Comparison of Pgh hoods to west side neighborhoods in Cleveland? (Pittsburgh: appointed, best neighborhood)

[_Buster]

Hi, for anyone familiar with the close-in west side neighborhoods in Cleveland, I wanted to get a Pittsburgher's view of these. May be visiting there next month and I've been seeing a few areas constantly mentioned on threads about Cleveland, as good places to go for meals/nightlife/just general exploring and checking out architecutre, retail shops, etc
.
I've been to Cleveland, but only downtown and the University area. so if I go next month I'll probably check out either either Ohio City or Tremont, based on what people are saying in Cleveland threads.


So just looking to get a Pittsburgh perspective on those, and any close comparisons to Pgh neighborhoods? I've looked on streetview and I've seen some restaurants and breweries/bars, but is there anything else of interest? Some people on the Cleveland threads were also mentioning Detroit Shoreway as an area to go, but looking on streetview at the business strip there, I see no reason to go there at all. Kind of looks like a part of McKees Rocks, lol.

[eschaton]

I've only really spent time in Ohio City. The main drag of businesses along W 25th is pretty small - just a couple of blocks. But unlike Pittsburgh, there are a lot of businesses hidden on corners and the like in the back streets, so you really need to explore. Overall, it reminded me of the North Side. Not in architecture really - more in the placement of the neighborhood in relation to Downtown, the age of some of the buildings, and the juxtaposition between fixed-up houses occupied by professionals and pretty run-down, working class portions of the neighborhood.

Tremont is from my understanding pretty similar, but with less impressive architecture due to having a history as a more working-class neighborhood. It doesn't have a true business district at all, although there are a higher concentration of them around Professor Ave.

I believe the "action" in Detroit-Shoreway is around the intersection of W 65th and Detroit Ave. But by Pittsburgh standards it's not a great business district.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I've only really spent time in Ohio City. The main drag of businesses along W 25th is pretty small - just a couple of blocks. But unlike Pittsburgh, there are a lot of businesses hidden on corners and the like in the back streets, so you really need to explore. Overall, it reminded me of the North Side. Not in architecture really - more in the placement of the neighborhood in relation to Downtown, the age of some of the buildings, and the juxtaposition between fixed-up houses occupied by professionals and pretty run-down, working class portions of the neighborhood.

Tremont is from my understanding pretty similar, but with less impressive architecture due to having a history as a more working-class neighborhood. It doesn't have a true business district at all, although there are a higher concentration of them around Professor Ave.

I believe the "action" in Detroit-Shoreway is around the intersection of W 65th and Detroit Ave. But by Pittsburgh standards it's not a great business district.

Clevelanders have some weird obsession with Tremont. I visited to tour the "A Christmas Story" house and to stroll along Professor Avenue. I wasn't impressed overall with the neighborhood. It just seemed very "run-of-the-mill" to me. Not sure why it is so overhyped on their sub-forum. It's like they champion it as being their "best neighborhood" when it wasn't much more impressive than Morningside or even Beechview in my eyes. Maybe we're just spoiled because Pittsburgh has so many great neighborhood business districts?

I do quite like Ohio City and Detroit-Shoreway. I like the western "streetcar suburb" of Lakewood quite a bit as well---it reminds me of a flat Mt. Lebanon on a grid along the lake. The Melt Bar & Grilled location there is great. I think it's the original for that chain. Little Italy is small---but authentic---whereas our Bloomfield is large and isn't really a "Little Italy" anymore due to racial/ethnic dilution. University Circle is just like Oakland---just with more greenery. East Cleveland is a mess---probably worse than Wilkinsburg. Solon seems to be their version of Cranberry Township.

[TheYO]

Ohio City is definitely the best of the west side neighborhoods, with most of the activity around W 25th & Loraine. Tremont's business district is a little more compact, but there are some great restaurants along Professor Ave. Further west is Lakewood, and although it's technically outside the city limits, it feels like an extension of the city. Detroit Ave is the main drag there.

Don't overlook a couple gems on the east side as well. Take the RTA from W 25th to the Little Italy/University Circle stop and check out the cute strip of restaurants on Mayfield Ave. Keep walking east on Mayfield Ave for about a mile and you'll hit Coventry (Cleveland's version of Haight-Ashbury). Coventry Road from Mayfield to Euclid Heights Blvd is full of eclectic shops, restaurants, and the Grog Shop, my personal favorite music venue.

Waterloo Road in Collinwood is an emerging arts district on the East Side with the Beachland Ballroom, record stores, murals, and a gallery.

[Herodotus]

Cleveland is physically very different from Pittsburgh. The "neighborhood commercial wall" which is so common in Pittsburgh, is pretty much nonexistent in Cleveland. As one poster mentioned, a lot of stuff is located on corners.

This is pretty much the default for commercial strips in Pittsburgh, and in most of the surrounding towns. A solid wall of buildings, usually on both sides of the street, and in heavily populated areas, stretching for quite a few blocks. In fact, this is pretty much what you'll find throughout the Mid-Atlantic, and it's a common look in southern Ohio as well.


Cleveland is a very different bird. You really don't find many strips like that outside of Downtown, and those that do exist tend to be short. These pics aren't from the best areas of Cleveland, but they do give you an idea of what neighborhood commercial buildings there look like.









If you go to Cleveland expecting to find their version of Butler, or E. Carson streets, you're going to be disappointed. Cleveland isn't built like that.

[_Buster]

Thanks for the replies so far. Yeah I realized it would likely be different than most of Pgh's business districts, and also many of the residential areas. Makes it somewhat harder to check out on foot, as everything seems more spread out in general except for a block or two here and there. I guess that's where doing extra checking up on specific businesses and their reviews online beforehand, can save some unnecessary wandering.