An afternoon walk in McKees Rocks & Stowe Twp. (Pictures) (Pittsburgh: sale, salons)

[PreservationPioneer]

As promised, here are pictures of the neighborhoods of Norwood and West Park in Stowe Township / McKees Rocks.

West Park and Norwood were some of Pittsburgh's early suburbs, built up largely between 1900-1920 in the shadow of McKees Rocks and the P&LE Railroad. They are located approximately 3-4 miles west of downtown Pittsburgh. The vibe of McKees Rocks and Stowe varies by block and neighborhood, but is largely blue collar, historic, and walkable. The area is full of signs of former industry, from ghostly railyards and abandoned factory buildings, to the small worker's row-homes of Presston and The Bottoms. Norwood and West Park were primarily residential. The historic West Park business district survives beautifully intact.

It has been about a year since I bought my house in West Park. It has been a great experience. All of the pictures in this thread were taken on an afternoon walk, just blocks from my front door.


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Above: West Park business district (Stowe Township)

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Overlooking West Park from Norwood (Stowe Township)

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View of downtown Pittsburgh from Norwood (Stowe Township)

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West Park:

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Above: My house -- couldn't resist!

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Above: this is one of the oldest houses in West Park, as far as I can tell. The mansard roof gives it away as older than a lot of the other architecture.

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Well-maintained homes in a neighborhood with $20,000 houses?!

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The abandoned house on the left is for the naysayers.

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Typical McKees Rocks style four-square brick homes.

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Cute Crafstman bungalows abound.

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Deteriorated sidewalks (Oh no! Grit!)

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Lots of yellow brick.

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Lots of suburban-style homes as well.

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And a few interesting old-western style homes (or what would you call this, exactly? It looks like something from Butte, Montana).

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A little bit of grit (I'm saving the best for later).

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"Who would want to live in a house built before 1970?!" (sarcasm)

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West Park business district.

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You don't see a woody Olds Ciera everyday.

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I guess this is Stowe's version of the Liberty Bell.

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This was the neighborhood movie theater in West Park at one time.

Now we head up the hill towards Norwood, and look back over West Park.

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There were some gritty houses on this street. I didn't take pictures of them.

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Above: View of West Park from Norwood (urban density in the suburbs).

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This is Norwood. It is more gritty than West Park. It sits on the top of a hill overlooking West Park, the Ohio River, and downtown Pittsburgh ($20k houses with million dollar views).

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Some of the streets were rather grim and reminded me of a horror movie.

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Quaint cobblestone alleys.

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When people say old houses are ugly, I think these aluminum sided ones with awnings are what they are referring to.

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But these brick ones could be gorgeous.

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I loved this house. I wish it could be preserved in an arrested state of deterioration. Okay, my "decay fetish" is coming out.

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That house again.

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I told you I was saving the gritty stuff for later.

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View of the Ohio River from back yard.

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We're still up in Norwood.

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View from Norwood.

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View of the McKees Rocks bridge from Norwood.

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View of "The Bottoms" and the Ohio River.

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Houses are cheap here because this might be your view across the street.

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Don't walk out the back door!

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And that's all folks! All in an afternoon walk.

[jay5835]

Very nice photos. You have a knack.

I couldn't determine if all the pictures of the downtown area were of the same downtown area, i.e., West View. If so, does anyone shop there? Looks like a lot of empty storefronts. Am I wrong in this perception?

[Summerz]

Nice pics, thanks for the tour.

[PreservationPioneer]

All of the downtown area pics are of the West Park business district along Broadway.

According to Allegheny Together (www.alleghenytogether.com), the Stowe Business District (West Park) is 34% vacant. There are many businesses, though, including several restaurants, a hardware store, barber shops, a convenience store, tanning salons, a thrift store, etc.

[toosie]

Thank you - what a treat! It's been years since I spent any time in the rocks.

Back in the 70s we were there often - especially to eat at Nello's restaurant. Happy memories even though that's where a waiter once referred to me as a young man. That wasn't anything new since my hair was always cut very short. What made it remarkable was that I actually was wearing a dress I shot such daggers with one withering look, I think his knees buckled a little

Anyway...Love these pics! The cobblestone, precarious angles, steep hills, flags on display. Are the flags always out or was that for labor day?

All the shots of parking on the sidewalk - gives a new meaning to "off street parking"

In the first third you show a corner brick house with cool portal windows in the brick under each side of the porch. Neat detail.

Love the naysayers pic! Loved the decay fetish house, too - especially with that wacky antenna and sturdy stop sign.

OMG and the awnings! Some look like they were made from siding too. Classic.

Saw that three story brick structure with the menacing clouds overhead and thought "scary movie"...then after the next pic you were saying the same thing. Must have been the pall those clouds cast!

Oh the western place - could that actually be a trailer on a foundation? Looked it from here. Maybe it's just a ranch with siding, though.

Don't go out the back door! heehee - and the woody! You couldn't have staged that better. No kidding, though, there's one in Sewickley. Guess woodies are the great equalizers

Noticed someone bothered to install a sun roof in one house, too - for the three days of sun we get each year.

Really appreciate you taking and posting and commenting on these pics for us. Very atmospheric and thought provoking.

[DaBurgh]

Great pics, thanks for sharing.

Yellow bricks must have been on sale at some point back in the early 20th century.

[Pitts10yrs]

No pics of the Mancini Bakery!!!

The problem with that area is not in the town itself, but the housing projects on the hill. All the thugs prey on those in the town!! They are ruining the school!!

[BrianTH]

All that brick so close to Downtown--it has tons of potential. And I really believe it will get unlocked eventually (of course eventually could be 30-50 years, but still).

[lde]

Thanks for the pics. I would not buy in most of those places because it's too dense. But so are many parts of the city and surrounding boros. There are people who don't mind being so close to their neighbors.

Like a lot of places, the restoration needs to go on an entire block (or more) at a time. Otherwise the restorer can't get his/her money back. More local employers, or better transportation options to other areas would help alot.

Good luck to the area. Great views.

[feanix]

I always found Pittsburgh to be a remarkably pretty city to view but having lived there my entire life (including the McKees Rocks area) I can say that there is good reason the houses are 20,000K. That area at one time housed four of the city's projects (OVA, Bottoms, Prescott, and Terrace IIRC) and hard working blue collar folks found themselves and their children paying the cost of that in their schools and neighborhoods. If I move the parts I will miss is the scenery that was captured in your pictures, but I will not miss the things that aren't included in your photos.

Ah, but even I admit, I will miss the view from Mt. Washington, the inclines, seeing the city as I come out the Fort Pitt tunnels (by far one of the best scenes IMO of coming into a city especially at night) , watching the fireworks from the river, PNC Park, the Penguins (favorite team), watching the Good Ship Lollipop cruise down the river (and remembering going on it as a kid). I will miss dipping my feet in Point Park's fountain, and many other memories. But, I think I will miss those cobblestone streets the most. Even as an adult I get almost giddy driving over them. There is a lot of history in those roads and they should never pave over them (as they've done to some).

Pittsburgh is a very beautiful city, and I would recommend it for many, but I have grown disenchanted with it. The areas I can afford I do not want to live in with my children (like McKees Rocks), but I don't knock anyone who has found the city wonderful. We all feed from the energy of where we live, and because of that should find a city that moves us like it is obvious Pittsburgh does for you in your pictures!

Great pictures and kudos for representin' the 'Burgh!