that I'm interested in Mt. Oliver is because I'm seeing some very nice, clean and what appear to be well kept residential areas on the west side of Brownsville Rd. I've been cruising the neighborhood streets for a few days on Google Street and the area looks good.
A couple of weeks ago I was at a local sports bar here watching the Steelets-Jets game and asked a couple of Pittsburgers about Mt. Oliver. Their response was "Stay away from Mt. Oliver. It's the herion capitol of Pittsburgh and there are alot of shootings and robberies there."
Could someone please elaborate on this? Is Mt. Oliver a bad place for a single white guy with an 18 year old son? The local school system is not a concern since my son has already graduated high school and would be attending UPitt.
Any response will be appreciated. Thanks.

[Seaharbour]

I would also be worried too, not so sure I would go there...I know the east hills has ALOT of bad areas..have to go through a bad area to get to a good type deal....but I never heard of Mt Oliver...it might be true...and me...i am ultra paranoid bout bad areas, I will not even drive through a rough area in the daytime, life is too precious to me and my child needs a mother! I would ask more people offline than online but it can't hurt to find out here as well too, I would be interestd in knowing too! We are burghers btw not bergers! Welcome!

[BVH]

I lived in Mt. Oliver VERY briefly once. It is not a great area, imo. It is basically a white ghetto.

[Seaharbour]

Glad you moved out of there BVH! I now willl steer clear of the place myself! Well, when we move up that way, that is!!!

[wep561]

Originally Posted by BVH

I lived in Mt. Oliver VERY briefly once. It is not a great area, imo. It is basically a white ghetto.

Can you tell me a street name of where you lived? I'd like to look at what a white ghetto is since I don't know much about that stuff. The area that I'm talking about is definately not ghetto area although I'm sure there are probably some places like that in other areas of Mt. Oliver. But I've looked at many neighborhoods in Pittsburgh that seem to follow that pattern.
Thanks for the response.

[wep561]

Originally Posted by Seaharbour

I would also be worried too, not so sure I would go there...I know the east hills has ALOT of bad areas..have to go through a bad area to get to a good type deal....but I never heard of Mt Oliver...it might be true...and me...i am ultra paranoid bout bad areas, I will not even drive through a rough area in the daytime, life is too precious to me and my child needs a mother!

Sure, I can understand your point SeaHarbor. Being former USMC I can say that I am definately well educated in both leathal and not leathal self defense. But the latest generation of criminal mind has absolutely no regard for human life in most cases and this element is what I hope to avoid. I'm more concerned for my son than anything else.
Thanks.

[BVH]

Originally Posted by wep561

Can you tell me a street name of where you lived? I'd like to look at what a white ghetto is since I don't know much about that stuff. The area that I'm talking about is definately not ghetto area although I'm sure there are probably some places like that in other areas of Mt. Oliver. But I've looked at many neighborhoods in Pittsburgh that seem to follow that pattern.
Thanks for the response.

I lived on the "main drag" right near where it splits into a Y intersection, to the left. I was there so briefly that I cannot remember the name of the street, but, it was virtually "main street". :-(

You are definately correct though. pittsburgh neighborhoods can DEF go block-by-block in so far as quality of the neighborhood is concerned.

[wep561]

Originally Posted by BVH

I lived on the "main drag" right near where it splits into a Y intersection, to the left.

I think that might be where Brownsville Road intersects with Arlington Ave and turns into 18th St.

[cariad]

The Y intersection the other poster is referring to may be where Bausman, Brownsville, and I think Hays? meet. It is one red light towards Carrick from Arlington. I used to work in this area a lot. Neither DH(USMC vet) nor I recommend living in this area at all.

[BVH]

Originally Posted by cariad

The Y intersection the other poster is referring to may be where Bausman, Brownsville, and I think Hays? meet. It is one red light towards Carrick from Arlington. I used to work in this area a lot. Neither DH(USMC vet) nor I recommend living in this area at all.

Yes! It was Hays street. I literally heard gunshots while there.