Spring Garden: the neighborhood photo tour (Pittsburgh, Manchester: transplants, sale, real estate)

[kettlepot]

I'm torn.

Usually, I am a big fan of historic preservation of older structures, and many of these buildings have great bones that could be resurrected. But many of them were built cheaply and are in a sad state of repair. These will never be repaired, and as they deteriorate in place, rehabilitation of the better structures will be retarded until they can't be rehabilitated either. Or at least that's my take on the area's future.

However, another part of me is pondering another end for this neighborhood. Given that Pittsburgh has lost half its population, there is more housing in Pittsburgh than it needs, or ever will need again, even if the city does regain a substantial part of its population. People who want older housing will gravitate to the better examples in the more upscale neighborhoods first. Spring Garden's turnaround could be a long time coming. If the goal is historic building triage, is Spring Garden the neighborhood to fight and die for (metaphorically speaking)?

Perhaps the best end for Spring Garden is for it essentially to be demolished and become a Riverine Park for Troy Hill and Spring Hill. If the North Side and North Hills were being developed today, I can guarantee you that this area would have ended up as a lush park with a creek running through it under modern urban planning principles. And in this case, modern urban planning would have been correct.

All right Allegheny Angel, Eschaton, BrianTH and others, convince me that I'm wrong, and that the pictures I've seen aren't telling me the whole story. Maybe the area would have been more appealing if the pictures had been taken in the spring and summer. Living out west, maybe I've become too spoiled from our lack of winter.

(BTW: What IS that silver domey thing, BrianTH mentions?)

[BrianTH]

I wouldn't try to convince you are wrong so much as to try to convince you there is no need to rush.

Just because it is handy, I am going to post this map of Pittsburgh appreciation patterns:



If you look closely, Spring Garden is largely trailing the central North Side, with some signs of life but also a lot of value decreases. So, what we would expect given those pictures.

However, I also believe it is at least possible that as the central North Side continues to fill up and gentrify, attention will turn to Spring Garden in time to save some of the better structures. That's the other thing observable in that picture--a lot of appreciation in areas very, very close to Spring Garden, which may in the future start spilling over.

Or not, but my point is why seal its fate now, when things are on the move in the North Side? We don't need another park right now that badly, and destroying historic structures is a one way street.

[Caladium]

Nice photos. LOL, I thought this was literally going to be a photo tour of some spring gardens. Actually, that would make a nice subject for a photo tour some day.

What was the structure that was built right next to the steps (and is now a remnant of crumbling fundation)? It seems a little too close to the steps to have been a house.

[ebyrnes]

Fantastic photos, thanks for posting them. I love Spring Garden, too. Every time I go thru there, I have to wire my jaw back up - it feels like you are in the mountains, and then when you turn a corner - whoa!

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Caladium

What was the structure that was built right next to the steps (and is now a remnant of crumbling fundation)? It seems a little too close to the steps to have been a house.

Actually, Caladium, one unique thing about Pittsburgh is that there are some homes along steep hillsides that are only accessible via public stairways (many of which are named like streets). I'm not certain if that is the case here.

I guess I share the decay fetish that alleghenyangel has because oddly enough I do find beauty in this neighborhood.

[SteelCityRising]

Evergrey, while I really adored this tour I just had to borrow this photo to share on my Facebook profile to show off just how lovely our fair city truly is! Bravo! Excellent work! When I think of Pittsburgh images like this really come to mind!

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Just because it is handy, I am going to post this map of Pittsburgh appreciation patterns:
...
If you look closely, Spring Garden is largely trailing the central North Side, with some signs of life but also a lot of value decreases. So, what we would expect given those pictures.

From what I can tell, the appreciating property is mainly in the center of the neighborhood, which is the industrial area.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

However, I also believe it is at least possible that as the central North Side continues to fill up and gentrify, attention will turn to Spring Garden in time to save some of the better structures. That's the other thing observable in that picture--a lot of appreciation in areas very, very close to Spring Garden, which may in the future start spilling over.

Spring Garden suffers the same issue the neighboring areas do - it's on the far side of the highway from the rest of Pittsburgh, and also cut off from the shore by 28. I think unless East Deutschtown stages a comeback, Spring Garden doesn't have a chance, as the lower residential portion is very solidly connected to it, and I can't see the outer portion making any sort of comeback at all.

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Or not, but my point is why seal its fate now, when things are on the move in the North Side? We don't need another park right now that badly, and destroying historic structures is a one way street.

The park thing is frankly not a good idea. While it would make for a long scenic trail, given it's in a valley, and neither side goes anywhere most people want to go, it would be pretty lightly utilized.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Evergrey, while I really adored this tour I just had to borrow this photo to share on my Facebook profile to show off just how lovely our fair city truly is! Bravo! Excellent work! When I think of Pittsburgh images like this really come to mind!

It's weird how differently I feel about these sorts of scenes in photographs versus standing there in person. It's a beautiful picture, but if I were there in person, I'd be noticing

• The random traffic cone
• the garbage bags
• satellite dishes
• broken sidewalks
• random bent fence post and cement blocks in the lower right
• the several boarded up buildings
• most likely some sketchy person or speeding cars coming dangerously close to me

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by eschaton

I think unless East Deutschtown stages a comeback, Spring Garden doesn't have a chance, as the lower residential portion is very solidly connected to it.

I agree, but I think that condition (redevelopment moving into East Deutschtown) has a chance. Again, I'm not guaranteeing it, just saying it is worth taking a wait and see attitude.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I agree, but I think that condition (redevelopment moving into East Deutschtown) has a chance. Again, I'm not guaranteeing it, just saying it is worth taking a wait and see attitude.

It's already happening to an extent. Specifically, on Tripoli near East there are currently several renovated row homes for sale in the $140K range.