Suburb of the week: Liberty (Pittsburgh, McKeesport: sales, hair salon, day care)

[eschaton]

Libety is a small borough to the south of McKeesport, just across the Youghiogheny River. It gained its name in 1916, when it broke away from adjacent Port Vue and gained its "liberty." The municipality grew slowly in its early existence, but had a brief 20-year boom between 1940 and 1960, jumping from 1,100 residents to over 3,600. It has declined in every single decade since, and is currently estimated to have a population of just under 2,500.

Given the age and location, it is, unsurprisingly, a suburban municipality. The core of the borough includes some very modest wood frame housing. Further out there are full on suburban subdivisions. The area in the far south of the borough is mostly rural and undeveloped - presumably this area was meant to be filled with subdivisions as well, but when local demand dropped it just was never completed.

Surprisingly given the age and small size of the town, there is a small commercial corridor along Liberty Way in the center of the town. This includes a pizza place, drug store, hair salon, day care, convenience store, barbecue joint, and several other businesses. It wouldn't win any prizes for aesthetics, and has a bit of a "land that time forgot" vibe, but it's there at least, which is more than many municipalities of similar size can say.

[guy2073]

Liberty is a very peaceful suburb of McKeesport. I would live there.

[lifepgh2op]

Originally Posted by eschaton

It wouldn't win any prizes for aesthetics, and has a bit of a "land that time forgot" vibe, but it's there at least, which is more than many municipalities of similar size can say.

If you showed me that picture and asked me to guess what state this town was in, I would guess somewhere in WV, far from any metropolitan area; hard to believe it's actually a suburb of Pittsburgh.

[Geeo]

If I remember correctly, Port Vue/Liberty had a stop on the old PATrain that ran along the river to Pittsburgh. It also stopped in Braddock and McKeesport and maybe one other town. It was discontinued in the late 1980s.

[Copanut]

30 sales in the last 365 days ranging from 10K to 155K. Don't think you would see much appreciation, but definitely affordable.

[captainmidnight]

Originally Posted by Geeo

If I remember correctly, Port Vue/Liberty had a stop on the old PATrain that ran along the river to Pittsburgh. It also stopped in Braddock and McKeesport and maybe one other town. It was discontinued in the late 1980s.

Yep: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATrain#Route

The PATrain service was replaced with three 'express bus routes: 58C (McKeesport - Pittsburgh), 58P (Port Vue - Liberty to PIT) and 58V (Versailles - White Oak to PIT) I believe they all took 2nd Avenue into town then until the East Busway was completed to Swissvale those routes used the Busway. The Transit Development Plan that was implemented five (?) years ago discontinued the 58P and 58V and renamed the 58C to the P7. Ridership was pretty light in those route's final days.

I took the 58P many times. It ran right down Liberty Way. The 'Bus Stop' signs are still standings. Argh, I feel old

[captainmidnight]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Libety is a small borough to the south of McKeesport, just across the Youghiogheny River. It gained its name in 1916, when it broke away from adjacent Port Vue and gained its "liberty." The municipality grew slowly in its early existence, but had a brief 20-year boom between 1940 and 1960, jumping from 1,100 residents to over 3,600. It has declined in every single decade since, and is currently estimated to have a population of just under 2,500.

Given the age and location, it is, unsurprisingly, a suburban municipality. The core of the borough includes some very modest wood frame housing. Further out there are full on suburban subdivisions. The area in the far south of the borough is mostly rural and undeveloped - presumably this area was meant to be filled with subdivisions as well, but when local demand dropped it just was never completed.

Surprisingly given the age and small size of the town, there is a small commercial corridor along Liberty Way in the center of the town. This includes a pizza place, drug store, hair salon, day care, convenience store, barbecue joint, and several other businesses. It wouldn't win any prizes for aesthetics, and has a bit of a "land that time forgot" vibe, but it's there at least, which is more than many municipalities of similar size can say.

My in-laws sold their house in Liberty earlier this year. I believe it was on the market 25 days. A house up the street was sold within 24 hours. I was fairly surprised at the home sales there. It is one of the nicer places to live in that area. My wife grew up there. Also, a pretty nice primary school that is located there.

The pharmacy there closed a year or two ago due to health issues with the owner. They used to sell penny (or fairly cheap by today's standards) candy there until the end. Old school throwback vibe to that place.

The subdivision you linked to is an older one from the 1950s-1960s and contained the houses I mentioned above. Here is a section by the high school with newer and bigger houses. Probably built in the 1970s-1990s: https://www.google.com/maps/@40.3213...7i13312!8i6656

Odd since the area started declining the.

[alastad]

Before we found the place we live at now, my roommate and I were looking at a HUGE duplex in Liberty. It would've been nice to live so close to the walking trail that's there, but it's OK, cause now we have an entire house to ourselves, and it's closer to my parents, who are starting to get to that age where they're going to need my help soon, so it's for the best.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by lifepgh2op

If you showed me that picture and asked me to guess what state this town was in, I would guess somewhere in WV, far from any metropolitan area; hard to believe it's actually a suburb of Pittsburgh.

Have you ever been to Hays?

[lifepgh2op]

Originally Posted by PreservationPioneer

Have you ever been to Hays?

I didn't mean my comment as offensive, by the way. I have been through Hays but not for any specific reason.