Are there any transplants from Steubenville, OH or it's surrounding communities living here? (Pittsburgh: quality of life, suburbs)

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Nick538

White people moved to the suburbs and both areas lost tax revenue and city services. Then, blacks make up the majority of both cities and crime rates skyrocketed, further worsening the economic situation due to a lack of new investment/taxpaying residents.

Be careful what you post on here. Someone may look up where you work and then try to launch a boycott against your employer to threaten your job because only far-left liberals are entitled to "freedom of speech" these days.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Be careful what you post on here. Someone may look up where you work and then try to launch a boycott against your employer to threaten your job because only far-left liberals are entitled to "freedom of speech" these days.

But the fact is, that is not a racist statement. Its factual. And, its not really based on race as much as it is economics and the culture of poverty, where the poorest, and especially the least sensible of that lot, have too many kids (which is >1).

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by bluecarebear

I heard terrible things about Youngstown and the downtown is a mess BUT the burbs are outstanding. Ohio is two different worlds - The inner cities and the country.

You're right, but chances are people mistake what is in youngstown city limits for suburbs. It's midwestern - flat, mostly, with wide streets...very suburban looking. Google St. Christine's as a landmark - that is youngstown city, and very, very pleasant, as is much of the city.

but no doubt there is definitely a thug culture presence there for such a small city. they are turning it around slowly, following on the heels of a slow, consistent (and hopefully continuous) national economic expansion.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by szug-bot

But the fact is, that is not a racist statement. Its factual. And, its not really based on race as much as it is economics and the culture of poverty, where the poorest, and especially the least sensible of that lot, have too many kids (which is >1).

It's not factual actually, and I'll leave it to someone else to decide if it's racist. At best that original statement is a wild caricature with only a kernel of truth.

Steubenville is almost 80% white if for some reason that matters. Crime inside the city proper is above National Average, but of course so is almost every city, including Pittsburgh.

http://www.city-data.com/city/Steubenville-Ohio.html

Living in Steubenville, OH - Steubenville Lifestyle and Demographics - realtor.com®

Living in Steubenville, OH - Steubenville Lifestyle and Demographics - realtor.com®



I'm not going to try to tell people that it's some awesome place. It actually kinda sucks. But it would cool to base opinions on things that are real.

The area was dependent on Weirton Steel and Wheeling Pitt. Those of course went through a long and painful decline and death. Now frankly there isn't much keeping the place together; and unless there's a compelling reason like family or some specific opportunity, I wouldn't really recommend moving there. There are of course other areas outside the city itself just like every other town in this area.

Really it's the same story as just about every other industrial river town in the region.

EDIT--also, I'd like to point out that Steubenville and Youngstown are more than 60 miles away from each other. I'm a little puzzled that they're they're being compared to each other any more than any of the other towns in the area. Then again, I realize that they're both in the mysterious "far off" land of Ohio, so I guess I can see it. Our maps do say "there be dragons" in that uncharted land after all.

[alastad]

Originally Posted by Nick538

There is a reason why housing in Stupidville and Thugstown is so cheap-crime. Period.

The crime is out of control in both cities. White people moved to the suburbs and both areas lost tax revenue and city services. Then, blacks make up the majority of both cities and crime rates skyrocketed, further worsening the economic situation due to a lack of new investment/taxpaying residents.

Both cities have a history of mob influence (Stupidville was controlled by Pittsburgh and Thugstown was controlled by Cleveland, until they ran into trouble with the feds, then Pittsburgh took over there, as well). Both are also notoriously corrupt. Hell, Thugstown reelected an openly corrupt congressman with mob ties!

Stupidville might have billed itself as a "suburb of Pittsburgh" but that commute will get old in the winter.

Hell, that commute gets old, PERIOD. Steubenville does not have a predominantly black population though. It's mainly white. As far as the crime, I have been to that place in the wee hours of the early morning in downtown, the part of Steubenville that's considered the dangerous part, and I did not hear one single gun shot. What I think is stopping it from becoming the next burb of the burgh is all of the grit and grime in downtown ( the first part of the city that you see coming in) along with all of the grit and grime in the surrounding communities ( such as most of Mingo). That, combined with it being such a long haul to PGH ( well, in some people's opinion, anyway). Furthermore, even if they could get a bunch of young urban entrepreneurs to move in and fix up downtown ( uptown is already half decent. It just needs more businesses to move in) I don't think the people who live downtown would want that. It's surprising that they are even allowing the revitalization of the Grand Theater.

[SammyKhalifa]

Yeah at one time downtown Steubenville was pretty cool. There are still some incredible buildings and houses down there and in a different world could become pretty great. Along with the industrial decline were some pretty damn questionable decisions made along the way that ruined downtown.

[PreservationPioneer]

Downtown Steubenville and the historic districts are absolutely stunning, from an architecture and historical point of view. I love that city. The urban grit just adds to the character, in my opinion. I've never thought of Steubenville as a dangerous place, but like any depressed city, it has its share of crime. I'm happy that the Grand Theater is being restored, and I hope the revitalization spreads to other historic buildings in town.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by PreservationPioneer

Downtown Steubenville and the historic districts are absolutely stunning, from an architecture and historical point of view. I love that city. The urban grit just adds to the character, in my opinion. I've never thought of Steubenville as a dangerous place, but like any depressed city, it has its share of crime. I'm happy that the Grand Theater is being restored, and I hope the revitalization spreads to other historic buildings in town.

Yeah, I think the "crime" aspect is way overblown, but the place IS pretty run-down and I wouldn't really recommend someone moving there unless they have a really compelling reason to do so. Many of the older buildings has been demolished or are beyond repair from what I can tell. They were well before my time, but the building of the Mall up in the hill, and of OH Rte 7 right along the river kind of doomed downtown. And while other towns have sought to revitalize their riverfront areas, Steubenville instead built a giant boondoggle Jail there.

Well, there IS Hunan's Chinese restaurant. Best Kung Pao EVER in my opinion, and the lady who owns it (Alice) is super nice. I need to make a run when I'm back there during Christmas.

[JoeP]

Steubenville isn't cheap because of crime (you aren't going to live where crime is anyway).

It's cheap because it's small and has been declining for decades. It's too small to have a diverse economy and the economy was that of a steel town. That's mostly gone.


That is the reason, period.

[PreservationPioneer]

East Liverpool and Wheeling are in the same boat. Both are fascinating and very historic cities, with dense, walkable, urban (and beautiful, architecturally speaking) downtowns. But if you look closely, the beautiful old buildings are empty and the locals despise living there. There is no economy in these places to speak of, but these towns still have healthy suburbs. Where do those people work? It's strange that the decline of these cities is tied to economic problems, but they can still support prosperous suburbs. Something doesn't add up there!