Considering a move to PGH from New England: Beechview vs. Swissvale (Philadelphia: violent crime, houses)

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by guy2073

Swissvale can be a bit rough in areas, i would choose beechview

I think Swissvale is fine in places. Like, if you're looking for an affordable house in a safe area, and don't care about schools, the area of Swissvale east of the city neighborhood of Swisshelm Park and north of Church Street is fine, as are the blocks in the eastern part north of Columbia Ave. It's just both areas are a pretty long walk from Roslyn Station - and access to the P1 is one of the top priorities for the OP.

[svband76]

If you're talking retirement you may not want to tackle the Beechview hills as you get older. Maybe Dormont or Mount Lebanon further up the rail line. I love Swissvale to but don't know much about it.

[kewlwhip]

Swissvale is not very nice.

[USC1986]

Some nice areas of Swissvale, but some dicey ones as well, which would lead me to suggest Beechview, or even Dormont, just up the T line, and, overall a bit nicer than Beechview.

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by kewlwhip

Swissvale is not very nice.

Anyone who thinks swissvale is perfectly fine should spend a half hour in the noble mart parking lot. That will change a lot of minds.

[Mrsg714]

I spent many years in Swissvale and two years in Beechview. There are some nice parts of Swissvale and overall I was much happier in Swissvale. Roslyn street was kind of the cut off point for me in terms of safety and just not wanting to deal with riff raft. I found that there was riff raft in Beechview as well. I never felt not safe in either area, but I felt like Beechview didn’t have much to offer other than inexpensive housing.

Many of the activities that my husband and I enjoyed were more towards the eastern side of town so it just made sense for us to leave Beechview. One thing to consider is that our roads were never plowed in a timely manner when it snowed in beechview. My guess is that the city resources were spread out to cover more area.

I suspect you’ll get many different answers and some people will be more passionate than others. I would vote for Swissvale.

[drband36]

Originally Posted by Wells5

Those 100 year old signals on the MBTA were I believe made by Union Switch and Signal of Swissvale (now owned by the Italian company, "Ansaldo Breda.") Ditto for the 80- 90 year old signals on the NYC subway.

Very cool to know! No doubt that in their day, they were state of the art. But why the MBTA has decided to keep those switches for a century is a little beyond me!

[drband36]

Originally Posted by zalewskimm

If you're talking retirement you may not want to tackle the Beechview hills as you get older. Maybe Dormont or Mount Lebanon further up the rail line. I love Swissvale to but don't know much about it.

Several members of my husband's family have worked for the railroads and we are hardcore transit folk. A house that's right along Broadway Avenue or within a block or so is what we'd be looking for, so battling lots of hills in all kinds of weather wouldn't be a factor in most cases.

On the other hand, having hills nearby for leisure walks (as opposed to a necessary part of a commute) is our idea of a good time. To anticipate the next question, yes -- even hills as steep as Canton Avenue.

[svband76]

Originally Posted by drband36

Several members of my husband's family have worked for the railroads and we are hardcore transit folk. A house that's right along Broadway Avenue or within a block or so is what we'd be looking for, so battling lots of hills in all kinds of weather wouldn't be a factor in most cases.

On the other hand, having hills nearby for leisure walks (as opposed to a necessary part of a commute) is our idea of a good time. To anticipate the next question, yes -- even hills as steep as Canton Avenue.

Funny, the little plot of land at the bottom of Canton was wisely put up for sale (and sold) as soon as the city put up the Steepest Street in the US sign.

The new city council person Coghill lives in Beechview though my impression is that the streets aren't plowed any more often in the winter..

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

Wow, I'm surprised to hear that about the transit in Boston...

see, that's just it, and one thing about the character of Americans - we think everything we have s ucks.

Boston is wonderful, sure, but people talk about the Patriots, the amazing sports culture, fun stuff like that. When you visit, locals don't say "you know, our transit is terrible".

I feel this way about Philadelphia and Toronto - both cool cities, and people in Pgh. love both and rave about both. I think outside of the downtown core, Toronto is a sprawling, auto-dominated cluster. I hate it - but that is where my family tree has its...leaves, i guess. Not many visitors have need to go out into that area, and are oblivious to the city in its entirety.

I would make the same case for tourists who come here for a steelers or pirates game and rave about Pittsburgh. Sure, the inclines are cool, and the Point State Park and the waterfront areas of the Point are beautiful....but that isn't the entire picture.

OP, I applaud you for finding in Beechview what few people here do. Many Pittsburghers, in the city or the near suburbs, actually know WHERE this neighborhood is (I am concluding from a small sample size).

I lived in this neighborhood for a few years and thought it was beautiful, with its very lush vegetation and its roller coaster-like terrain. Many streets have nicely kept homes. There are a few crappy sub-areas, however.

There is a walking group that traverses those steep streets, and kids playing hockey and enjoying the spray park. It's been a few years, but while living in Beechview I observed a seemingly "normal" middle class demo there - the kind of people that would make you feel comfortable if they were your neighbors. And this 'middle class' was all shades - even a few from the east (nepalese?)

I must warn you - winter can be terrible there. Even when driving is not an option because of the snow, the slopes on the streets can make walking to the T a challenge. Please consider this - there are no railings along the sidewalks (as there are in some other south hills neighborhoods). It can get dicey after icy precipitation. And driving is dangerous in those same conditions.

Like others here, I am thrilled, in fact, that a newcomer would choose a city neighborhood that is not one of the elite (Shadyside, South Point Breeze, Downtown, etc.). Keep us informed on your decision.

Beechview >> Swissvale