Suburbanites: What Would it Take to Entice You to Consider Urban Living? (Pittsburgh: mineral rights, buying)

[marktheshark]

Inability to manage a property is probably what it would take. The higher taxes in Allegheny County and Pittsburgh are somewhat offset by the higher travelling costs you incur in suburban areas, but since I work in the suburbs, a move to Pittsburgh would increase my total costs. I prefer the more open spaces to the city, especially since the lifestyle has been, to this point, cheaper. I have few troubles with the municipality, as there aren't many ordinances or fees to consider.

If all of the issues involved in living could be addressed, I wouldn't see much difference if I moved into the city. However, that would mean changing an entire lifestyle to my own design, and that won't happen. We see enough people moving from the city to the suburbs and rural areas, then wanting to start transforming them to another city environment. The saying "Go back to Shadyside" has been floated around before, however inaccurate it might have been at the particular time it was used. There is even a pamphlet offered in the township office explaining the "ways" of country living to potential home buyers.

After considering the number of lifestyle changes that would be necessary, I don't believe I'd be happier in the city. However, if the time comes that my curent lifestyle can't be supported any longer, such a move may become necessary.

[Tinare]

Originally Posted by juliegt

Thanks. I've actually posted twice. I'll be posting pictures of the quaint house across the street from me soon. It looks so pretty in the snow.

Nice job with the blog! Thanks for posting that picture of the house across the street from you. I lived in Crafton (on the one-way section of Noble on the other side of Steuben) 7 years ago, and used to walk a lot on Creighton (love that street) and Bradford and the other streets near where you now live. That quaint house was a mess 10 years ago -- all peeling white paint and they were just starting to work on it -- so it's cool to see how much work they've done and how great it looks. I haven't been back to that area in awhile. One of my favorite houses is on your street -- it's the little tiny cottage that I think is two or three houses up from the church on the same side of the street. I used to wish that one would go on the market. (I like little cottages.)

[SorryIMovedBack]

Suburbanites: What Would it Take to Entice You to Consider Urban Living?

1. Job that provides enough income, steady employment, and intellectual stimulation.
2. Affordable home with enough square footage.
3. Parking. I need to park at least 2 if not 4 vehicles. Would prefer that they are off the street.
4. Decent neighbors and not a declining neighborhood.

The suburbs pretty much suck. Suburbia is for people who have a very high tolerance for perpetual boredom and social isolation and just want to sit at home and watch TV. Suburbs are boring for children, even. I hated growing up in suburbia. Mud and crud and nothing to do, and nowhere to go, and you need a vehicle to go almost anywhere or do anything. Living in a good and safe urban environment is far more intellectually stimulating to intelligent people. Rural locations are useless unless you are farming, is my opinion. Suburbia is the worst of all.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by SorryIMovedBack

The suburbs pretty much suck. Suburbia is for people who have a very high tolerance for perpetual boredom and social isolation and just want to sit at home and watch TV. Suburbs are boring for children, even. I hated growing up in suburbia. Mud and crud and nothing to do, and nowhere to go, and you need a vehicle to go almost anywhere or do anything. Living in a good and safe urban environment is far more intellectually stimulating to intelligent people. Rural locations are useless unless you are farming, is my opinion. Suburbia is the worst of all.

Wow, great post.

[ML North]

Originally Posted by SorryIMovedBack

Living in a good and safe urban environment is far more intellectually stimulating to intelligent people. Rural locations are useless unless you are farming, is my opinion. Suburbia is the worst of all.

Well that's a bit high-handed. Perhaps living in a rural location is more "intellectually stimulating" because one can minimize certain sensory distractions and think. Entertainment, observation, and experience - things which are plentiful in cities - aren't the only "intellectual stimulants", to use your terminology.

I don't disagree with everything in your post, but I certainly don't agree with any of it. Everyone is different. To assume that the country offers no intellectual benefit to anyone because only cities appeal to your intelligence is an incredibly unintelligent analysis.

