What's the most underrated suburb? (Pittsburgh, York: 2009, appliances, new home)

[Awesomo.2000]

Ok, I am on my third post and I will stop. Ray, I understand 100%. I really do. I posted above that I am not against suburbs. I like many suburbs around the Pittsburgh area. I am not making this a suburb vs city argument.

I am talking about when I drive the orange belt after work to go over to my bank. All you see is subdivision after new subdivision that sprouts up over existing farm and woodlands. It is the least way of efficient living if there ever is one. I really wish Pennsylvania would adopt laws and codes like some Western States have to help limit the far exurban sprawl that helps bring down towns in a metro. They are working on route 910 right now, and it looks like they are upgrading the civil work next to it, for proably more subdivisions. Yet more taxes to help develop more sprawl. I know, I know, this isn't Pro American! Pro Republican America is one that lets us develop anywhere with no laws and codes, no matter how inefficient or damaging it is to our state. I know, this is socialist. Oh well.

I am sorry I have issues on sprawl. But coming in here and bashing me, instead of my ideas isn't going to go anywhere. (not you ray).

[kiggis13]

Pleasant Hills and Jefferson Hills rarely get mentioned on the Pittsburgh forum. I would think they are two pretty solid suburbs that are both relatively close to the city and have good schools. There may be slight amounts of sprawl in Jefferson Hills (Patriot Pointe, etc.) but it is nothing compared to places like Cranberry.

[WexfordGal33]

I think North Strabane is a great area that has terrific schools while much lower taxes and better affordability than Peters or USC. I live up North though - so I don't practice what I preach.

[ddietrich]

My husband and I are building a new house in a subdivision. Why? I do like the charm of older houses, but I've lived in them (and I grew up in a Ryan plan and turned out just fine, btw). I've lived in several older houses in the city (Shadyside, Oakland) and have friends that own older houses in the city. It's great for some people, but it is just not right for others, including us. My husband and I are not handy. We do not have the time, money or energy to devote to the upkeep and maintenance of an older home. I personally cannot handle the anxiety of the upkeep of an older home. And like previous posters, we also want to have a yard and parking of our own, and less fear of crime (hence suburbs versus closer to the city).

And Awesomo.2000, it's not your ideas, you're entitled to your opinions, but it's the militant way in which you present them. It makes your message less effective.

[robrobrob]

In my opinion the underrated subburbs are the ones out west and the ones in the Thomas Jefferson School District. Frankly, the commute into town from those areas scare me and probably others which is why they aren't brought up that much. Most of the suburbs we talk about have good schools and a reasonable commute. Clearly, it is easier to commute to downtown from the city but some suburbs have better commutes than others. Since, I work in town, I don't want to live too far out. I have a relative that lives in the Penn Trafford School District, which is pretty far out there but he works from home. Also, I would have loved to live in the East End but we wanted/needed to have two baths on the second floor which is hard to find in a house in price range (under 250,000). Hey if our budget was between 400,000 and 500,000 we could have made it happen.

Hey Awesome, what part of town do you live in? Do you practice what you preach? My guess is that your favorite suburb is Sewickley because it about as far from suburban sprawl as you can get.

[mattjd]

Originally Posted by Awesomo.2000

I know, I know, this isn't Pro American! Pro Republican America is one that lets us develop anywhere with no laws and codes, no matter how inefficient or damaging it is to our state. I know, this is socialist. Oh well.

I wasn't aware that Pittsburgh had become such a haven for evil Republicans. Btw, didn't you demand people leave politics out?

[Geeo]

I think Bellevue is underrated. It's a cool little "Mayberry" looking town with a main street with shopping, brick residential streets, big trees, brick houses, and an easy drive to downtown or the airport with good public transport to downtown and Oakland.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by Awesomo.2000

Ok, I am on my third post and I will stop. Ray, I understand 100%. I really do. I posted above that I am not against suburbs. I like many suburbs around the Pittsburgh area. I am not making this a suburb vs city argument.

I am talking about when I drive the orange belt after work to go over to my bank. All you see is subdivision after new subdivision that sprouts up over existing farm and woodlands. It is the least way of efficient living if there ever is one. I really wish Pennsylvania would adopt laws and codes like some Western States have to help limit the far exurban sprawl that helps bring down towns in a metro. They are working on route 910 right now, and it looks like they are upgrading the civil work next to it, for proably more subdivisions. Yet more taxes to help develop more sprawl. I know, I know, this isn't Pro American! Pro Republican America is one that lets us develop anywhere with no laws and codes, no matter how inefficient or damaging it is to our state. I know, this is socialist. Oh well.

I am sorry I have issues on sprawl. But coming in here and bashing me, instead of my ideas isn't going to go anywhere. (not you ray).

You and I have had differences in the past on the suburb/city thing, mainly because I think my ideal suburb is far more rural! But on this I will have to agree with you. I totally don't get housing developments. What's the appeal? (Rhetorical) Also I'll never understand buying a new house.

Mainly because I've seen today's 2x4's. In order to keep up with demand, they manufacturering 2x4s from very quickly growing harvested wood. The reason that isn't the best is because the growth rings are what provide stability and strength, the rest is cellulose. In older wood (and wood does harden over time) you'll have 7 or more growth rings. More growth rings the better. At the heart of the tree, you'll find the hardest wood as when it's young it's ALL growth rings.

That's why you hear the word heartwood delivered with such admiration.

The new wood? Two, maybe three. My contractor showed me this when he was doing a simple repair on something. He told me he wouldn't use this cheap wood on something that mattered, like a wall. He stuck a flat head in the center of the cellulose and it went in like like that sucker had dry rot.

However -- I do realize that's me -- other people like brandy new houses.

But Awesome -- I always thought that most places, most neighborhoods even in the city were "developed". By that I mean, a builder gets the bright idea to buy X amount of acres to build a X amount of houses and he sells them, with city approval -- like Levittown, or out here where my favorite Joseph Eichler did it. As these homes age, they become neighborhoods, and they develop a sense of history and become more organic. And stuff builds up around them, and they become more like where we'd want to live.

So does that mean, that 50 years ago, we would have been having this same discussion?

[fleetiebelle]

That's why you hear the word heartwood delivered with such admiration.

My architectural history professor in college used to say that the wood they're using to build houses now wouldn't have been good enough to make crates out of 50-100 years ago. (which is one of the reasons I love older housing stock.)

[mattjd]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

My architectural history professor in college used to say that the wood they're using to build houses now wouldn't have been good enough to make crates out of 50-100 years ago. (which is one of the reasons I love older housing stock.)

Is this really germane to the Pittsburgh area though? I could see if we were in the midwest and getting tornados or in the south with hurricanes, but how significant of an effect can this have on the average McMansion in Cranberry? I see houses made of brick and wood all over the city that were built in the early 1900s and they're still going strong, so shouldn't the newer houses in Robinson and Hampton be doing fine in the year 2100 too??? You kind of got me nervous now.