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Every mid-sized city, however, has cool things that a suburbanite can utilize like sports stadiums, museums, big parks, etc.
What makes Pittsburgh unique for a smaller metro off the coast is:
1. The core of the city was relatively well preserved through the urban renewal era, with downtown with very few surface parking lots, and numerous more or less intact 19th century neighborhoods. There's something like 40 different walkable business districts within the city, with several going on for over a dozen blocks (20 in the case of Lawrenceville, and 30 in South Side). Thus it's a
2. Transit is relatively good here, and not just limited in terms of utilization to poor people like much of the rest of the Rust Belt. You can get a bus to Downtown from basically anywhere, and to Oakland from basically anywhere in the East End.
3. White flight was somewhat limited in Pittsburgh compared to other parts of the country, isolated to certain sections of the city. There were, even during the worst periods of mid-20th century decline, not only stable middle-class parts of the city, but rich areas like parts of Squirrel Hill and Shadyside right inside city limits. Not to mention a bunch of traditionally urban, walkable 19th century neighborhoods which remained working-class white and physically intact - which ended up primed for gentrification once urban living became fashionable again.
Basically, what makes Pittsburgh unique compared to its peers is there were a plethora of urban neighborhoods available with few downsides - walkable urban environments, relatively low crime, modest cost of living (although rising now), etc. You can of course drive into Lawrenceville from Cranberry and walk around on Butler Street and take advantage of its bars and restaurants. But it's not the same thing as walking out your front door and being there in 10 minutes on foot. You can drive to a restaurant and park anywhere in the country after all.
Also, Pittsburgh's suburbs just aren't particularly impressive. Not that there's anything wrong with them, but we've always been more of a "core" metro than a suburb metro. Part of this is probably because all of the wealth didn't flee for the suburbs. Part of it is also just that mid-century architecture in Pittsburgh kind of sucks. Part of this is because a lot of the poverty was spread out into suburban mill towns over a century ago, which means the suburbs have their own little pockets of poverty. Part of this is because the Pittsburgh metropolitan area lacks any real "college towns" as all the colleges of note located within the city. But I can count the number of distinctive, desirable, upscale suburbs with cute little walkable downtowns on one hand.
Woah, be careful here. I am not sure Pittsburgh is the only city that meets the criteria you laid out. That's a topic for another thread.
Is there ANYWHERE in Birmingham that can compete with the urban core neighborhoods in Pittsburgh? I cannot think of any.
Pete Saunders once referred to Pittsburgh as "a poor man's Boston," citing the influence of each city's colleges and universities, and also the "hub" status of each city, where most of each region's cultural and civic institutions are located. Also noted was that each city's most desirable suburbs tend to be "streetcar" suburbs rather than post-war "boomburbs," and that each city's daytime population rises dramatically due to all the jobs in the urban core. I'd say this is a pretty accurate assessment. Most of the action in Pittsburgh is in the city itself, plus some of the innermost suburbs.
As for segregation, the black/white Dissimilarity Index is lower in Pittsburgh (72.5) than Birmingham (77.4), which suggests that Pittsburgh is less segregated. In fact, Pittsburgh is also less segregated than average among major Northeastern and Midwestern MSAs (74.7), and only Rochester (71.1) is less segregated than Pittsburgh among major "Rust Belt" MSAs. On the other hand, Birmingham is the most segregated major Southern MSA.
Eh, in Birmingham that's pretty much built on previous history, which is why the Black/White Dissimilarity Index is lower in Pittsburgh. There's more historically Black areas in Birmingham, than there are in Pittsburgh. But on the grand scheme of things, Black and White inclusion is probably more probable in Birmingham than Pittsburgh due to the suburbs, and number of Blacks.
This also spills over into the Metro Area, Nightlife, Shopping, etc. being more diverse.
Woah, be careful here. I am not sure Pittsburgh is the only city that meets the criteria you laid out. That's a topic for another thread.
