Lawrenceville through the Strip -- not all that great! (Pittsburgh: pharmacy, upkeep)

[PittsburghLlama]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

So, essentially, we're all complaining about how unkempt, run-down, and generally neglected most (not all) of the Strip District is. Those of you who have this Pollyanna vision of the place really need to live in/near it and walk around it on a very regular basis to understand our complaints. The litter is repulsive, weeds are invasive, sidewalks are cracked and dirty, etc., etc. Just because a place is industrial doesn't mean it has to be blighted.

h-curtis started this thread. He does not live there; I lived there and commuted through there to downtown, by bike, every single day; CaptainPittsburgh lived there, and apparently, the same applied to him. The picture that has been painted of The Strip and Lawrenceville is one constructed by someone who refuses to see the facts that have been so thoughtfully written out (and very obviously glossed over) in this very thread by people...who live there.

If you refuse to see all of the things that these areas have to offer, just because there are cigarrette butts on the ground, cracks in the sidewalk, weeds and a scrap yard (which, might I remind you, is a business), well then I guess there's no changing your minds.

Like Captain Pittsburgh said, there are people who read these threads for useful information about certain sections of the city. The Strip District is visited and loved by so many people who do not post on city-data, and that is apparent on any weekend day when you try to sqeeze through crowds on the sidewalk, or evening when you try to get a seat at a restaurant that is booked. The pedantic arguments that you are making are just silly, and you don't need to wear rose-colored glasses to see that.

[CaptainPittsburgh]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

What is correct to you, may not be correct to me. If you think Lawrenceville's back streets on the river side are well kept, we just have a different opinion of what is well kept. You attacking me personally because we view places differently is low class. Just running around saying rah, rah Pittsburgh and not pointing out its negatives is silly. What do you think, the whole place is paradise? Much of it is, but being someone that picks up glass and tons of trash on my bike route gets pretty frustrating. People just litter like crazy in Pittsburgh. I actually do something about it, but I am way outnumbered and people use our nice city as their dumping ground. Also, the many sidewalks are totally overgrown. I carry a weed wacker on my bike sometimes to cut some of it back, so I can pass through. Maybe you just don't notice sidewalks because you fly by on your bike or car and just pay no attention? I know Steel walks. He sees what I see. If Steel cleaned up the mess like I do sometimes, he will also notice how fast the mess will just come back. You would be amazed how fast it comes back. A couple of weeks?

Just because we see things differently doesn't mean you are correct. IMHO, you just don't see what I deal with and I overlook the amazing amounts of cigarette butts. Those I just except because I watch people throw them out their car windows every single day in huge quantities. Do you really think I could deal with that? No one can. Except it and move on. I don't except people throwing bottles on the sidewalk though. That I try and at least kick off to the side.

You are not the end all. You are not somehow more correct than I. You have an opinion only and so do I. If you except all that litter, good for you. I except lots of it, but do something about some of it as well. Good for you, you care less about it.

Bro, go back and read the post that you created this thread with. If it was even closed to balanced, I probably wouldn't have posted in here. It's a hyperbolic tirade. Anyone who read that without knowledge of the area would get a very, very distorted impression.

If I, and some others, wouldn't have posted in response this thread would have made the Stip District and Lawrenceville sound appalling, and I really think that's an irresponsible and damaging thing to do on a public forum open to non-residents.

[irishvan]

If I, and some others, wouldn't have posted in response this thread would have made the Stip District and Lawrenceville sound appalling, and I really think that's an irresponsible and damaging thing to do on a public forum open to non-residents.[/quote]


Well put! I agree, I have had many conversations about Lawrenceville specifically with people that don't live in the city limits even people that live in the city limits but are restricted to Shadyside life. They have this genuine fear and almost disgust for that area. It's that lack of knowledge that spreads and unwarranted negative opinion about a neighborhood. If burghers want to get businesses and homeowners to buy property and help fill the gap between the strip and Lawrenceville we need to speak of the positives of the area.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by jay5835

(you can practically lick the cars as they drive past)

LOL this may just be my favorite phrase of the day. What a vivid picture you paint!

[SammyKhalifa]

Originally Posted by irishvan

Well put! I agree, I have had many conversations about Lawrenceville specifically with people that don't live in the city limits even people that live in the city limits but are restricted to Shadyside life. They have this genuine fear and almost disgust for that area. It's that lack of knowledge that spreads and unwarranted negative opinion about a neighborhood. If burghers want to get businesses and homeowners to buy property and help fill the gap between the strip and Lawrenceville we need to speak of the positives of the area.

On the other hand though, you don't want people to go there expecting some magical urban fairyland.

[irishvan]

Originally Posted by SammyKhalifa

On the other hand though, you don't want people to go there expecting some magical urban fairyland.

Well let's just agree on ONE thing OP was not painting a happy medium picture for ppl.

[BrianTH]

Idle thought--I do tend to agree with the sentiment that the Allegheny Riverfront area has a lot of untapped potential, which could be unlocked with some high-profile projects. Still, your neighborhood can get pretty darn far if all it has going for it is an attractive commercial district in a generally central location surrounded by dense, modest, relatively inexpensive housing.

[gg]

Originally Posted by PittsburghLlama

h-curtis started this thread. He does not live there; I lived there and commuted through there to downtown, by bike, every single day; CaptainPittsburgh lived there, and apparently, the same applied to him.

I have no problem with your opinions that I took out, but to say someone has to live in an area to have an opinion of it is wrong. I am there once and sometimes twice a day. I think I am qualified to have an opinion. For that matter if I walked all the streets in a couple of days and that is all I did, I would also be qualified to have my own opinion on the place. If anything, living there you become used to the mess and they disappear. For a visitor they are more evident. I am not really a visitor considering how much I am there, but don't give me you have to live their routine. Wrong!

I also said there are some nice parts. On the hill and Butler Streets are nice. Not all bad. Penn Ave. in the Strip is okay. Still very run down and dirty. Plus it is totally dead at night.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

but to say someone has to live in an area to have an opinion of it is wrong

Apparently one's own medicine can taste bitter.

[Lobick]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Apparently one's own medicine can taste bitter.

"But Brian you just don't understand....you didn't live through it...you weren't here..."

I must admit to chuckling out loud when I read that particular post.