Best place to live if working at Chatham U? (Pittsburgh: condos, townhouses)

[dent_arthur_dent]

I am in consideration for a job at Chatham University, so I've been nosing around on these forums for the last couple of days, trying to get a sense of Pittsburgh as a place to live.

Does anyone here work/study at Chatham U? If so, where do you live, and how is your commute?

My preferences would be:

- Near good schools (I have two children, ages 10 and 7).
- Budget around $350,000, but ideally less.
- I'd prefer a more 'in town' neighbourhood, rather than being way out in the suburbs. (I recognize that many of the best schools are in the suburbs, so may have to compromise on that -- if I did, though, it'd be nice to be in a community that had some sort of culture or center to it, rather than a load of disconnected McMansions...). I like a good public library, as well as a few good dining/coffee options.
- Within a 20-minute commute would be ideal, and if public transit is an option, so much the better.

Any thoughts?

[Moby Hick]

You want Squirrel Hill, the neighborhood that starts just south of the Chatham Campus. Shadyside, basically north of campus, is nice but going to be more expensive and there will be fewer kids.

[jea6321]

would private school be an option? If not, some options would be mt lebanon, upper st clair, fox chapel, ben avon, ben avon heights.

But all in all, north of forbes areas like point breeze, sq hill, shadyside would all be good if you can figure out the schooling.

[SteelCityRising]

I would just do Greenfield, which is pretty much "Squirrel Hill for people who can't afford Squirrel Hill" and is located just south of Squirrel Hill. The public schools are fine. Save a lot on your $350,000 maximum housing budget and use the extra as a nice savings safety cushion or to fully fund college for your children.

[selltheburgh]

I know a handful of Chatham professors who live in Highland Park and East Liberty. A lot of them bike and/or walk to work.

[TheYO]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I would just do Greenfield, which is pretty much "Squirrel Hill for people who can't afford Squirrel Hill" and is located just south of Squirrel Hill. The public schools are fine. Save a lot on your $350,000 maximum housing budget and use the extra as a nice savings safety cushion or to fully fund college for your children.

If he stays at Chatham, his kid(s) will be able to go there for free if they want.

OP, like others have said, I'd look at Squirrel Hill. It's got a nice business district with a good selection of restaurants/shops. Plus, it's right next to Shadyside, which has even more options.

[dent_arthur_dent]

Found this nice piece about Greenfield...

10 things to love about Greenfield | Yinzpiration.

[MountainDewGuy]

Personally, if your budget goes up to $350k I would purchase a home in Squirrel Hill or Shadyside that feeds into the Colfax K-8 public school. The boundary lines to this school don't make a whole lot of sense, as the folks with more financial means and influence have rigged things a bit, but this is the best of the city public elementary schools (non charter).

However, the money you save living in a neighborhood that feeds into a school with less of a reputation should be able to fund a private school education if you so choose.

Another decent area with an easy commute via drive or bus is Regent Square, which is a combination of the city, Edgewood (Woodland Hills SD) and Wilkinsburg. School are not considered good though.

This assumes that you are working at the Pittsburgh Chatham campus, and not the suburban campus.

[safak]

Originally Posted by MountainDewGuy

Personally, if your budget goes up to $350k I would purchase a home in Squirrel Hill or Shadyside that feeds into the Colfax K-8 public school.

3+ bedroom house, under 350k in shadyside is not going to happen.

[eschaton]

I agree Colfax feeder makes the most sense. This is basically all of Shadyside, Squirrel Hill north of the Parkway, and Point Breeze up to Dallas avenue. I would not go with Greenfield at that price point. No houses cost that much in Greenfield, and frankly most of what you find there is pretty dated.

Shadyside tends to be the most expensive area on a per square foot basis. There are no houses at your price point in Shadyside right now, only a few condos and a few townhouses. Most houses "North of Forbes" will be out of your price range, but some do come up. You'll have the most luck looking for houses "South of Forbes" and in Point Breeze. Here are some examples you could afford in the area:

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If you're willing to buy a semi-attached (e.g., duplex) or fully-attached (rowhouse) home you will pay a good deal less in that area.

Originally Posted by safak

3+ bedroom house, under 350k in shadyside is not going to happen.

They do come up occasionally, particularly right by the railroad tracks. It's admittedly very hard to get into the neighborhood at that price range though.