East End or Bust! (Pittsburgh, Oakland: crime, houses, neighborhoods)

[WhoIsStanwix?]

Since it comes up in practically every thread, I'll go ahead and state it: The East End is the center of Pittsburgh's universe. It's the only part of town with a land connection to the golden triangle. It houses the second most active CBD in town in Oakland, as well as the majority of higher education institutions. Many people who live here can't imagine leaving, and others who live elsewhere resent snooty East Enders for thinking the City of Pittsburgh = East End. Obviously, topography plays into this quite a bit, as well as historical development patterns.

The real question is: Is it a problem for some neighborhoods in one section of the city to be priced much higher on average and perceived to be much more desirable relative to, say, the West End, much of the North Side, and many of the southern neighborhoods?

Is this perception causing other parts of town to miss out on their fair share of public and private development funding?

I will go ahead and say my opinion is, no, having one section of the city be perceived as more desirable than other parts isn't a bad thing, and it's a perfectly normal situation. To use an organizational leadership analogy, you play to your strengths. Continue to build upon these strengths, don't completely neglect your weaknesses but do not focus the majority of your energy on them, and your whole team becomes stronger.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

I appreciate your honesty.

But I never want to hear you snobs make fun of the locals for not wanting to cross rivers again.

[Der Schwabe]

If anything, it is a good thing in the long run for the rest of the city. It is often the center of the universe for people who move to town and love proximity to the universities. I would not say, though, that it has the best connections to downtown necessarily. Land connection yes, but ease of commute is no better or worse than any other route (with ever increasing traffic as people flood the area).

If anything, as private development picks up, this should be seized as an opportunity to develop other areas of the city. Downtown has seen growth and life to it that I never would have expected in my lifetime, including on weekday evenings. It along with surrounding neighborhoods outside the East End should be poised for positive development. It may not be quick, but the East End is in a position to move forward without the need for much public development.

As rents rise and certain businesses are priced out, I do wonder what will happen to the more affordable restaurants and businesses that make Pittsburgh unique. I would hate to see a DC-style rise in prices where the rents rises are factored into the food prices but not necessarily reflected in the quality of the food. I would hope they would expand to other neighborhoods and incrementally increase the quality of life for the city as a whole.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

I appreciate your honesty.

But I never want to hear you snobs make fun of the locals for not wanting to cross rivers again.

Doesn't "PB" in your location stand for Point Breeze?

[steindle]

Originally Posted by WhoIsStanwix?

It's the only part of town with a land connection to the golden triangle.

This will definitely prove to be a strategic advantage when cars and bridges cease to exist again (maybe as a result of the sun exploding), but for now I don’t really see how Squirrel Hill’s substantially-attenuated land connection to Downtown gives it any advantage over Deutschtown’s walking distance.

As a Northsider, I obviously have more to add, but I will save that for post-work (and hope that others make my points before I have to).

[steindle]

Originally Posted by Der Schwabe

the East End is in a position to move forward without the need for much public development.

and

I would hope they would expand to other neighborhoods and incrementally increase the quality of life for the city as a whole.

... are about 3/4 of the way to what I wanted to say.

[UKyank]

I have no problem with a lot of development being centered as it usually means it eventually spreads and there's enough terrible areas of the east end too that could use such spreading development by proximity.
I'm mainly referring to private development.

Public should be less concentrated

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by doo dah

Doesn't "PB" in your location stand for Point Breeze?

Peanut Butter.

I can't afford that hood.

[PghYinzer]

I am not anti-East End in any way, in fact I am hitching up the horses and setting out for dinner there tonight (hopefully I make it from far off Brookline). While the development that occurs in the East End is great, and I would rather see that than nothing at all, it does sometimes suck for the "middle children" neighborhoods. Star quarterback areas like the East End get all the press, along with the troubled ones (also in the East End), and when areas like Beechview and Brookline do get mentioned, it usually starts off with "Who knew those people down there have indoor plumbing..." or "You would be surprised to see housing offered in such areas..."

I think public investment is adequate, however private investment is defintely lacking. There is a population of people outside of the East End who appreciate the restaurants and shops located there, we just don't live there. For example, Open Mic Night at Cannon Coffee is one of the most crowded I have ever seen in this city, and it's in Brookline. The people are there, and they want those type of amenities, it's just that no one is willing to be first one to open up shop.

[Buckeye Burgher]

Agreed. Anything that improves living conditions, increases prosperity, and reduces crime in the East End
is good for us in all other parts of the city.