Developers build in East Liberty while Pittsburgh employment stagnates (Highland Park: safest neighborhood, live)

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by LIRefugee

It's hard to think of any blight in Shadyside now that that house on Walnut between Ivy and Negley is gone. Perhaps the former Articulation at Ellsworth and Spahr is about it.

The area down by Negley Station is semi-blighted. Tons of vacant lots down there and only a few houses still standing. Always seemed weird to me, given you would think it was top property to build a new apartment building.

[LIRefugee]

Originally Posted by eschaton

The area down by Negley Station is semi-blighted. Tons of vacant lots down there and only a few houses still standing. Always seemed weird to me, given you would think it was top property to build a new apartment building.

I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it blight, but it's definitely on the less attractive side of things. Pierce St. as a whole seems like Shadyside's underbelly.

Also, Bovie Electric Supply Co lives on in Google Streetview.

[FreightTrainRunning]

Originally Posted by LIRefugee

I don't know if I'd go so far as to call it blight, but it's definitely on the less attractive side of things. Pierce St. as a whole seems like Shadyside's underbelly.

Also, Bovie Electric Supply Co lives on in Google Streetview.

OK, so the new building is no architectural marvel but it's still better than what was there.

[Geeo]

The Bovie House is much better than what was there. I think there are 12 apartments and they're all leased, with an optician in one of the street-level shops. Pierce Street has always been interesting. It's hard against the railroad tracks behind Ellsworth. I heard that those little rowhouses were built for the domestics who worked in the Shadyside mansions. Up until a few years ago, it was still a little working class encvlave. Then somebody bought them all, rehabbed them and sold them for $150,000 each.

[EveKendall]

Originally Posted by LIRefugee

It's hard to think of any blight in Shadyside now that that house on Walnut between Ivy and Negley is gone. Perhaps the former Articulation at Ellsworth and Spahr is about it.

I always wondered about that house--how was it allowed to deteriorate so much in an area where real estate is pretty valuable?

[CFP]

Originally Posted by LIRefugee

My impression is that s/he doesn't even want East Liberty to revive, I see no "I think think will be terrible but I hope I am wrong" type sentiment from him, just an endless series of "East Liberty is DOOMED" posts

what are you talking about?
look at what i said at 11am, an hour and a half before you made that ridiculous statement
(reading is fundamental)

//www.city-data.com/forum/34044771-post133.html

Originally Posted by CFP

thanks you and don't be concerned about me being banned - i know how to keep it civil
like i have said many times before i am born and bred in this neighborhood
and have many fond memories of having meals, shopping and seeing movies in EL as a kid
it would be great if the area could be returned to that state - i'd be the first one to celebrate it

[ForYourLungsOnly]

In general, I'm fairly happy in the direction East Liberty is going, but it's not all sunshine for me. Many of the new developments have been suburban looking and bland, starting with Bakery Square. That large piece of land had so much potential to be a pedestrian friendly *actual Square with lots of eateries, shops, streetlife, bars, etc. It turned into a slew of parking with some chain stores and fast food, a giant gym, and a bad restaurant/bar. The closing of some of the neighborhoods best establishments (Shadow) are also a huge downfall of the area. As far as the new housing goes, I'm on the fence. Bakery Square 2.0 is set back extremely far from the street, and from the looks of it won't meld into the neighborhood. It will be another set back building that won't add life to the streets. One newer development on Penn and Euclid (East Liberty Place North) is an awful looking building, and the one being build across from it doesn't have a whole lot of potential either. The urban planning so far in this neighborhood's revitalization has been a failure to me. The only development that I know too little about to judge is the massive complex going up by Penn and Centre by Ross Development near the busway extending to the bridge on South Highland. I really hope there is some pedestrian friendly retail and nightlife that ISN'T a chain or mediocre.

There are positives to the neighborhood...the Fifth Third bank building on the corner of Centre and S Highland is great, with nice little stretch of retail including Paris 66, etc. BRGR and Spoon have been nice additions as well. Shadow Lounge is just such a shame to me. I really hope the development plans for Babyland don't turn into what has been proposed thus far (hardware store with lots of parking?) East Liberty has potential to be a PRIME, very urban neighborhood if planned correctly. It has been disappointing so far.

[gg]

Originally Posted by ForYourLungsOnly

In general, I'm fairly happy in the direction East Liberty is going, but it's not all sunshine for me. Many of the new developments have been suburban looking and bland, starting with Bakery Square. That large piece of land had so much potential to be a pedestrian friendly *actual Square with lots of eateries, shops, streetlife, bars, etc. It turned into a slew of parking with some chain stores and fast food, a giant gym, and a bad restaurant/bar. The closing of some of the neighborhoods best establishments (Shadow) are also a huge downfall of the area. As far as the new housing goes, I'm on the fence. Bakery Square 2.0 is set back extremely far from the street, and from the looks of it won't meld into the neighborhood. It will be another set back building that won't add life to the streets. One newer development on Penn and Euclid (East Liberty Place North) is an awful looking building, and the one being build across from it doesn't have a whole lot of potential either. The urban planning so far in this neighborhood's revitalization has been a failure to me. The only development that I know too little about to judge is the massive complex going up by Penn and Centre by Ross Development near the busway extending to the bridge on South Highland. I really hope there is some pedestrian friendly retail and nightlife that ISN'T a chain or mediocre.

There are positives to the neighborhood...the Fifth Third bank building on the corner of Centre and S Highland is great, with nice little stretch of retail including Paris 66, etc. BRGR and Spoon have been nice additions as well. Shadow Lounge is just such a shame to me. I really hope the development plans for Babyland don't turn into what has been proposed thus far (hardware store with lots of parking?) East Liberty has potential to be a PRIME, very urban neighborhood if planned correctly. It has been disappointing so far.

I agree with this. I have no desire to go to Bakery Square, that is for sure. What a dump, but the Coffee Tree is nice and they have live music outside. Never been in there, but it looks like they at least created something out of that little strip mall thingy. The downtown Penn Ave area is still totally empty. The most beautiful church in Pittsburgh sure helps the look, but the rest looks bad. Not sure what it will end up like. Overall, East Liberty is nothing special so far. My hopes are much lower than they once were at the beginning, but it has a long way to go. I thought Penn Ave would be more in tact by now. I don't think there will be the cool street cafe's that I was hoping for with that MASSIVE sidewalk. It is just too sketchy for that at this time.

[ForYourLungsOnly]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I agree with this. I have no desire to go to Bakery Square, that is for sure. What a dump, but the Coffee Tree is nice and they have live music outside. Never been in there, but it looks like they at least created something out of that little strip mall thingy. The downtown Penn Ave area is still totally empty. The most beautiful church in Pittsburgh sure helps the look, but the rest looks bad. Not sure what it will end up like. Overall, East Liberty is nothing special so far. My hopes are much lower than they once were at the beginning, but it has a long way to go. I thought Penn Ave would be more in tact by now. I don't think there will be the cool street cafe's that I was hoping for with that MASSIVE sidewalk. It is just too sketchy for that at this time.

I know Coffee Tree plays the "Acoustic covers" soft rock XM radio station out on the patio area but I've never seen actual live music there.

[Evergrey]

How many "CFP hates East Liberty" threads do we need?