The Official Cranberry Township Thread (Pittsburgh: fit in, employment, schools)

[SammyKhalifa]

In their defense the leadership in Cranberry seem to be doing things to try to curtail traffic and maybe even build a town center for what's otherwise a chaotic decentralized mass. They're trying to make it a little more walkable too.
Cranberry Township - Official Website

That's not to say that I like it, per se. I work there and still specifically choose to not live there. If people try to say the place is anything other than a chaotic sprawl, they're kidding themselves. I suppose Cranberry was bound to develop this way because it was put together piecemeal by separate developers--on top of farmland and not an existing town structure. Hopefully the people running the show up here can clean that up a little, before it bloats out to totally engulf nice little surrounding communities like Mars and Zelie.

[Burghgirl17]

On a most basic level, you can't force people to like the same things you like. You love cities, others prefer suburbs. Some people prefer the charm of older houses, some like shiny and new. Neither is going to change the other's mind. The whole teaching a pig to sing thing.

You can't MAKE someone share your opinions and beliefs. Just like you can't turn a gay person straight, turn a Steelers fan into a Ravens fan, etc.

There's so much focus on the hatred of suburbs that it just makes those haters appear insecure and defensive. Focus your energy in a more positive light and maybe you'll accomplish something.

[Bong477]

blah blah blah blah blah

The people and business located in Cranberry don't want to be in some run down city neighborhood just like you don't want to live in the "cookie cutter" suburbs. If you had a family and had to worry about crap like lead paint, terrible schools, high taxes, space for kids to play and other important things you'd probably understand the reasoning better. Being responsible for other people that are totally dependent on you makes the ability to walk to a bar or the architectural detail of a building substantially less important. People that don't have children think they can understand this (I thought I did), but the truth is the matter is you need to have children to understand what it is to be a parent. Not saying you can't raise successful children in the city, but its significantly more challenging whereas generally the only challenge living in a nice suburb is how to get back and forth to work.

There are pluses and minuses to urban, suburban, and rural lifestyles. Different people like different things.

[SteelCityRising]

The problem, BurghGirl, is that I suppose I'm just frustrated. The reason why the Peters, the Fayettes, the Strabanes, the Murrysvilles, and the Cranberrys of the world are burgeoning at the expense of their host cities is because, primarily, of the perceived (or real) poor quality of the public school systems in urban areas. I don't ever foresee that image being reversed in the minds of most parents, yet without stable middle-class FAMILIES I don't foresee the city ever having a bright future. We can't cater exclusively to DINKs, gays/lesbians, hipsters, etc. just because everyone else is afraid to take a chance on the city.

I lived in NoVA, which was a place just like Cranberry---wide congested streets, strip malls, parking lots, chain restaurants, big-box stores, cul-de-sacs, etc. I had enough of that, and I've fallen in love with a city that loves me back. The more and more alleghenyangel shows me that the city continues to tear down historic structures while new housing is simultaneously built in the exurbs, though, the more depressed I get because I envision some historic neighborhoods in the city eventually becoming obsolete in my lifetime with me being unable to do anything to save them.

[EveKendall]

I have never been to Cranberry, so I cannot comment on that particular community. However, I think the issues of suburbanization--including "do they help or hurt cities?"--are interesting and important to think about. I personally think it is problematic to have so many people work in the city but commute home to the suburbs, especially when there is insufficient public transportation. I have wondered if it makes sense to have these people pay a wage tax of some sort as a way of contributing to the infrastructure. I guess that is a similar idea to having a congestion tax for people who drive into the city.

[Burghgirl17]

Well then take your frustration out in a different way instead of attacking something that is different from what you prefer. We know how much you hate NoVA (I challenge you to go a week without mentioning NoVA or anything related to it on these message boards), and we know how much you hate the burbs. You don't need to start yet another thread about it.

We get it, you love the city. That's great. But to show your love for the city doesn't mean that you trash everything that's not the city. It doesn't get you anywhere and only hurts your cause. You may have valid points and ideas, but they're getting lost in a sea of broken record negative energy and silliness.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by Bong477

blah blah blah blah blah



There are pluses and minuses to urban, suburban, and rural lifestyles. Different people like different things.

Oh, I agree. But I wish the suburban areas like Cranberry and Robinson (the two around here I'm most familiar with) and gone about their developing in a more organized and less destructive manner.

Many originally moved out to those areas to escape the city, and I suppose that's fine if that's what they want, but they only ended up ruining what they went out there for. Have you ever seen the street map of the Robinson/North Fayette/Whatever area? It's absolute nonsense. There's a new Giant Eagle like a half mile down the road from an old, abandoned Giant Eagle. Buildings seem put up with no regard but where they can fit the biggest box store. And like I said, I'm not against box stores per se, if it's done with a little forethought. I'm hoping the Cranberry officials can put a lid on the sort of thing we see in Robinson before it gets TOTALLY out of hand.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I don't hate "suburbs" in general, though. . . . What I don't see the value in are these "willy-nilly" newer outer suburbs with their haphazard cul-de-sacs, wide main arterials that are often congested, seas of asphalt, and pretty much doing everything in their power to cater to the automobile first and pedestrians and cyclists as afterthoughts.

So you should be supporting the development of the Pittsburgh suburbs along more efficient and sustainable paths.

However, that takes a little more nuance than "Cranberry--good!" versus "Cranberry--bad!".

[Picksburg Stillers]

I think most people would prefer to be in an area close to work and where everything they want or need like groceries, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment is close by, but they aren't willing to put up with more crime, bad schools, and higher taxes to get that. If families are going to choose Pittsburgh over the suburbs, then the city needs to seriously work on fixing those problems. If I were you, I'd spend more time trying to improve the city than moaning about Cranberry.

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by Picksburg Stillers

I think most people would prefer to be in an area close to work and where everything they want or need like groceries, shopping, restaurants, and entertainment is close by, but they aren't willing to put up with more crime, bad schools, and higher taxes to get that. If families are going to choose Pittsburgh over the suburbs, then the city needs to seriously work on fixing those problems. If I were you, I'd spend more time trying to improve the city than moaning about Cranberry.

Why not try to improve both? Again, pretending there's nothing wrong with how areas like Cranberry are going about things--that's putting blinders on as well (well, either putting on blinders or just being selfish).

Also, since reading this thread I can't get this song out of my head for some reason:
http://www.mojvideo.com/video-talkin...003c7b244e0398