Pittsburgh has an inferiority complex (Denver, Penn: houses, buy, live)

[BrianTH]

Unfortunately, streetcars were ripped out in many cities across the nation, thanks in part to a GM plot. See here:

Great American streetcar scandal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[JoeLeaphorn]

Originally Posted by scrapp

Is that really true? That was before my time, but my impression is that East Liberty was starting to decline (due to out-migration or whatever) and the open air mall was an ill-advised attempt to address the issue that just made matters worse.

It wasn't so much the migration as the threat from suburban shopping malls. The URA was asked by the East Liberty merchants to help them devise a plan by which they could succeed against the malls. The URA's plan was, essentially, an open air mall with limited street access to central businesses and parking around the perimeter. Whether this would have worked or not is debateable. Nowdays, there are many successful "town center" shopping centers which are very attractive and popular.

But the timing was bad. The city's decision to relocate lower-income families to giant high-rises along East Liberty's perimeter didn't sit well with many of the residents of Highland Park and surrounding neighborhoods (high rise low income housing had similar effects in other cities). Many elected to move out and many large homes were converted from single family to apartments. The number of businesses dropped from almost 600 in 1960 to about half that in 1970. When I started coming to Pittsburgh in the mid-70s, it was barely alive but there was a department store, a Sears and other restaurants and businesses.

[juliegt]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

Orlando resident: "My house was broken into twice this year, it's 95 degrees with 80% humidity, lightning knocked out my a/c and I can't afford to fix it because I only make $10 an hour at my service industry job...BUT I LOVE IT HERE!"

Pittsburgh resident: "It's cloudy today and I hit a pothole. This is the worst place on earth!!!!"

I love your very funny assessment of the two cities!

[PeterRabbit]

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Awesomo.2000

<snip>

There is a big difference between Pittsburgh and Denver (another city I experienced living in). There everybody is happy, positive, has a youthful attitude. Here people are bitter, negative, and cynical on everything. My old coworkers act like there is nothing positive here. It is annoying, and I do agree with you. I actually have been considering leaving for a while when my lease is up, and I will finally be out of debt by then, so I can afford a Higher COL(if it don't put me back into debt that is). Maybe N.Y.C., Washington/Baltimore, Boston? I may stay here and keep what I pay in debts to save for a house, or move and not save as much and live life in a city that isn't so negative.

Originally Posted by Heit

You can have Denver and "the brown cloud". "Everyone is happy, positive, has a youthful attitude"???? Now that is painting Denver with a BROAD BRUSH! Denver is packed full of people, the drivers are ignorant, crazy and VERY RUDE! Denver lost it's charm many years ago. I go there a few times a month and never look forward to it. I'll take my hometown of Pittsburgh over Denver any day, that's why I'm moving back. I miss the trees, green, fall colors, hills, rivers and lakes all right there. You have none of that in Denver.

Funny how SO MANY folks from Denver come to WY and not the CO mountains..............why?????...............it's packed full of people and they come to WY for some elbow room.

You can say what you want about Denver: brown cloud (though much improved since I moved here in 1980); too brown (though not this spring); no big rivers; no trees outside the city until you get to the foothills; no lakes (but then again the Pgh area doesn't have any either that I can think of); I wouldn't say no hills, just different hills than in Pgh, but Awesomo.2000 is right that the prevailing attitude is "this is a great place", etc. It's way different than Pittsburgh. I can't really put my finger on it.

[alleghenyangel]

<<"True, but as someone who started coming here as a child more than a half a century ago, there is a lot more that used to be here that was demolished as part of "progress". If it hadn't been for individuals such as Dolores Boniface (South Side) and the History and Landmarks foundation, many more landmarks of our Golden Era would have long since been bulldozed.">>

Every American city has been decimated by "urban renewal." It's the philosophy in our country of "out with the old, in with the new," that leaves so many important historic buildings victims to the wrecking ball. Pittsburgh has lost its fair share of great structures (Old Library, Old City Hall, Wabash Terminal, and many, many smaller commercial and residential structures downtown dating from the mid 19th century). However, I must say that in spite of all Pittsburgh has lost, it still retains more historic architecture than most big American cities. You can walk around downtown and see block after block of intact historic buildings, many restored. That is not true in most downtowns! I can't stress that enough.

Cities like Detroit and Toledo aren't comparable at all to Pittsburgh because they have seen the majority of their historic architecture destroyed for parking lots and garages and ugly 1970s concrete highrises. Google Detroit Ruins or just walk around downtown Toledo (or Tulsa) if you want to see what the worst of the urban renewal movement.

[ditchdigger]

Originally Posted by JoeLeaphorn

The city's decision to relocate lower-income families to giant high-rises along East Liberty's perimeter didn't sit well with many of the residents of Highland Park and surrounding neighborhoods...

It wasn't just the highrises, but the whole area bounded by East Liberty Blvd., Frankstown Ave. and Penn Circle East/Collins Street, and more, between Penn Circle West and N. Negly, from Penn Ave to Rural Street. The school board decided to take even more of the neighborhood, north and south of Penn Avenue, to the edge of Mellon Park, for a "Great High School", which never came to fruition. Much of that area sat vacant for years.

