Neighborhood of the week: Stanton Heights (Pittsburgh, Butler: cul-de-sac, 2015, low crime)

[eschaton]

Stanton Heights is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh's Upper East End. Situated on a hilltop, the neighborhood is bordered by Upper Lawrenceville, Central Lawrenceville, Garfield, East Liberty, and Morningside. However, due to topography, there are only a limited number of roads (seven, IIRC which connect it to the rest of the city.

As Pittsburgh neighborhoods go, Stanton Heights has a very short history. Stanton Avenue itself seems to have had a relatively long history, but passed through mostly undeveloped farmland throughout the 19th century. One of the larger estates in Stanton Heights during this time was owned by Mary Schenley, occupying much of what is now the southern portion of the neighborhood. By 1910 there were a few clumps of houses scattered in the neighborhood - mostly near Upper Lawrenceville on streets like Camelia (and a bit along Stanton) - but the neighborhood was still almost entirely empty, with many of the large farm properties not even yet subdivided into lots. By the 30s a new small subdevelopment was added - the Stanton Courts cul-de-sac. Still, even at this time, the majority of the neighborhood was unoccupied, with essentially the entire southern portion of the neighborhood (including the old Schenley estate) being taken up by a giant golf course.

Things changed rapidly soon after this however, with all of Stanton Heights essentially built out between roughly 1940 and 1970. The northern half of the neighborhood was built out by a number of different smaller developers, and is a very heterogenous (but ugly) mix of postwar housing. There's a lot of homes in the Pittsburgh style I jokingly call "bunker colonial" - rectangular homes built immediately after the war with ill-proportioned windows which seem thrown onto the house, and an attached garage in the basement. The southern half of the neighborhood, in contrast, was mostly a planned development constructed in stages beginning in 1947. Much of this is single-family homes, but several streets are dominated by duplexes as well. Some of the streets furthest to the south - close to Garfield - were built out the latest, and contain more ranch housing. This area feels more suburban in some senses than northern Stanton heights, because the street grid is more winding and there are no alleys, but several of the streets also have pretty heavy street tree coverage, so it can be quite pleasant.

Demographically, Stanton heights started out its population explosion as a (largely secular) Jewish neighborhood. The Jewish population is largely gone today, mostly replaced first by Italians and later by African Americans in the southern half of the neighborhood, which became majority black sometime in the mid 1990s. Southern Stanton Heights has remained one of the most notable stable black middle class (yet integrated - 1/3rd of the residents have been white for 20+ years now) enclaves within the city, with low crime rates and little in the way of blight or abandonment. The northern portion of Stanton Heights is also growing more integrated (as is much of East End) with about 1/5th of households now black.

By itself, Stanton Heights would not seem to be a hot location. Houses tend to be small and undistinguished, and are from an era which is currently out of fashion. In addition, the neighborhood has absolutely no businesses (unless you count an urban farm). It's just houses on a hill. However, the relative affordability along with proximity to nearby "hip" areas like Lawrenceville and East Liberty has caused the neighborhood to see an influx of new young professionals. Many of them are drawn to the neighborhood because of the suburban qualities. They want a garage to tool around on projects in, or a yard for their dog. I think it's likely there's going to be an upper limit to what this will get the neighborhood due to its strictly residential status, but for now it's certainly good for existing homeowners.

[norcider]

Stanton Hts should be more popular than it is, I think it's because (as you point out) of the lack of any business' and the fact that it sits on a large hill. Up until the early 2000's this was a fairly busy neighborhood store.
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4820...7i13312!8i6656

Also, the land that Sunnyside sits on was formerly a shopping plaza with a grocery store. I do not know the details as to why it closed. But its proximity to the ever expanding action on Butler and the short drive to Garfield and Friendship it is only a matter of time that it's "discovered" if it hasn't been already. Know what the deal is with this place?:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.4779...7i13312!8i6656

[wpipkins2]

My parents live in Stanton Heights and I really like the neighborhood overall. My mother is in her 60s and walks to Lawrenceville and Highland Park like it is no big deal. It feels like an old school suburban hood at times. I like that the fire station is open to the public at all times. The community has a farm and the neighbors are really into keeping the neighborhood desireable. The halloween festivities are the best. My mother always cared for her older neighbors. During this past snow event my mothers neighbor with MS shoveled all of the seniors sidewalks. I was touched by that act of kindness. My mothers neighbors are very colorful as well. The neighborhood is very diverse in more ways than one

[fjy3]

Stanton Heights is like a dreamy little slice of 1950's suburbia smack dab in the middle of the city. All of the houses are cute mid century style with decent yards. There's a variety of people who live there, but I've noticed that Stanton Avenue seems to create a line of segregation with mainly Middle class African Americans on one side and white people on the other (the side closet to Morningside.) There was an incident where 3 officers were shot and killed in the past (2009), but otherwise it's a very sleepy area. They have a nice playground/ park up on the hill behind Sunnyside where people walk their dogs, play baseball, and sled ride. There's tons of deer and wild turkeys. Tons of families live there, and I consider it to be very safe and peaceful neighborhood. They even have a community farm in the area bordering the cemetery. There are Pittsburgh steps that lead down to Duffield Street in Morningside and also to Lawrenceville. Hip, overrated Lawrenceville is right down the hill. It's surrounded by trees and most of the streets are dead ends, which is great if you have children. Everyone I've met that lives there is really nice too. The only downside is there's no actual business district. There's also a woman who runs a farm school with children, Sunnyside Elementary, and a democratic school (Three Rivers Village School.)

[bradjl2009]

Great write up, as always. Living in Lawrenceville, I will often take walks up there in the evening once the weather is nice. The total suburban look and feel of the neighborhood is such a contrast with surrounding areas but it is a great spot if you want to stay near all of the good spots in the city but don't want something with an urban feel like Lawrenceville.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by fjy3

There's also a woman who runs a farm school with children, Sunnyside Elementary, and a democratic school (Three Rivers Village School.)

Three Rivers Village School has been closed for some time (as has the church next to it). Some out-of-towners bought the whole complex and are renovating it into their personal residence/art and recording studio.

[t_gardener]

I moved from Upper Lawrenceville to Stanton Heights in late 2015 and definitely love the area, we live near Sunnyside on the other side of Stanton. It's a quick drive to Lawrenceville and East Liberty and we have a huge yard and driveway and garage.
When we were selling out small LV house we thought we would be priced out of the East End but were were happy to find a house that was in our budget in Stanton Heights.

[Copanut]

The area kind of reminds me of Greentree City. A lot of ranch style dwellings built in the 50's-60's. Very suburban looking.

[szug-bot]

i love this neighborhood - suburban feel, but really in city limits. no highways needed to get to the lawrencevilles or oaklands. it is an excellent neighborhood to enjoy a run, or a walk without being sickened by car noise / exhaust.

[Gmenpg]

I deliver in Stanton Heights every day. The side right up the hill from morningside, with hawthorne , Simona, downlook, fairfield ect...Seems mainly White...The other side of Stanton , Coleridge, ornamore, brintell ect..seems majority blue collar black.