More Praise for Downtown Living (Pittsburgh, Monroe: condos, transfer, neighborhood)

[fleetiebelle]

If you are used to Manhattan, living in Downtown PGH would be quite an adjustment.

Activity-wise, maybe, but if people don't care about living in a house with a big yard or having (and parking) a car, then living downtown is a great option for them.

[OyCrumbler]

Did y'all see this, too?

Trading Places: urban transplants downtown city living: Pittsburgh Magazine: April 2009

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by scrapp

But downtown PGH is just not that similar to Manhattan... you are comparing "the city that never sleeps" to our downtown that empties out and closes down after close-of-business. If you are used to Manhattan, living in Downtown PGH would be quite an adjustment.

Oh sure--I was just using that as an example of how people do in fact raise families in a purely urban environment, and I happened to know a lot of Manhattanites in particular since I went to college near New York.

That said, if you are raising a family, the fact that Downtown doesn't have a Manhattanesque night life may not be a big deal. What Downtown does have is easy proximity to a lot of museums, the stadiums, fun stores to explore, riverboats, inclines, river trails, and so on--in other words, daytime stuff that could be fun for a family. Indeed, I find myself recommending to family tourists visiting Pittsburgh that they stay somewhere around the Confluence, basically for the same reason (the density of family-friendly amenities).

The other important thing about Downtown in this context is that it is at the center of our web-like public transportation system. When you talk to parents living in purely urban environments, easy access to public transportation is often a huge part of the appeal: once their kids are old enough to use public transportation on their own, they have a lot more autonomy than kids who live in car-dependent neighborhoods prior to getting their own licenses. And even after they get licenses, you may not want your kids spending a lot of time in cars (for safety reasons).

Anyway, to reiterate, I'm certainly not claiming Downtown is just like Manhattan. But I do think for parents interested in raising their kids in an urban environment, it has at least some of what is attractive about that lifestyle.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

Did y'all see this, too?

Very interesting--thanks!

[aveojohn]

Originally Posted by aveojohn

They need to build a small fenced in(to keep the bums out) the down town area for the kids to play in.

I meant to say fenced in park.

[pman]

Originally Posted by OyCrumbler

Did y'all see this, too?

Trading Places: urban transplants downtown city living: Pittsburgh Magazine: April 2009

It says 2100 people live downtown but the post gazette cited over 5000

[Truman325]

I think it's great that people are looking to live downtown. If I didn't have smaller children of my own I would have been seriously tempted! I live in the subarbs, but I jump on any excuse to go downtown... especially when it's nice weather and sports teams are playing!

Go Pens!

[OyCrumbler]

It looks like some folks are giving downtown living with small kids a try. Maybe if things go smoothly for them, you won't have an excuse to not live downtown.

[mattjd]

I don't know how I feel about this. I mean, she said she looked at "progressive" areas like Portland and Seattle. Good God, I don't want an invasion of yuppies! What's next, even higher taxes to subsidize the crappy city schools? Before you know it we'll be the San Fran of the East with hemp stores and abortion clinics on every corner. Not in my Pittsburgh! NOOOOOOOO!

[scrapp]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

That said, if you are raising a family, the fact that Downtown doesn't have a Manhattanesque night life may not be a big deal. What Downtown does have is easy proximity to a lot of museums, the stadiums, fun stores to explore, riverboats, inclines, river trails, and so on--in other words, daytime stuff that could be fun for a family. Indeed, I find myself recommending to family tourists visiting Pittsburgh that they stay somewhere around the Confluence, basically for the same reason (the density of family-friendly amenities).

The other important thing about Downtown in this context is that it is at the center of our web-like public transportation system.

I lived in northern NJ for 5 years and worked with folks who lived in Manhattan and commuted to work in NJ because they wouldn't consider living anywhere else but NYC. What I learned from them is that it isn't solely the nightlife, the tall buildings, the museums, broadway, the taxis, etc. that makes NYC attractive. Instead, it is all of that plus the critical mass of people living there that makes NYC really feel alive and vibrant with life and action.

Our Downtown just doesn't have anything close to that level of critical mass for families and I don't see it getting that close, especially given that Downtown is so close to Pittsburgh's already-established family-friendly areas. For example, the east end also has proximity to the kinds of "daytime stuff" you list above, it is walkable, and it is well connected by PAT.