"As World Economies Turn Up, Pittsburgh's Falls" (Post-Gazette article) (Washington: house, neighborhoods)

[PreservationPioneer]

Source: As world economies turn up, Pittsburgh's falls


Pittsburgh can stop celebrating how well it weathered the recession, because as other cities around the world are experiencing a recovery, Pittsburgh is falling behind again.
In a study of 150 cities in the U.S. and abroad, researchers at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., found that Pittsburgh really did fare well during the recession. The city, which was ranked 128th for growth before the recession, rose to 41st in the world during the recession, but that was mainly because in a world losing jobs and income, Pittsburgh lost less.
However, as other cities are rebounding, Pittsburgh is falling behind again and now ranks 129th in the post-recession era.
Moderator cut: shortened, copyright protection

[Renaldo5000]

It's pretty simple; Pittsburgh did not experience an horrific detraction like other cities did during the economic crisis because there was no boom here. And, now that things are starting to turn around, other areas will experience a boom again and things will continue to stagnate here.

[Craziaskowboi]

Then let's just give up.

[Renaldo5000]

No, we shouldn't give up. We need to repopulate the city. Some of the things that the politicians are doing is working (trying to encourage businesses in certain neighborhoods to make things "walkable", i.e. Lawrenceville). But, some of the things they are doing (and have done) are ridiculous wastes of taxpayer money and not effective at all.

[Blackbeauty212]

One thing that works against The Burgh and PA for that matter is the Political Leaders of the City, County and State are NOT Progressive thinkers...They're status quo people it's an "oh well this is the way its always been soooo" type mentality....

There's no reason the City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny county are not one government...atleast Allegheny County has toooo many damn individual governments, you can't find this type of backwards set-up anywhere else in the country....and it leads to soo many problem with moving Pittsburgh forward...

With a Pi$$ Poor Transit System - Thing are about to get worse for the Burgh...seriously no one wants to move to a city where you have Drive every friggin where.

Seriously we need some Progressive Thinking Blood in the area politics - it's too "Old Boys Club"

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

With a Pi$$ Poor Transit System - Thing are about to get worse for the Burgh...seriously no one wants to move to a city where you have Drive every friggin where.

To be fair Northern Virginia is growing like a weed, and it is a VERY autocentric area where one must be wealthy in order to live in a desirable, walkable, or well-transit-serviced neighborhood. I'm in the camp who'd rather eschew my car as much as possible, but that's not important to many people, as evidenced by NoVA's major growth.

[steindle]

Originally Posted by RestonRunner86

To be fair Northern Virginia is growing like a weed, and it is a VERY autocentric area where one must be wealthy in order to live in a desirable, walkable, or well-transit-serviced neighborhood. I'm in the camp who'd rather eschew my car as much as possible, but that's not important to many people, as evidenced by NoVA's major growth.

Yeah, recent history suggests that almost EVERYONE wants to move to a place where you need to drive everywhere. See: Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Nashville, Atlanta, et al.

[XRiteMA98]

Driving everywhere is an American thing I can't possibly understand. In Europe people walk and have bikes. Every little physical activity helps us stay thin. Did you notice there no fat mail man in this country?

[Blackbeauty212]

Originally Posted by steindle

Yeah, recent history suggests that almost EVERYONE wants to move to a place where you need to drive everywhere. See: Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Nashville, Atlanta, et al.

No its not history its location....Those cities were built with the automobile in mind...and look at their locations...All in the Sunbelt and West Coast...

Older Midwest/Eastern (Chicago to Boston belt) cities are built for Public Transit and Walking in mind....Look at the Parkways do you really think they can handle a "No Public Transit Pittsburgh"....Pittsburgh's infrastructure will collapse without Public Transit.

[steindle]

Originally Posted by Blackbeauty212

No its not history its location....Those cities were built with the automobile in mind...and look at their locations...All in the Sunbelt and West Coast...

Older Midwest/Eastern (Chicago to Boston belt) cities are built for Public Transit and Walking in mind....Look at the Parkways do you really think they can handle a "No Public Transit Pittsburgh"....Pittsburgh's infrastructure will collapse without Public Transit.

Right. Obviously. What I said was just that most people seem to be moving to places where they are conscious they'll have to drive almost exclusively. I didn't say anything about Pittsburgh's public transit or infrastructure.

Also, re: XRiteMA98's point about mailmen -- one of the most disturbing things to me about Nashville is that the mailmen here literally drive from house to house. In the city. Like it takes me 20 seconds to walk to the end of my block, and the mailman will literally drive 15 feet, idle their car, deliver the mail, drive 15 more feet, idle their car, etc. It's mind-blowingly wasteful and indicative of the South.