Stuck in Ohio... (Pittsburgh, Lebanon, Wilkinsburg: foreclosure, construction, public schools)

[scrapp]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

You've never lived in or near KC. I've had way too many problems with the people in KC over the years to consider these frivolities that I need to ignore.


I don't see Pittsburgh listed but I do see KC, St. Louis and Cleveland is at the top of the list.

America’s Most Miserable States - 24/7 Wall St.

I've got several emails from a woman that used to live in Altoona but moved to St. Louis for a few years. She described St. Louis virtually identical to the way I've described KC. I still have the messages as proof.

Don't know about KC, but I used to live in STL (near Clayton/U-City area) and it doesn't match the way you've described KC at all. I like Pittsburgh ok (has better jobs in my field) but I'd have no problem going back to my old STL haunts.

Altoona is a lot smaller than STL or Pittsburgh... wouldn't surprise me if your friend felt the same way about Pittsburgh as she did about STL...

[steindle]

Originally Posted by Degs99

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

Check for yourself. 9th lowest out of the 100 biggest metro areas. While it may not be the lowest, it's still much better than Cleveland.

And it's the 2nd best ranking for an actual mid-size or large city, behind only San Jose.

So yes, my statement is remotely close.

I stand partially corrected, though (a) those stats are from 2002 and deviate fairly substantially from year to year (e.g., New York and/or Boston are sometimes above Pittsburgh); and (b) Cleveland is in the top 1/4 of that list as well, so that criterion isn't a huge distinction between the two cities.

[ML North]

I visited Cleveland not long ago and particularly liked University City/Little Italy, Ohio City, and Tremont, all of which seemed like nice places to live. Cleveland's transit system seems to be improving with the implementation of the Healthline BRT on Euclid Avenue and the E-Line trolley, and frankly, I preferred it to Pittsburgh's bus and rail system (including the light rail extension which runs near my neighborhood). I believe Pittsburgh's transit system has higher ridership though.

Downtown nightlife is mainly centered on East 4th St. and West 6th St., neither of which I would describe as desolate.

Anyway, if you don't enjoy living in Cleveland I'm not going to try to convince you otherwise. I would, however, suggest that you try to find and focus on things that you like about the City, rather than spending the next year or two in a depressed funk.

[jimmyev]

Originally Posted by Gnutella

Whatever happened to The Flats? It seemed like the place to be back in the 1990's, but from what I've heard, that scene has virtually disappeared since 2000. They're not alone, though; Buckhead used to be Atlanta's big party district, but a combination of skyrocketing property values and new laws enforced by the city of Atlanta have put an end to that. It seems to me like East Carson Street developed more organically over time than either Buckhead or The Flats.

I happened to be in Cleveland one week when the alt weekly did a feature story on the demise of the Flats. Basically neighbors were complaining about the rowdiness and the city began strictly enforcing all kinds of laws to control the drunk neanderthals. Now the district doesn't even exist...

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Don't for get Dormont, Mt. Lebo, Aspinwall, and the Regent Square trio.

Well, Regent Square is technically within the city, so it doesn't count as an inner-ring suburb. Also, I don't believe Mt. Lebanon is adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh (correct me if I am wrong).

[heartchya]

Oh Cleveland. I visited twice in the past 2 years. We went to see the house form a Christmas Story. That part was fun the rest was very underwhelming. There was hardly a soul out in their downtown area. We really couldn't find anything to do. Finally we found one street that was a walking street and had a few restaurants. That was about it though. We couldn't even find a coffee shop---including Starbucks.

We went down by the lake and stadium thinking there might some places to eat or something down there. There was nothing. Well besides the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You think they would have some places to eat down there.

I had heard that Tremont was a cool neighborhood. It reminded me of Bellevue more than anything. I don't know maybe I missed some huge happening area but I didn't feel it was anything close to Pittsburgh.

[escilade18]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

Well, Regent Square is technically within the city, so it doesn't count as an inner-ring suburb. Also, I don't believe Mt. Lebanon is adjacent to the city of Pittsburgh (correct me if I am wrong).

It is adjacent to Banksville and Brookline although those really don't give much of a "city feel" either IMO

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by heartchya

I had heard that Tremont was a cool neighborhood. It reminded me of Bellevue more than anything. I don't know maybe I missed some huge happening area but I didn't feel it was anything close to Pittsburgh.

Same here, except Bellevue has a much better business district than Tremont (IMO).

[Heidi60]

Can anyone compare the health care in both cities? I recently read that Pittsburgh was on the list of Best Places to Retire but am curious about health care and taxes in both places.

Both have lots of pierogi which I like!

[WILWRadio]

Originally Posted by scrapp

Don't know about KC, but I used to live in STL (near Clayton/U-City area) and it doesn't match the way you've described KC at all. I like Pittsburgh ok (has better jobs in my field) but I'd have no problem going back to my old STL haunts.

Altoona is a lot smaller than STL or Pittsburgh... wouldn't surprise me if your friend felt the same way about Pittsburgh as she did about STL...

She likes Pittsburgh. She had a lot of trouble in St. Louis. St. Louis is not a large backwater like KC. I have not had nearly as many issues arise when dealing with St. Louis people as I have in KC. The company I work for is HQ'd in St. Louis and I seem to get along fine with them.

I come from a completely different culture and background than the people in the KC region are accustomed to. Affluent New England prep and Ivy League background and I was brought up in a Swedish household. I also happen to be a Conservative with some Libertarian values and that clashes with the culture in these parts. I will have far less trouble in the Pittsburgh area because there are more of my kind in that area than out here. And also Pittsburgh is well known for generally being accepting of others that are not exactly like they are. KC is not.

A guy I have known since the first grade moved to KC in 1992 and has gotten along well here over the years simply because he made wholesale changes to his personality after moving here. After he moved here he became a Chiefs fan, lazy, racist and anti semitic and self absorbed. He also started to sleep around with a lot of women that he met at work and in bars. In other words he took on the traits of many in the local population. Prior to moving out here and while he still lived in New England he at least had a couple of good traits. He was hard working and would help others when in need. He had no interest in sports at all and had a steady girl friend for ten years.

This is a region that seems to worship Jessie James and honors his past with a Jessie James Festival every year. Pretty twisted even if it is only a whimsical event.