Mt. Oliver thread (Pittsburgh, Allentown, York: top neighborhoods, houses, neighborhoods)

[By~Tor]

So, moved here from NYC in late May, and living in Mt. Oliver.....

Sure, it's not Mt. Lebanon or anything, but it has easy access to all areas of the city, lower taxes than Pittsburgh (proper), and most of the people I've met are very friendly and amenable...

I've heard many who consider it a rough area, and Beltzhoover is just a hop, skip and a jump away.... but so far, other than the occasional thumping bass from the Escalade-driving thug morons out there, I've had no issues... no car break-ins... no accostments... no threatening behavior, whatsoever.... I have to wonder... is it all overdramatized???

OR, am I just blinded to it, as a result from having lived in the Bronx and seeing what REAL "bad areas" can be?.....


I'm looking primarily for input from long-time Burghers on this one, but of course, all comments are appreciated.....

[creepsinc]

Originally Posted by By~Tor

So, moved here from NYC in late May, and living in Mt. Oliver.....

Sure, it's not Mt. Lebanon or anything, but it has easy access to all areas of the city, lower taxes than Pittsburgh (proper), and most of the people I've met are very friendly and amenable...

I've heard many who consider it a rough area, and Beltzhoover is just a hop, skip and a jump away.... but so far, other than the occasional thumping bass from the Escalade-driving thug morons out there, I've had no issues... no car break-ins... no accostments... no threatening behavior, whatsoever.... I have to wonder... is it all overdramatized???

OR, am I just blinded to it, as a result from having lived in the Bronx and seeing what REAL "bad areas" can be?.....


I'm looking primarily for input from long-time Burghers on this one, but of course, all comments are appreciated.....

It's the thumping bass. People on this forum are overwhelmingly suburban. It's definitely the thumping bass. Beltzhoover isn't all that bad either, by NYC standards. Sure, people occasionally get shot there. People occasionally get shot in the suburbs too.

I live on the North Side. People who post here live in fear of a gang war breaking out between our two sides of the river(s) and engulfing the entire city.

[dana_in_'sylvania]

I live in the city of Pittsburgh in what's considered to be a fairly questionable neighborhood (Lawrenceville). Having spent some time in Mt. Oliver, I personally wouldn't ever live there. A colleague of mine was parked in Mt. Oliver and left her car running outside for a bit. Someone tried to steal her ride--with her teenage daughter in the passenger seat! Luckily, she had the wherewithal to attack the would-be thief with a frying pan :-) The rents in Mt. O are super cheap and there's a reason why. Granted, it's no [insert rough New York City neighborhood here], but in Pittsburgh there are so many better, safer places to live that I wouldn't choose anywhere in Mt. Oliver, Beltzhoover, Knox, or Arlington.

[dugdogmaster]

Originally Posted by dana_in_'sylvania

I live in the city of Pittsburgh in what's considered to be a fairly questionable neighborhood (Lawrenceville). Having spent some time in Mt. Oliver, I personally wouldn't ever live there. A colleague of mine was parked in Mt. Oliver and left her car running outside for a bit. Someone tried to steal her ride--with her teenage daughter in the passenger seat! Luckily, she had the wherewithal to attack the would-be thief with a frying pan :-) The rents in Mt. O are super cheap and there's a reason why. Granted, it's no [insert rough New York City neighborhood here], but in Pittsburgh there are so many better, safer places to live that I wouldn't choose anywhere in Mt. Oliver, Beltzhoover, Knox, or Arlington.

Lawrenceville is considered questionable? I thought it was one of these cool, up and coming, hip, trendy neighborhoods? I can't stand those sayings either when describing a place.

But back to the original OP, those areas have been known to be going down hill recently. I, like you, By~Tor would probably have no problem living in one of those neighborhoods. I've lived in areas, not Pittsburgh mind you, where stabbings, random shootings, hoards of thugs congregating in the middle of the street and refusing to move for traffic, etc was a daily occurrence.

[dana_in_'sylvania]

Yes, Lawrenceville is being dubbed the next up-and-coming neighborhood. However, it still has some problems with drugs and prostitution. I attend neighborhood block watch meetings and get the "inside scoop."

[dugdogmaster]

Originally Posted by dana_in_'sylvania

Yes, Lawrenceville is being dubbed the next up-and-coming neighborhood. However, it still has some problems with drugs and prostitution. I attend neighborhood block watch meetings and get the "inside scoop."

Ah, so my cousin was correct in stating recently that it is still a shady neighborhood. I'm glad it's cleaning up though. Personally, I love Bloomfield and Polish Hill. Gritty, safe, urban living at it's finest!

[BrianTH]

I think it is mostly a matter of relativity--what counts as a relatively "bad" neighborhood around here often is indeed not all that bad by the standards of many other cities.

That said, unfortunately I also think some people tend to interpret the presence of non-rich black people as equivalent to a neighborhood being "bad", and of course Mount Oliver has a decent-sized (although solidly minority) black population.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by dana_in_'sylvania

but in Pittsburgh there are so many better, safer places to live that I wouldn't choose anywhere in Mt. Oliver, Beltzhoover, Knox, or Arlington.

Could not agree more, stay out of those areas if you can.

[bbrian12]

i got hit on by a hooker at a red light in mt. oliver

i have lived in the south hills right next door to mt oliver all my life
i have watched it go from a decent neighborhood to a bunch of borded up buildings and crackhouses
hookers and drugs on every corner
and not even good looking hookers
they are nasty

and there is allways a huge house fire allmost every 4th of july

i remember when all the storefronts had stores in it
now most are empty and a couple are covers for poker machines

some parts of mt o are still decent
but remember it is surrounded by st clair village, beltzhoover, allentown, arlington, and knoxville

and the foodland is a dump too

there are some decent people left in mt o
but they are getting fed up with all the trash

[merrick13]

I have lived in Mt. Washington (the "bad" side as it's often referred) near Allentown for 5 years and we've not had any problems that I don't see happening in other city neighborhoods. I know more people that had car break-ins and the like when I lived in Shadyside.

The mountain top neighborhoods (Mt. Wash, Allentown, Beltzhoover, Carrick, Mt. Oliver, etc.) are fighting a perception battle more than anything and it's a damn shame that it scares people away. The location can't be beat, it's affordable and and we've met some really cool young people that are trying to revitalize these communities.

Check out 15211.org for more info.