Eastern Suburbs: Do you see children outside playing often? Which subdivision? (Pittsburgh: sales, real estate)

[lovemy4kids]

Originally Posted by lifepgh2op

Somebody should warn you, love4mykids, that the Pittsburgh forum is pretty biased toward city life. I don't see it as a negative thing, but I think you should be aware that suburbs of Pittsburgh all fit into some form of a suburb of some other city. We have your urban suburbs, your car-based suburbs, and your rural suburbs.

It all depends on what is right for YOU and YOUR family. Do children play in the city? Of course. Do people cook-out in the city and talk to their neighbors? Of course. There are some city neighborhoods with suburban-feel, and look...decent-sized yards, and all of that, but there are plenty without these things as well. I assume you probably care about school districts, too. Pittsburgh Public Schools are going to be a lot different than Franklin Regional Schools in Murrysville.

Hopefully when you come to visit you can explore all options...city vs suburban needs, the commute, the homes, the neighborhoods, schools, and the people. Pittsburgh and the surrounding area is a great place to live/work, and raise a family. I don't think you will be disappointed once you find what you're looking for. Good luck!

I never heard the term "car-based suburbs". I see why. We live near folks who cummute over an hour to work one way. Telecommuting has made its mark but is not the norm. I suppose we want the best of both worlds...the conveniences of the city, an Oakmont/Squirrel Hill vibe, but a short commute for my husband. Yes, schools are very important.

Finally, I think my picture of city life in Pittsburgh is skewed because of my experience with Chicago city life (the nannies coming/going at the playgrounds).

[lovemy4kids]

Originally Posted by jay5835

I had a friend who lived in one. He was so embarrassed by his circumstances that he became rich enough to live in an exceptionally beautiful Norman-style house built in the 1920s on Long Island when he grew up. Plus an apartment on Central Park South (inherited).

I lived in a subdivision from age 5 to age 11. I liked it. It was a nice, modern ranch house. My uncle was the developer, and I knew everybody in the neighborhood. We got to play in the empty houses as they were being built, and I liked that. Plus, we could walk out the patio doors and eat dinner outside when the weather was nice.

My mother made us move when I was 11 to an old Colonial in a "better" part of town. Her old Colonial never felt finished to me. My father and I always liked the first house more. It was always a PITA to eat outside in this house, because of all the stairs. I wouldn't say I have any kind of emotional scarring like my friend, but I've always preferred to live on one story as an adult. I hate stairs. Hate 'em.

Jay, you just captured a piece of what our boys (and girl) like about our current life. They ride their bikes up/down the roads safely. They can have a nerf gun war in the woods behind our house with the neighbor kids. If they want to get a football game going there's always a handful of kids available. I feel secure letting them play outside when I can't see them because there's always a neighbor on the look out. I hope these experiences can be found in Pittsburgh too!

My husband and I can move to the city once the kids are older but I'm pretty sure suburban life is best for us right now.

[lovemy4kids]

Originally Posted by MeinGlanzendMotorrad

My aunt lives in Bridgeville, in the Hunting Ridge subdivision.

Cookie-cutter as hell, I'd rather be shot repeatedly than live there.

I'm guessing you are about 18 years old. Not all subdivision are "cookie cutter". This comes down to personal choice. My single siblings would prefer to live in a subdivison over getting "shot repeatedly" but I know they prefer city life.

[Mugatu]

Originally Posted by lovemy4kids

I'm guessing you are about 18 years old. Not all subdivision are "cookie cutter". This comes down to personal choice. My single siblings would prefer to live in a subdivison over getting "shot repeatedly" but I know they prefer city life.

Take this forum with a grain of salt. I moved up here from Florida and never really paid attention to whether people lived in the city limits, suburbs, or subdivisions until I started browsing this board. But apparantly it's a big deal to a lot of people on the Pittsburgh forum. You won't experience these discussions when you meet live humans here. Just find an area you like and don't worry about it. Most people here don't even know what "cookie-cutter" really is. Pittsburgh has many charming suburbs with lots of character, unlike the miles of identical beige houses with brown roofs spaced exactly 6 feet apart you see down in Florida!

