Is Observatory Hill Safe? (Liberty, Mars: homes, neighborhood, buying)

[OldDog]

To be sensible, you need to read the attached responses but make the decision after your own research. I grew up south of Pittsurgh, moved away from Pennsylvania for several years, and came back. I heard all the terrible gossip about the Northside but did my own research and found that Observatory Hill actually has the best crime record of any of the districts in Pittsburgh. I have found that my neighbors are very curtious and friendly. I moved to Observatory Hill before the gas prices went sky high because of the easy commute to downtown Pittsburgh. Now that the price of gas has gone up, I am more thankful that I moved here. Shopping is convenient as is the access to a variety of churches, and social and cultural events. Riverview Park is located here and it has walking trails, bridal paths, a planned farmer's market, a working observatory, a possible dog park and more. For me and my wife, moving to Observatory Hill was a good decision. Good luck in your research and decisions.

[Chautauquast]

Lived here for over twenty years.
Some neighbors are third generation.
I live on a long oak tree lined street where we all yell at children if they're being bad.
Quiet, safe, close to downtown and not too far from suburban sprawl.
Totally inexpensive urban living.

Paid for! What's to not love!
Pulling the curve up are the few homes with to-die-for views of downtown.
The rest of us put up with reasonable and affordable homes within walking distance of downtown and Riverview Park.

[TRO Z]

Chautauquast,

Did you actually call Perry Hilltop...Quite and safe...

Your definetly living in denial, and for those of us who are very familiar with Perry Hilltop..We know it's about and to get worse...

Wait till the N.Side revitialization goes full swing, meaning when the casinos drop that 9 million they have promised to the N.Side Revital..

All the people doing their dirt down on Jacksonia St and Federal St will need to sell their junk somewhere...Not to mention all the Manchester problems when the police start patrolling that area hard..For the Safety Of the Casino patrons...Where do you think all the bad element is going to go..Do you think they will magically disappear...No they are going to make Perry Hilltop worse than it is now, next closest neighborhood...Logical Choice....

[boardmanite]

Could someone tell me how to get to Observatory Hill? Reading this made me curious. I've never been there, but I'd like to check it out the next time I'm in Pittsburgh... Is it close to the Mexican War Streets? In my mind I have it pictured as being north of there...

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by boardmanite

Is it close to the Mexican War Streets? In my mind I have it pictured as being north of there...

You've pictured correctly.

From the Mexican War Streets area, just take Federal Street which turns into Perrysville Avenue.

Observatory Hill is just past Riverview Park.

observatory hill loc: Pittsburgh, PA - Google Maps

[Chautauquast]

I consider my immediate neighborhood quite safe. I wouldn't have lived here for over twenty years if I didn't think so.
I tell folks that I live in Mayberry. My neighbors and I shovel each others sidewalks in winter and rake each others leaves in the fall. We share tomatoes and zuchini and aging house stories.
Nearly every day I take a forty minute walk throughout Perry Hilltop, and enjoy the hillsides and chat with strangers on the way.
The big problem we have on my street is squirrels! And the occasional raccoon. I won't share the stories of deer appetites. The Perry Hilltop deer posse!
Yes, I have heard gunfire. Yes, there are pockets of problems.
Still, I love it here.
I'm minutes from the Warhol, the Mattress Factory, Artists Image Resources, PNC Park, Heinz Field and Riverview Park. I have actually walked to all of these places.

So, sorry, I don't think I'm in denial.

[kettlepot]

So would it be fair to to describe Observatory Hill as an oasis of nice that borders some troubled areas which causes the timid and ignorant to paint it with an unfairly broad brush?

I ask because in San Diego some people will broadly say anything south of I-8 is 'bad' which is just absurd because that unfairly describes some of the nicest areas, most charming neighborhoods in the metro area.

[la_torquemada]

I think that about sums it up. I don't quite understand why OH gets painted with the "it's gonna spread" brush more than lots of other nice neighborhoods that abut bad areas. My personal (and always unpopular) opinion is that the fear is racially motivated -- there are a good number of middle class blacks in OH and I think when a lot of people drive thru a neighborhood and see more than a few black people, they tend to jump to conclusions.

The proximity of Northview Heights housing project may also be a factor in people's fear -- it is across 279, not really within walking distance (at least not easy walking distance -- it's a long uphill slog), but it is a short drive away. I also don't doubt that Riverview Park is not somewhere you want to go at night. But I wouldn't go to Frick or Schenley at night either -- any urban wooded park has "activity" at night. In some ways this is positive -- IMO, better to have a known, off-the-beaten-path location for illicit activities than push it out into the community at large. OH also does not have a thriving business district, which I think can often help keep a place going.

All that said, I'm moving there next month. I've done a lot of research about it, the crime stats are very good (only Sq Hill and Greenfield are lower among city neighborhoods, and that's counting the entire Perry North area, which includes OH and Perry Hilltop), everyone I know who lives there loves it, and all the people I met walking around the street when I was there told me it was a great neighborhood and very quiet. I heard only one negative secondhand story about someone who lived on the street heading into the park itself and sold their house recently because of some troublemaking teenagers across the street. The property values there are solid and rising, most homes are owner occupied, and the turnover rate is low -- most people have lived in their home more than 5 years. (I researched that by looking at literally hundreds of homes on the Allegheny County Property Assessment website.) In addition, regardless of all its problems the entire North Side is fashionable right now. People are pouring money into the North Side in general, and since money attracts money, I think it's as good a bet that prosperity will spread as blight. I think you could fairly say that it's only an even bet at the moment, but I'm willing to take those odds.

[Geeo]

Observatory Hill reminds me of another successful neighborhood - Friendship (East End). People in OH are buying some beautiful solid homes and restoring them. I think it's always been a solid neighborhood that suffered from some white flight in the 60s and 70s but was never a bad area. It's even nicer there now. Close proximity to downtown, easy to get to shopping in the North Hills. Interestingly, some of the people I met who have moved there came from other cities and were amazed at the neighborhood. If you move here from NY, Baltimore, Chicago or someplace like that, Observatory Hill is an oasis compared to where they came from.

[boardmanite]

Originally Posted by Geeo

If you move here from NY, Baltimore, Chicago or someplace like that, Observatory Hill is an oasis compared to where they came from.

Or Youngstown Well, I guess I didn't move there, but I did get the chance to drive around the area a few times recently. I thought it was a quiet, quaint little neighborhood, very Pittsburgh-ish. It wasn't trendy or bustling, but it was appealing and seemed safe. Now further down Perrsyville Ave is a different story--pretty run-down. Is that area considered "Perry Hilltop"?