All that took place in my preteen and teenage years. Having grown up, and spent the first half of my life, within half a mile of the East Liberty business district (my parents spent practically their entire lives there), I think I can render a qualified opinion on this--Whether or not the area was already in decline, and the merits of the "open air mall" concept notwithstanding, the transplantation of the issues, real and percieved, that accompany low-income housing, to the very doorstep of the business district, sure didn't help matters.

[By~Tor]

Getting back to the original post.... I don't think Pittsburgh has an inferiority complex any more than any other city of our size...

I, too have now lived here exactly one year (June 1st), and from what I've seen, Pittsburgh simply revels in its past, present AND future glory, while touting the benefits of its geography, populace and cultural diversity (not racial, but actual "cultural").

I Do think people who are natives or long-time residents have seen somewhat of a decline in the standard of living here, which came frrom the mills and mines closing or going overseas... and any frustration they may feel at a perceived lack of adequate replacement opportunities is definitely justified, as many of the newer jobs in the economy here are based, not on manufacturing but in information, medical, education or in other "high-falootin' and ed-u-mi-cated" fields where the old guard work force may simply not qualify to enter it....

Pittsburgh, to me, is a fiercely proud blue-collar city with a fantastic white-collar future... the cultural opportunities here actually rival New York or Chicago, and the entertainment quotient is as high as any city in America. The cost of living is low, and the people like to get out & "play", whether that mean biking, hiking, boating, camping, or even just walking around the various neighborhoods.

As a relative newcomer, I take what the "old-time" Burghers say with a grain of salt, because since I haven't lived here that long, I can't say what may or may not have been in the past.... I can only speak to what I see now and what I HEAR is promised, for the future.... and of course, politicians EVERYWHERE are paid, professional liars by nature, so nothing that fails to come to pass would phase me, anyway.... LOL!!!

Now, if you wanna' see a city with Inferiority Issues, one need look no farther than our good friends in Cleveland, who touted the "Rock -n- Roll Hall of Fame" as a lynchpin to its revitalization, even as the city core continues to degenerate into squalor and makes East St. Louis or Gary, Indiana look tame and welcoming, by comparison!....

But HEY!---it's been a few decades since Lake Erie caught fire, so...... things are good, now!!!..... LMAO!!!

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

You just can't deny Pittsburgh's role in the history of America and its status as a Great American City. I don't care how much the population shrinks, or how high the crime rate goes, or how many neighborhoods are distressed. The overall picture of Pittsburgh is a strong one, and I don't think anyone should ever count this city out! But I think people have, and continue to do so. I think residents of Pittsburgh should be more positive about their city, have more hope in its future, and work to address their problems with the city instead of whining (or moving!). I think so many people have lived here for so long they can't see the forest for the trees. Do life-long residents realize how discouraging it is for newcomers when they talk down about their city, question why anybody would move here, and endlessly complain? How can it not be possible for some people to see the beauty in this place?

As someone who has lived here only a year, but long enough to have developed an understanding of the city and some of the people who live here, I just want to say:

1. Pittsburgh IS beautiful. The downtown, the historic homes, the cobblestone streets, the hills, the views, the rivers... from the gritty industrial warehouses and glorious decay to the Victorian mansions and restored buildings and everything in between....Pittsburgh has charm to spare...and where there isn't beauty, there is potential!

2. Pittsburgh is affordable! You don't have to be rich to live here. When I first moved here, I worked at Walmart. I was broke, but I still had enough to live on and was able to appreciate the city. Now I have a job in the field my degree is in. Pittsburgh gave me an opportunity. It has as many jobs as anywhere these days.

3. I think this city has been maligned in the media and by residents so long that it has become cool to hate on it. But I think what this city needs more than anything else is love. It needs people to fight for it, and I know people do every day otherwise it would never have survived so well.

So the next time you hear someone say something really negative or sarcastic about Pittsburgh I hope you will stand up for the city. We know the city deserves it.

[ditchdigger]

Originally Posted by Awesomo.2000

Here people are bitter, negative, and cynical on everything.

There are bitter, negative, and cynical people everywhere, and if they're speaking on any topic at all, it comes through.

As far as Pittsburghers go, I wonder if some of what's percieved as negativity isn't simply an attitude of humility or self deprication, or at least stems from that attitude. Pomposity and braggadocio don't play well here; never have. The flip side of that coin is excessive humility. The civic pride that resides in the heart of the average Pittsburgher may never reveal itself until somebody from outside makes a criticsm...

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by ditchdigger

There are bitter, negative, and cynical people everywhere, and if they're speaking on any topic at all, it comes through.

As far as Pittsburghers go, I wonder if some of what's percieved as negativity isn't simply an attitude of humility or self deprication, or at least stems from that attitude. Pomposity and braggadocio don't play well here; never have. The flip side of that coin is excessive humility. The civic pride that resides in the heart of the average Pittsburgher may never reveal itself until somebody from outside makes a criticsm...

I disagree. To get back to what Awesomo.2000 said, the prevailing attitude in many cities is "this is a great place". You see that in Chicago and Minneapolis, as well as Denver. And the defensiveness that comes with the ciriticism doesn't help, either.