Anyway...welcome to Pittsburgh!

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

Originally Posted by lovemy4kids

I'm guessing you are about 18 years old. Not all subdivision are "cookie cutter". This comes down to personal choice. My single siblings would prefer to live in a subdivison over getting "shot repeatedly" but I know they prefer city life.

You're off by seven years.

And no, while not all subdivisions are cookie-cutter, the SPECIFIC ONE I MENTIONED IN MY POST BY NAME is.

[MeinGlanzendMotorrad]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

Most people here don't even know what "cookie-cutter" really is. Pittsburgh has many charming suburbs with lots of character, unlike the miles of identical beige houses with brown roofs spaced exactly 6 feet apart you see down in Florida!

Are you even familiar with Hunting Ridge? There are maybe three different styles of house with maybe one or two exterior options (One kind of window or another) that I've seen throughout the development.

[Mugatu]

Originally Posted by MeinGlanzendMotorrad

Are you even familiar with Hunting Ridge? There are maybe three different styles of house with maybe one or two exterior options (One kind of window or another) that I've seen throughout the development.

No, but I do get your point. I have seen a few real cookie-cutter subdivisions around. But they are not the norm here fortunately. They actually look out of place up here, while they are the norm down in the sunbelt. Fly over Orlando and you'll see miles and miles of brown roofs spaced exactly the same distance apart. Your worst nightmare. lol

[Copanut]

Apparently, there is a demand for "cookie-cutter" neighborhoods since more and more are being built every day.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by Mugatu

Take this forum with a grain of salt. I moved up here from Florida and never really paid attention to whether people lived in the city limits, suburbs, or subdivisions until I started browsing this board. But apparantly it's a big deal to a lot of people on the Pittsburgh forum. You won't experience these discussions when you meet live humans here. Just find an area you like and don't worry about it. Most people here don't even know what "cookie-cutter" really is. Pittsburgh has many charming suburbs with lots of character, unlike the miles of identical beige houses with brown roofs spaced exactly 6 feet apart you see down in Florida!

The distinction matters mainly as far as a) wage tax and b) school district. Beyond that it's just proximity to whatever it is you want to be close to. What some people moving in from elsewhere don't realize is that there are places to live inside the city limits that aren't apartments and rowhouses. This is not true in some cities. That's part of why I think the discussion comes up.

Finally, while there are plenty of fine suburbs, one of the things this area doesn't have a ton of is true town centers with walkable business districts, especially close to the city itself. People looking for this small town center type of place are limited to a few spots or have to look farther out from the city.

I actually don't know what the OP was looking for beyond the children playing/neighborhood gathering thing. I remember making a post about it, just to clarify that that sort of thing doesn't stop at the city line. Again, this is not to advocate particularly for within the city limit vs not, but it's something some people aren't always expecting. There seemed to be a clear expectation there that the city life would be somewhat antisocial for lack of a better word, and the reality is far from that in many of the city residential neighborhoods. That said, even within the city you don't get a ton of business districts to walk to, etc.

And there are in fact plenty of cookie cutter subdivisions. The newer it is, the more likely. You don't see them stretch for miles and miles the same too much because the hills and valleys prevent that sort of development, but you still get the identical houses. Parts of Florida, IMO, are quite extreme cases matched by only a few other parts of the country. I've been to Orlando and vicinity many times (have family in Leesburg vicinity) and know a bit about what that looks like.

[lovemy4kids]

Originally Posted by MeinGlanzendMotorrad

You're off by seven years.

And no, while not all subdivisions are cookie-cutter, the SPECIFIC ONE I MENTIONED IN MY POST BY NAME is.

I apologize. You did mention one by name. I have read your posts and know you are into being very individual.