Just to be clear, I wasn't so much saying Pittsburgh was unique, as I was saying it stands out compared to its rust belt peers. Cities like Buffalo, Cleveland, Cinci, and St. Louis all have nice, historic neighborhoods and middle-class enclaves, but nothing like the scope of Pittsburgh. The only rust belt places which are competitive are Milwaukee and Baltimore - both of which are significantly larger cities with a higher proportion of bad neighborhoods as well.
Is there ANYWHERE in Birmingham that can compete with the urban core neighborhoods in Pittsburgh? I cannot think
My goodness, there's Glen Iris, Highland Park, and the area in between which is I guess 5 points south. Mountain brook could compare to Squirrel Hill I suppose. All are wonderful neighborhoods and that's just four I'm familiar with.
My goodness, there's Glen Iris, Highland Park, and the area in between which is I guess 5 points south. Mountain brook could compare to Squirrel Hill I suppose. All are wonderful neighborhoods and that's just four I'm familiar with.
I'd prefer living in Birmingham, but nah, Pittsburgh has better core URBAN neighborhoods, and it's not close. But on the other hand, Pittsburgh's Metro Area doesn't compare to Birmingham's Metro Area either. There's no Hoover or Homewood in Pittsburgh's Metro.
I'd prefer living in Birmingham, but nah, Pittsburgh has better core URBAN neighborhoods, and it's not close. But on the other hand, Pittsburgh's Metro Area doesn't compare to Birmingham's Metro Area either. There's no Hoover or Homewood in Pittsburgh's Metro.
Looking online, Hoover just looks like a generic suburb to me with a big mall in the middle of it. Homewood has a bit of a cute little walkable business district, but Pittsburgh has similar suburbs as well, like Mt. Lebanon.
Looking online, Hoover just looks like a generic suburb to me with a big mall in the middle of it. Homewood has a bit of a cute little walkable business district, but Pittsburgh has similar suburbs as well, like Mt. Lebanon.
Oh no, I’m talking about something totally different. Hoover and Homewood are Birmingham Suburbs, but they’re run TOTALLY different than the city of Birmingham. They have their own Colleges, Great School Systems, Hospitals, Malls, etc. Better Shopping, Better Fast Food Resturants, Diverse Communities, Clubs/Nightlife, etc. I could go on and on... and I’ve yet to mention Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Trussville, Fultondale, and the other cities within the Birmingham Metro. I feel it’s much more expansive than Pittsburgh Metro.
Pittsburgh has better core URBAN neighborhoods, and it's not close.
I have to admit I like a bit of greenery surrounding houses though I also like the 20s era apartment buildings like you find in the Highland ave area. Personal taste and all that. Pgh is much better for neighborhood commercial, probably because much of the core was built before the auto era.
Oh no, I’m talking about something totally different. Hoover and Homewood are Birmingham Suburbs, but they’re run TOTALLY different than the city of Birmingham. They have their own Colleges, Great School Systems, Hospitals, Malls, etc. Better Shopping, Better Fast Food Resturants, Diverse Communities, Clubs/Nightlife, etc. I could go on and on... and I’ve yet to mention Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Trussville, Fultondale, and the other cities within the Birmingham Metro. I feel it’s much more expansive than Pittsburgh Metro.
Birmingham is more expansive than Pittsburgh metro? Have you been to any Pittsburgh suburbs? Most my time in Pittsburgh has been spent in the core. Pittsburgh's urban core (including inner ring burbs) is as big as the ENTIRE Birmingham metro. That's the old city and it's inner ring suburbs. Pittsburgh has several suburbs that compete with Hoover. For heaven's sake it's over twice as large as the Ham. Long term, Birmingham has more potential but for some reason is one of the slowest growing southern cities despite it's proximity to Atlanta which has nowhere to go. Something has to give. Birmingham needs to merge with its suburbs and get better leadership.
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