Relocating from NYC to Wilkinsburg, PA (Pittsburgh, Penn: relocation, real estate, travel)

[jillbville]

I'm planning on relocating here next month. Can anyone tell me a little it about the area. Jobs, shopping, crime rate, schools, etc. It's in Allegeny County.

Thanks.

Jill

[BVH]

Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania (PA) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, news, sex offenders

I would HIGHLY suggest that you choose another area. Wilkinsburg is one of the more dangerous and violent areas of Pittsburgh.

[BrianTH]

Wilkinsburg is a small municipality directly adjacent to Pittsburgh on the East End, and there is actually no noticeable border in the transition areas. What that means is that some parts of Wilkinsburg (roughly in the South-West part) are actually quite nice, being more or less indistinct from two nice neighborhoods it borders, Point Breeze and Regent Square (in fact part of Regent Square is actually in Wilkinsburg).

It is not far from there to other parts of the East End or downtown, including by public transit, so many people who live in Wilkinsburg work at the major East End employers (hospitals and universities) or downtown. For similar reasons it is easy to get to various nice shopping, dining, and entertainment areas in the East End, and the parts of Wilkinsburg in or near Regent Square are within walking distance of "downtown" Regent Square (a little over a block of nice restaurants, shops, a theater, and so forth).

The farther you move into Wilkinsburg (basically going North and/or East), the less nice it gets, however. Basically it is just one of the more economically depressed areas in that part of Allegheny County (along with Homewood in Pittsburgh, which it borders in the Northwest corner), and has some gang/crime problems as well.

Is there a particular reason you are moving to Wilkinsburg specifically? Again, parts of it are nice, but usually there would be no particular reason not to look at the other nice neighborhoods nearby as well.

[BrianTH]

Sorry, I forgot to cover schools:

The Wilkinsburg school district is unfortunately not very good. There are some good private schools in the area however, including some Catholic schools which are not too expensive.

Going along with my prior theme, parts of Wilkinsburg are right next to a part of Pittsburgh which feeds into Minadeo Elementary in Squirrel Hill (one of the nicest neighborhoods in Pittsburgh), which eventually feeds into Sterrett Classical Academy in Point Breeze for middle school (Sterrett is actually a magnet school as well, with Minadeo being the only feeder) and then Allderdice High School in Squirrel Hill. That is arguably one of the very best chains of public schools in the Pittsburgh School District (maybe THE best).

So again, if you were thinking about public schools, usually there would be little reason not to consider living in those adjacent parts of Pittsburgh rather than Wilkinsburg.

[grotonpatrick]

I have lived in the "bad section" of Wilkinsburg for over a year after spending the last 10 years in rural Vermont. While there are areas which may appear daunting, I have had nothing but positive experiences in my neighborhood. For $15,000 I was able to purchase a beautiful and intact home with decent systems, 12 stained glass windows, seven bedrooms and seven fireplaces. I can walk to shops and services and am only a little over a mile away from the co-op, Frick Museum and Trader Joes.

I have children and while my wife and I heard only negative things about the schools were pleasantly surprised when she and my daughter visited the two affordable private schools in Wilkinsburg and the public elementary school. She has been in the Catholic School since September and loves it and has built great relationships. She is involved in the local Girl Scout troup which meets at the Hosanah House, a local institute similar to the YMCA with great recreational facilities.

I work with the newly formed CDC (Community Development Corporation) in Wilkinsburg and like many of the Boroughs surrounding Pittsburgh, there are great areas and pockets in need of major reinvestment. Luckily for Wilkinsburg, there are many people working to improve the community and make it a safe and decent places to live. I would have no problem recommending living in Wilkinsburg and find it convenient, affordable and welcoming. Like previous posters, I acknowledge that you need to use common sense no matter where you live. I believe I am familiar with the properties that you referred. That is a nice area just about a block from a new homeownership development called Peebles Square. Six homes have been rehabilitated and are beautiful and were sold shortly after offered on the market. Twelve new homes are scheduled to be built over the next year too.

Welcome to Wilkinsburg. Feel free to get involved in the community - it is a great place that suffers from an unfair reputation.

[BrianTH]

For what it is worth, I hope I haven't been too discouraging about Wilkinsburg: it definitely seems to me to have great potential, and I am very hopeful it will improve over time (thanks in large part to local efforts).

[jillbville]

I would like to thank everyone for their input. I will be leaving tonight to go see where I will be living. hehe The reason I'm moving there is because opportunity knocked at my door. My Ex brought property there and I'm going to try to make the best of it. I'm hoping to take part in improving the community. Right now I'm not able to afford private schools but as you mention, the cost is reasonable so I will look into that as well. I will be visiting the surrounding public school during my visit. I'm hoping there is very little disappointed. I'm sure their not like NYC public schools and I'm sure nothing else pretty much adds up to NYC there. There is lots of crime where I live now so I have common sense with the what not to do, etc.

Once again, thanks for your advice and inputs about Allegheny County and Wilkinsburg. All input is really helpful to me.

Jill

[MissShona]

Originally Posted by jillbville

so I have common sense with the what not to do, etc.

Once again, thanks for your advice and inputs about Allegheny County and Wilkinsburg. All input is really helpful to me.

Jill

Ok, good luck to you; keep us updated on how it goes

[jillbville]

Originally Posted by MissShona

Ok, good luck to you; keep us updated on how it goes

Thanks Miss Shona! I will post my findings once I return from my trip.

[jillbville]

Hi guys,

Well I decided to move to Wilkinsburg. We moved here last month...so far so good. The kids love it and they are enjoying their school as well. I'm still unpacking and learning how to get around. I've been downtown 3 times so far. hehe Sorry it took so long for me to reply but I just got my services hooked up last week.

The only complaints I have is the beer laws and the hard water. jeeezzzzz The water is eating me alive. LOL