Thinking about moving from Seattle to Pittsburgh (York, Portland: fit in, transplants)

[Bong477]

You have to understand that Pittsburgh is an older industrial city that struggled severely after the collapse of the US Steel industry and although it has done a pretty good job of reinventing itself into a city of medicine, research, and technology there are still a lot of holdovers from the old Pittsburgh that you may or may not find appealing... love of the Steelers, love of hunting, and a fair number of run down areas that are a result of massive population loss ~30 years ago. There's a large educated population in Pittsburgh, but there's also a large un/undereducated population as well some of whom it feels like they are sitting around mumbling about how bad things are and still waiting for the steel mills to reopen (there's also some of the typical urban problems of drugs and poverty that plague most American cities, although they are relatively isolated and minor in Pittsburgh compared to a lot of other cities). The population loss is a blessing and curse, part of what makes Pittsburgh a great city is that amnenities it has really don't belong in a city of its size and the real estate is so cheap (although make sure you account for property taxes when looking at houses, they are very high and you may need to adjust your budget down) which probably wouldn't be the case if the city was twice as populated.

Pittsburgh is a relatively liberal city, but based on your love of activism and environmentalism you probably aren't going to find it liberal enough to your liking. For me... its a little too liberal compared to what I'd prefer.

Pittsburgh should have enough of the things you like about Seattle to be at least worth investigating. You won't have a problem finding a job in healthcare. Your husband may or may not have some issues, there are definitely jobs in that field but I'm sure you are aware the economy isn't very good right now. Many of the schools are pretty good, there are lots of nice neighborhoods ranging from suburban to urban, real estate is reasonably priced, there's plenty of history and diverse architecture, there are dog parks, there is ethnic food (including Thai although you may be limited to 4 or 5 places), there are coffee shops including both Starbucks and independent stores, there are libraries, etc.

[west seattle gal]

Thanks, Bong. That was a thoughtful post.

After reading all of this & going through some local websites, I'm now convinced that Pittsburgh is the place for us. Thanks to all for your responses. Now I'm off to purchase books about Pittsburgh from amazon. Can't wait to get them!

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by west seattle gal

Now I'm off to purchase books about Pittsburgh from amazon. Can't wait to get them!

I'm not sure if this advice is too late, but Toker's "Pittsburgh: A New Portrait" is great.

[SteelCityRising]

A friend of mine also recommended that I read Paris of Appalachia, too.

[loveautumn]

Just tell me...is there a Nordstroms there

[gameguy56]

Originally Posted by loveautumn

Just tell me...is there a Nordstroms there

Yes

[rugcris]

Originally Posted by west seattle gal

We are considering the move b/cs Pittsburgh has advantages that we consider very attractive -- much cheaper housing, more interesting architecture & housing in general, a sense of history, several well-respected colleges (& more colleges in the state as a whole), better museums, and proximity to other urban areas (particularly NYC and DC). These things are important to us b/c we have two small children (ie. we would like to expose them to travel, museums, history, education, etc...). Sports are not very important to me, but it would be fun for our sons to experience a feeling of city pride for their football, baseball, and hockey teams...

Things I will miss about Seattle -- drop-dead scenery, ferry rides, liberal population (and a feeling of activism & strong environmentalism), hundreds of musicians on street corners, non-stop festivals and local events, libraries in every neighborhood, safe neighborhood streets, parks & playgrounds everywhere, Thai restaurants, dog parks, coffee shops... Or does Pittsburgh have some of these things, too?

So tell me...Can an electrical engineer (mostly hardware design) & nurse practitioner/RN find jobs? Would my sons enjoy their public school education? Do most PA colleges select in-state applicants? Are there great family friendly neighborhoods? What words describe a typical Pittsburgh resident, or how would you define the personality of the city? How is your public transportation system? Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

As others have suggested you might enjoy living in the east end of the city, particularly Squirrel Hill, which is very family friendly. A couple of thai restaraunts (lots of asian restaurants generally; i.e. Taiwanese, Burmese, Japanese), lots of coffee shops, breakfast places and lots of parks, playground areas. For people with kids Pitsburgh is great. It has a great Children's Museum (better than a number other major metro areas I've been to), a zoo, an aviary, science museum, and a natural history museum. Not to mention a number of art museums...

