Nursing school student moving to Pittsburgh - housing advice? (Greensburg: sublets, apartments)

[bristoleffect]

Hello everyone! First-time poster here. Exciting.

I’ve frequented this forum for the past couple of months, but have only just registered. I’ve found that it’s a super resource for information about Pittsburgh, and I just wanted to start out by thanking everyone here for their great contributions! I've found things when visiting your amazing city that I would have never located otherwise.

I was wondering if you might be able to help me. I recently learned that I’ll be starting a nursing program in January at the University of Pittsburgh, which I’m really excited about - I’ve been working towards Pitt as my number one choice, so to be accepted is great news.

I’m planning on moving to the city at the end of December, and I’m currently trying to determine where I should live. I’ve visited Pittsburgh a couple of times before, and I understand that Pitt is in Oakland, and that a lot of students choose to live there for convenience, proximity, and social atmosphere.

Here's the thing: I’ve already been to college - I was an undergrad at a university down in Houston, and lived on campus all 4 years. Because of that, I’m fairly familiar with the college bar scene, and while I love it sometimes, I think I’m more interested in living somewhere a little more further afield. When I visited earlier this year, I really liked the atmosphere on the South Side, and wanted to get to Lawrenceville but ran out of time. From what my friends from the area have told me, however, it sounds like I'd really like it.

Just a bit of quick information about me. I’m a 22 year old male. I love music (making, listening, discussing), running, reading, beer, and museums. I probably won’t have a car, but used a road bike in Houston with limited success (terrible public transport down there). I don’t mind living alone, but I’d like to be in an area with people my own age if that’s the case.

Any advice you could offer would be incredible. I’d love to be more specific but didn’t want to scare anyone away with a huge boring post.

Thanks so much!

[gameguy56]

I would definitely check out bloomfield/lawrenceville if you like music.

Howler's, Gooskis, Garfield Artworks, ModernFormations, Bloomfield Bridge Tavern etc. Bring in lots of independent and small musicians from all over the place.

Pittsburgh is also really good if you like people doing interesting things with synths and electronics, and no I don't mean crappy pop/dance techno.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by bristoleffect

Just a bit of quick information about me. I’m a 22 year old male. I love music (making, listening, discussing), running, reading, beer, and museums. I probably won’t have a car, but used a road bike in Houston with limited success (terrible public transport down there). I don’t mind living alone, but I’d like to be in an area with people my own age if that’s the case.

I think Southside will be a hassle for biking and public transportation to Oakland.

Friendship or Lawrenceville would be perfect for you.

Friendship/Bloomfield would have you on more level ground with Oakland for easier biking.

[Internet Superman]

Unless you are made of money, I would find a compatible roommate and someplace affordable.

I wouldn't wait until the week I was going to move down, I would find a place to live now - before the holidays. Sign a lease and get settled in.

You might be able to find some kind of holiday employment if you get there before the second week of November.

Once the weather turns cold and snow is on the ground, you are going to have a much harder time finding a good place to live.

Might I suggest you buy a Greensburgh Tribune Review at least once a week (Sunday is probably best) and a Pittsburgh paper at least twice a week and read the classifieds.

[onwardandupward]

Actually, he will have less trouble finding an apartment (whether solo or a shared place) at the end of December than he will now. Right now the students have taken all the apartments in the university areas. However, some students graduate in December and move, which opens up housing for someone coming in then. There will be sublets and roomates looking for people to fill rooms in December.

While I'm not knocking the classifieds, virtually everyone uses Craigslist for apartments.

[sheezymaneezy]

We could room it together. I'm planning to move there in Spring

[bristoleffect]

Awesome responses so far! I'll add Bloomfield and Friendship to the list of places to look.

I'm not opposed to living with someone, and I understand the financial implications of living alone vs. with a roommate. I'm more curious about where, area-wise, it might be a good idea to start looking. In terms of when to find an apartment, yeah, the off-campus housing assistance at Pitt said that later in the year was when student apartments might start opening up due to early graduations.

Thanks so much - any other opinions? I've been looking at apartments online near Butler Street, but it sounds like I'd need to bike down 45th to Penn Ave before I could catch a bus that would get to Oakland quickly. Is that relatively well-lit? I'd be biking in the dark, most likely - not sure how thrilled I am about that, but I'd do it if necessary. Seems like a bit of a hassle, although I'm not sure if it's a huge problem if I can put bikes on bus racks.

[Hopes]

That's why it might be best to get an apartment at the top of the Lawrenceville hill in Friendship or Bloomfield.

There is a bus that runs to Oakland from up there. Plus, it's flatter for biking to Oakland.

If you're planning to use a bike rack, make sure the route has busses equipped with racks. Currently, 12 city routes have bike racks.

Here's a list of those bus routes: Rack 'n Roll

[Hopes]

It's the 54C that takes you from Bloomfield/Friendship straight into Oakland. The ride is 12 to 14 minutes. And it's on the list of bus routes that have bike racks.

[BrianTH]

I also think the Lawrenceville/Bloomfield/Friendship corridor is a good idea for a music-oriented person looking for something close to Pitt, and Polish Hill would be an option in that area too. If you want some other choices, you could also look out in Squirrel Hill and on to Point Breeze and the Regent Square area, which are also popular choices for Pitt grad/professional students, albeit without the same music scene but with good bus service to Oakland. The same would go for Highland Park.