Relocating (Pittsburgh, Lebanon, Upper St. Clair: chapel, townhouse, neighborhoods)

[Rila]

Hi everyone!
My family will be moving to Pittsburgh area and I hope you can help me. Our kids are past college age but good schools are a plus. My husband's job does not anchor him to Pittsburgh in any way, he does a lot of traveling. We are looking into suburban neighborhoods, CLOSE to (but not in) small towns where one can walk down the street to a nice restaurant or just go for a walk. We don't care for the new developments where one can get around only by car. A nice size private lot is a must. We've been told to look at Fox Chapel, Upper St. Clair, Mt. Lebanon, Oakmont. Any inputs?

[jfer]

I live in the South Hills so can only speak to this area but I am looking for the exact same as you and can only recommend Mt Lebo in the South. You can't walk around much in Upper St Clair. I grew up in the city and the closest I can find to how I grew up with respect to walking is Mt Lebo. I also hate new developments and want good schools. If my townhouse ever sells, that's where I will be moving.

[jfer]

Just noticed you want a nice sized private lot. Not likely in Mt Lebo. If that is more important, you will be very very limited in your selection there.

[chloride1]

Originally Posted by jfer

I live in the South Hills so can only speak to this area but I am looking for the exact same as you and can only recommend Mt Lebo in the South. You can't walk around much in Upper St Clair. I grew up in the city and the closest I can find to how I grew up with respect to walking is Mt Lebo. I also hate new developments and want good schools. If my townhouse ever sells, that's where I will be moving.

Since you are out of town, you might not know that "Mt Lebo" is short for "Mt. Lebanon, PA"

[PeterRabbit]

Fox Chapel doesn't have a downtown. There are a couple shopping centers next to each other. The restaurants there are mostly your typical chains. It's very spreadout and I don't think there's many sidewalks. Good school.

Oakmont is about 1-1/2 square miles laid out in a grid fashion on the side of a hill. It has a downtown with a post office, library, restaurants, banks, small shops, riverside park, etc. Gas lanterns along the main streets. It lost it's only supermarket last year. There's a big one in the neighboring town. There are sidewalks everywhere and people do a lot of walking and jogging. The school is above average. There's all types of homes there so the size of your lot will depend where you live. Up the hill I guess they are 100'x100' average. When they last built new homes there was 3 to an acre.

[Pitts64]

I agree, Oakmont is the best of the bunch. Try the North Hills. Nice upper working class people, affordable homes with easy access to 76, 80 and 79.

[Rila]

Originally Posted by chloride1

Since you are out of town, you might not know that "Mt Lebo" is short for "Mt. Lebanon, PA"

You're right, I didn't know that.

[Blackbeauty212]

Also try Aspinwall - It gets over looked alot and is very close to Waterworks and has its own central business district near freeport, and a fleemarket used to take place every saturday afternoon (dont know if it still does)

[Rila]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

Also try Aspinwall - It gets over looked alot and is very close to Waterworks and has its own central business district near freeport, and a fleemarket used to take place every saturday afternoon (dont know if it still does)

I checked it out - it looks like a nice little town.

[PeterRabbit]

I didn't mention Aspinwall because from what I know and have seen they have very small yards and houses are close together. There's always so many cars parked on the street I think a lot of those places don't have garages. The parking meters in the business district seem very out of place. It's small but very nice and easy to walk around.