Avalon - pollution? (Bellevue, West View, Sewickley: fit in, apartment, houses)

[John Tsang]

I'm looking to buy an older house for less than $100,000 and Avalon has a lot of nice looking houses that fit into this price.

I don't know all that much about the area, but from what I have seen I like.

With one exception - a friend lives there on monitor street and it seems like when I visit there is a layer of black filth on things - his cars, his windows, porch, etc. I do not want my family and I to be breathing that into my lungs day in and day out.

Am I just catching it on rare, bad days - or is the pollution from Neville Island constantly a problem here? Is it better or worse in Ben Avon and Bellevue?

[Hopes]

Avalon and Ben Avon have a disgusting smell due to manufacturing on Neville Island. I think it's sulfur. I never smelled it in Bellevue or Brighton Heights.

[greg42]

It may hit Avalon the worst; I think the coke plant is on that section of the island across from Avalon. You see it from that bridge on 65 which is at the Avalon-Ben Avon border. I used to live in Emsworth, right up against the river, and I don't think I noticed it. Although granted, it was an apartment, and although there was a balcony, I didn't spend a ton of time outside, only a little. Across from us was the refinery instead. In the summer, the trees were full enough to block it, but you could see the lights in the winter. Might have been some odors occasionally, I wouldn't be surprised, but I don't have distinct memory of "Wow, that's bad" or anything constant. The coke plant is definitely the dirtiest industry on Neville Island, and I think there have been some pollution violations there over the last several years.

This problem should be lessened if you can get farther away from the river, at least from the actual soot angle. Realistically, though, that whole area along the river (until you get somewhat into the city limits on the city side and nearer to Sewickley going north) could be a problem for possible lung issues, etc. I sometimes wonder if living there for 5 years worsened my asthma. Plenty of families do live there, of course, but if you may want to dig a little deeper. If you're up over the hill and closer to 279, that should be better.

Assuming family includes school-age children it's worth noting that Ben Avon and Emsworth (and Ben Avon Heights and Ohio and Kilbuck townships, these being not directly against the river) are in the Avonworth school district, which is notably better than Northgate which serves only Bellevue and Avalon. You could also check West View, which is across 279 and in North Hills school district. The types of houses might vary too much from what you're looking for, though.