[PreservationPioneer]

There are many charms to living in the country, specifically non-suburbanized rural areas. I'm not talking about vinyl village. I spent the first 23 years of my life in rural Michigan. You can walk through the woods, go fishing or swimming at the lake, walk around your property (people in the country tend to own many acres) and see the open space in all directions. I think cornfields and open prairies are beautiful, and they are a sight to see after being in a congested city for years, believe me.

My main problem with living in the country is that it is extremely, extremely lonely. I think I have been trying, and not succeeding, to compensate for all of the social interaction I missed during my childhood and young adult years by living in a comparatively bigger city. But I find that the city can be lonely, too. I have an untested theory that many young people who grew up in the suburbs or rural areas move to the city for similar reasons.

I really like the historic small cities outside of the main city because you can have the best of both worlds: an urban, walkable downtown, and countryside in all directions outside of that.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

My main problem with living in the country is that it is extremely, extremely lonely. I think I have been trying, and not succeeding, to compensate for all of the social interaction I missed during my childhood and young adult years by living in a comparatively bigger city. But I find that the city can be lonely, too. I have an untested theory that many young people who grew up in the suburbs or rural areas move to the city for similar reasons.

I think it's simpler than that. People make the decision to stay in, or leave, an environment similar to where they grew up based upon how happy their childhood was. If they were reasonably happy, popular, and well-adjusted, they stick to what they know. If they didn't fit in, or had other bad experiences in their formative years, they associate the built style with bad feelings, and feel repulsed by it.

It explains quite a good deal to me. Most people I know who grew up in the suburbs and moved to the city didn't fit in for one reason or another (gay, nerdy, artsy, freaky, whatever), and most people who move to cities from rural areas talk about how they felt everyone around them was very close-minded growing up.

On the flip side, it suggests why few middle-class black professionals are so keen on gentrifying city neighborhoods. Their memories of the city often still fresh from childhood, and include racial tension, decrepit buildings, gunfire, and slumlords. Moving to a more cleaned-up-looking version of the same doesn't really hold much appeal, any more than someplace which looked like where I grew up, but the houses were adobe rather than wood frame, would make much of a difference.

[hinsey86]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

I really like the historic small cities outside of the main city because you can have the best of both worlds: an urban, walkable downtown, and countryside in all directions outside of that.

I just said this to dh the other night. We are now just a few miles from New Brighton and Beaver Falls. We live in a 1800's farm house on a Couple of acres. I have my organic gardening/ chicken farming self fulfilled but in less than ten minutes ican get my urban grittiness vibe filled...without major traffic. It is simply perfect.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I think it's simpler than that. People make the decision to stay in, or leave, an environment similar to where they grew up based upon how happy their childhood was. If they were reasonably happy, popular, and well-adjusted, they stick to what they know. If they didn't fit in, or had other bad experiences in their formative years, they associate the built style with bad feelings, and feel repulsed by it.

It explains quite a good deal to me. Most people I know who grew up in the suburbs and moved to the city didn't fit in for one reason or another (gay, nerdy, artsy, freaky, whatever), and most people who move to cities from rural areas talk about how they felt everyone around them was very close-minded growing up.

On the flip side, it suggests why few middle-class black professionals are so keen on gentrifying city neighborhoods. Their memories of the city often still fresh from childhood, and include racial tension, decrepit buildings, gunfire, and slumlords. Moving to a more cleaned-up-looking version of the same doesn't really hold much appeal, any more than someplace which looked like where I grew up, but the houses were adobe rather than wood frame, would make much of a difference.

I think it may be true in some cases, but another trend I see is 20 somethings who grew up in the burbs move tp the city for the perks of city life. They often move back to the burbs once they start families.

[sealie]

Originally Posted by juliegt

I think it may be true in some cases, but another trend I see is 20 somethings who grew up in the burbs move tp the city for the perks of city life. They often move back to the burbs once they start families.

I have thought about this some, having lived in urban areas that had decent-to-good school districts, and even without kids in the picture, and even being more or less on board with "new urbanism" or whatever they're calling it this decade, I could easily think of a good half-dozen reasons why a person would choose the suburbs. I may have no soul.