Will you tell me more about Zelienople? (Pittsburgh, Butler: condos, houses)

[cabs]

Will be moving to the Pittsburgh region soon-- hubby is a real STEELERS fan -- and am considering Zelienople. I've been there once, but that really wasn't enough to tell me anything about the place. Does anyone live there? Have lived there before? If so, drop me few lines to let me know more about this place.
Thanks loads!

[cabs]

Any pics would be nice too. Thanks!

[PeterRabbit]

Most of us live in or around Pittsburgh. Zelienople I would consider country. Nothing wrong with that and I've been there and thought it was ok for what it is. The town has a home page with photos and if you look around the web you'll find even more with histories about some of the places there. Have you searched this site for previous threads about it?

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by cabs

Will be moving to the Pittsburgh region soon-- hubby is a real STEELERS fan -- and am considering Zelienople. I've been there once, but that really wasn't enough to tell me anything about the place. Does anyone live there? Have lived there before? If so, drop me few lines to let me know more about this place.
Thanks loads!

I grew up in Cranberry and went to school in Seneca Valley (graduated in 1977) -- and my frank opinion of Zelie was always that it was sort of a hole. Boring and bland.

Went back east last year and Mom and I came home from McConnell's Mills that way, stopped for groceries and gas, and I swear the place hadn't changed at all. The little kid water fountain at the corner of Main and Grandview was shut for the season, and had thewooden box enclosing the fountain with the sleeping lion painted on it that I remembered from high school.

Sort of gave the creeps -- like a bad horror movie. The Town That Time Forgot.

[cabs]

I kind of thought that it was a cute town, but now it's sounding a little creepy. And yes, I did notice that it was a little 'country,' but that's kind of what I'm looking for. My hubby is a phamacist and needs to stay close to a big city (Pittsburgh), but neither of us want to actually live IN the city... Problem is... We know nothing about the surrounding areas. Will you recommend another place/ places?
Thanks!

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by cabs

I kind of thought that it was a cute town, but now it's sounding a little creepy. And yes, I did notice that it was a little 'country,' but that's kind of what I'm looking for. My hubby is a phamacist and needs to stay close to a big city (Pittsburgh), but neither of us want to actually live IN the city... Problem is... We know nothing about the surrounding areas. Will you recommend another place/ places?
Thanks!

I am from Cranberry -- and there are rural areas around there, still.... but not as rural as when I grew up! Cranberry feels like a traditional suburban area with newer home developments, even though the oldest churches in the area (Plains U. P. and Dutilh Methodist) have been there for over a hundred years -- so there are older pockets. (Dah -- last time I checked 1806 was over 200 Years -- Plains U. P. is from 1806...)

When I was home last year, I took Mom for a long ride to show her the outback of where she lived. Mom has never been good at going somewhere she isn't familiar with, even more so now that's she in her 80's. I took her over the Beaver County line -- and through Bradford Park and Economy. It's close enough to Cranberry for the shopping, but far enough out that you don't have to deal with Cranberry-itis. We're talking minutes to shopping. Minutes to 79 to the city.

You get Beaver County taxes. Low. Cranberry taxes are due to rise -- and according to my mom -- almost as high as Allegheny.

In that area though, your kids go to Alliquippa schools. Not good.

If you're looking at towns, you want a small town feel -- My husband is from Beaver. It's farther south than Zelie, but it's charming. It's the county seat, and there's a little money there. But Beaver County itself was pretty decimated by the loss of the steel mills, and it can be a bit downtrodden. So when he goes to work, he'll be going through some rather depressing areas. The farther you go from the river the closer you get to Butler and Allegheny the more monied the area becomes and the nicer the area gets...

It would be helpful to know where your hubby is working, and more what you're looking for.

[PeterRabbit]

If you tell us specifically what you and your husband are looking for or would like to have, and a price range, we'll do out best to come up with some places to check out. You've given us a general idea but do you want a one bedroom house or five? Brick or frame? Large property or small lot? Does the school system matter? Ideal travel distance to work? Shopping nearby or you don't mind driving? I love to drive but gas is so high I have to trade the Caddy in on an electric golf cart. Hope they hurry up with the bike lanes.

[PeterRabbit]

Tallysmom

My uncle lived far out in East or North Rochester and drove to Lawrenceville and back everyday for work for over 25 years. He took Ohio River Blvd. I was born in Beaver Falls and started life growing up in Rochester. Then we moved here to the suburbs. We'd go down to the Valley every weekend to see our folks, but we took the turnpike and got off on 19. We'd turn left about where I-79 is now. Is that area Cranberry? Used to be nothing but farmer's fields. One weekend we went down and there was suddenly 1,000s of houses there that all looked the same. It was the road that took you past Thorn Hill toward Freedom. I took Rt. 8 north toward Oil City and about 40 miles from Rt. 19 there was signs saying Cranberry Twp. Is there two of them or it is sensationally big?

[cabs]

We're looking for an older house, something with charm, something with at least three bedrooms and a large yard. School system DOES matter. My hubby currently works for Walgreens Pharmacy, but can work pretty much anywhere there's a pharmacy. The important thing is that we live no further than forty miles from Heinz Field, and are in a good community-- preferably an older community where the majority of the population is 40+ in age. This will be our final home, so your help is both needed and appreciated.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!

[Copanut]

I would not write off Zelie without checking it out in person. I have 5 friends that have moved there over the years and they love. One young couple bought an older house to restore and like the fact that their kids can WALK to school. New condos have been built and the value of homes have been steadily rising. I don't think their are any boarded up storefronts and the movie theater is under renovation to become a live theater/movie theater.

As to The Lion, what is scary to some is nostalgia for others.

Lion Unveiling March 2008