You might find this website useful: Pittsburgh news for tech, arts, hiring --Pop City, they have good summaries of different neighborhoods and moving/visiting guides.

I would agree that if you come to visit, that staying in hotel downtown won't get you a real feel of the city. There are a number of extended stay places in the east end such as shadyside rentals.

Good luck!

[Mr. Mon]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I'm not from Pittsburgh originally, so I have a bit of an outsider's perspective.

In my view, the typical native is a little reserved at first, but very friendly when you get to know them. People here tend toward the casual, practical, and frugal. The norm is to be tolerant in a live and let live, mind your own business sort of way, and some quirkiness is commonplace. There is still a decent amount of old school Democratic sentiment around, but also some contemporary progressive and conservative areas. Lots of people are into the outdoors in some way. Lots of people are into sports, and a lot of people also visit arts exhibits and cultural events. There is a strange mix of civic pride and civic self-denigration.

That's a very good description of the Pittsburgher mentality from an outsider's perspective. The big adjustment when coming from Seattle will be the level of upkeep - See the Litter Thread. Seattle really sets a high standard for cleanliness in big US cities, so don't expect spotless streets and flower baskets when you arrive.

[west seattle gal]

Originally Posted by Mr. Mon

That's a very good description of the Pittsburgher mentality from an outsider's perspective. The big adjustment when coming from Seattle will be the level of upkeep - See the Litter Thread. Seattle really sets a high standard for cleanliness in big US cities, so don't expect spotless streets and flower baskets when you arrive.

That's funny. People are actually quirky here. In front of at least one house on every block, you are likely to see unusual paint jobs, homemade art/sculptures, or yards that have returned to their "natural" state & up to your neck. I used to have a neighbor w/ a mannequin in his window that frequently had its dress changed according to the holiday. Another neighbor displayed a rock band in his front yard made out of scrap metal and old CD disks. Sometimes political statements are painted on the siding. Tibetan flags are found in every North end neighborhood. Yards are OFTEN in disarray, and houses in need of repair. This is not a flower basket city, but it's true that the highways and major roads are not littered in trash.

But I get the gist of your post...

[rosie74]

I'm currently living in Seattle and lived in Pittsburgh for several years. I am actually moving back in a few weeks. Pittsburgh definitely has a more mid-western vibe than other northeastern cities, and the friendliness of the people reflects that aspect of the city. At the same time, it is about a three to four hour drive to Baltimore-DC and a short flight to New York (about an hour and a half). I actually posted on a different thread about the similarities/differences between Pittsburgh and the Pacific Northwest for someone who was considering a move from Portland, OR.

A lot of people have given suggestions on neighborhoods, but one that I haven't seen is Regent Square (it spans Wilkinsburg and Pittsburgh, but I would look at the Pittsburgh side). Also, the South Side has a lot of health care workers living there and a lot of shops, restaurants, and coffee shops, plus a couple of theaters (as in live theater) in the flats. I would stay out of Oakland as far as housing goes. It is dominated by college students and has a lot of student-oriented bars and small clubs for the just-turned-21 set. That area is where Pitt, Carnegie Mellon, and UPMC are though, so you may end up working in that neighborhood.

I would say that the info other people have already given you is pretty accurate, so I won't repeat what has already been said, but if you take a trip to Pittsburgh, you should also go visit the Laurel Highlands. That is the area of the Allegheny Mountains that is outside of Pittsburgh. It is where the ski slopes, state parks, whitewater, hiking trails, etc. are located. Going up there (even just for a one day drive or a short overnight trip) will give you an idea of the outdoor activities in the region.