Penn Hills, again (Pittsburgh, Duquesne, Churchill: best neighborhood, real estate, violent crime)

[Bobita]

Hello there,

I intend to buy a property in Penn Hills, right near Churchill Valley Country Club. I am not in Pittsburgh and I know the city just from the few visits there and from the research I have been doing on line. I understand there are good and not so good areas in Penn Hills. Is the area near Churchill Valley Country Club, one of the good sides? I am interested more in the safety aspect.

Thank you!

[scottrpriester]

Originally Posted by Bobita

Hello there,

I intend to buy a property in Penn Hills, right near Churchill Valley Country Club. I am not in Pittsburgh and I know the city just from the few visits there and from the research I have been doing on line. I understand there are good and not so good areas in Penn Hills. Is the area near Churchill Valley Country Club, one of the good sides? I am interested more in the safety aspect.

Thank you!

I'm not sure where the country club is. I do know I work out at the Bally's Gym in Penn Hills and have drove through much of the Penn Hills area. To drive around Penn Hills it seems very suburban and likable, but it certainly had it's share of violent crime last year.

[Bobita]

Originally Posted by scottrpriester

I'm not sure where the country club is. I do know I work out at the Bally's Gym in Penn Hills and have drove through much of the Penn Hills area.

Thank you for the answer, but I do not know where Bally's Gym is either. Churchill Valley Country Club can be found easily with a google map search. It's a big green spot on the map .

[PeterRabbit]

Churchill Country Club is near the Churchill Police Station on Wm. Penn. Hwy./Penn Ave./Rt.22. At the light there you turn down Beulah Road toward Penn Hills and it's only about two blocks, just past Blackridge and their Civic Assn. Or, in Penn Hills you turn down Beulah Road from Frankstown Road. There's a couple chain drugstores at that 5-way intersection. You can also go down Long Road off Frankstown (near McDonald's at Penn Hills Shop. Ctr.) and it will end at the country club.

Beulah Road there, and Long Road and the streets running off those is Churchill Valley. Going there from any of the above directions takes you down hill, it's truly in a valley. There's a small shop. ctr. on Long Rd. and the major Penn Hills Shop. Ctr. is very close. There's shopping all along Frankstown Rd. and it isn't far from Monroeville which is the main shopping area in the east. I think it's been fairly/very safe there but I'm not up with recent developments. People who live in neighboring Blackridge say they walk their dogs at night with no fear. Beulah Road is a main traffic route.

I don't know where Bally's gym is either.

[TexasGirl@Heart]

Bally's Gym is on Rodi Road, before and above Giant Eagle.

[robrobrob]

Probably not the nicest area of Penn Hills. The Penn Hills area of Blackridge is significantly nicer.

[RosefromPittsburgh]

Penn Hills is still a nice area depending on what part of Penn Hills you live. Universal Rd. is not a nice area of Penn Hills. The violent that have happened in Penn Hills last year (2008) was from outside sources, people who stop at the GetGo gas station or that AP bar on Frankstown Rd. that's where the incidents took place. These incidents involved people who do not live in the Penn Hills area. Penn Hills police don't take no mess. You don't have to go into the city unless you work there, there's so many shops, mall, and resturants to choose from. The city of Pittsburgh as a whole is not a bad city we have a few bad apples, but all in all this is a boring city. Even in the city in areas like Shadyside, Friendship, Squirrel Hill you can walk your dog or just go out for a walk at night and feel safe. Churchill Valley is a nice area down by the Country Club with nice homes and a park like setting. Your close to the police station too. When you think about it there will always be violent all around us no real escaping it even in the rural areas you hear about killings, robbery, etc.

[ceciliasjafra]

It depends on who you ask? I've lived in that area for 20yrs and have had no issues of safety or problems with this side of Penn Hills. It's very diverse and have many professional folks, that are the best neighbors and have many friends in the area. Being involved is part of any communities strengths. Even the best neighborhood have trouble.
I love the fact that I can get anywhere via the parkway in any direction. We are a growing community and welcome newcomers. Don't believe all the negatives-there is more positive but nobody whats to hear good news anymore. Hope this helps.

[soniqV]

Like I said in another thread, my biggest worry about buying in Penn Hills would be the seemingly volatile property values. I'm no real estate expert, and certainly no demographer, but it just seems to me like there is an eastward trend of bad neighborhoods. Especially with all the development in East Liberty, the city buying up the Hill, and Duquesne eyeing down the Bluff... they're gonna go somewhere.