What are the city's shortcomings? How can we improve? (Pittsburgh: live in, prices)

[ML North]

Originally Posted by Maast

Well the area near the lake to the basketball stadium is not that bad, given the size of the city.

That's East 4th and I actually think it's pretty good, but it's like 1 or 2 blocks, whereas Carson Street is like 20.

Originally Posted by Maast

Downtown Pittsburgh shuts down after people go home after work.

Some streets are shut down (I mean, there's not much of a reason to hang around on Ross Street after hours) but others are much better than they were even a few years ago. Market Square + the Cultural District offers a distinctively different experience than South Side, and I think what Downtown has to offer is becoming more popular.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by ML North

Some streets are shut down (I mean, there's not much of a reason to hang around on Ross Street after hours) but others are much better than they were even a few years ago. Market Square + the Cultural District offers a distinctively different experience than South Side, and I think what Downtown has to offer is becoming more popular.

Night life areas and venues get popular for a while, then they fall from grace from the drinking public.

Locations in the Strip were exceedingly popular in the 90's, Donzi's and Rosebuds and Metropol and other locations really picked up- but then they fell.

In an earlier age, when I was a young man, town was hopping a lot more at night that it is today. Square folks had to go to town if they wanted to see a first run movie, they had to go to 6th St. or 5th Avenue, they provided business for various restaurants and bars. Those with more prurient or alternative tastes had a full menu of smut related businesses centered on Liberty.

When I was a teen, the Holiday Inn and Giraffe disco in Parkway Center drew large crowds of drinkers.

I wouldn't want to make a guess as to where the next hot spots are going to be, but it will not be that terribly long before thriving nightlife will be someplace else where we won't expect it.

[gg]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

I wouldn't want to make a guess as to where the next hot spots are going to be, but it will not be that terribly long before thriving nightlife will be someplace else where we won't expect it.

The South Side has been a hot spot for decades. Sadly the undesirable people are finding it more now and it won't be as fun as it was in years past it seems.

[MathmanMathman]

^ That's true. Nightlife spots can be fickle. It starts out hip and trendy, then declines as people move on to something else. I was floored when I heard that The Flats in Cleveland failed as a nightspot. It seemed perfect but somehow places of nightlife entertainment become victims of their own success. In some cases, gangs and the influx of people looking to get drunk with its consequences can kill off the latest hotspot.

Atlanta had a big success with Underground in its downtown in the early 1970s but it failed after about 5 years and the city has been struggling ever since to revive it, renovating it and pouring money in to keep it going. It's seen as more of money pit now with questions about its future. And Atlanta's Buckhead was the place as well but it started to attract the "gangsta" element and being "gangsta" is not exactly conducive to civil behavior. The area was bought out and a developer leveled it and the last I've heard it will be The Streets of Buckhead with mixed use and boutiques. Sterilizing what was there. Atlanta's "Studio 54" was The Limelight. I think it's a furniture store in a strip mall now. Hard to believe looking at the site of its former glory past. The Kroger next to it was and sometimes still is called Kroger Disco but few know what it means.

I suppose some live on as Bourbon Street does in New Orleans. But that has a tourist draw.

[wanderlust76]

My one buddy still talks about The Flats in Cleveland sadly it died not too long after I hit drinking age... ahh if I could have had just one weekend there. We drove through Cleveland over a year ago and decided to look for some nightlife it seemed pretty hard to find. Some area called the warehouse disctrict or something. Ended up at some place right on the lake by a strip joint...cool place, huge, multiple bars, was dead though we were like the only people there. Great Lakes puts out some decent beer. Pittsburgh has nightlife it's just spread around except for the South Side.

[GregHenry]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

I think why Pittsburgh is booming

Wait. What?

Pittsburgh is in a massive tailspin. Don't kid yourself. Pittsburgh is on the way down. This metro area is falling into the 30's. Look at that demographic posted recently. 1/4 of your population is over 60. Your urban pioneers aren't that numerous, and they aren't into reproduction. In 20 years, you'll go from 2 mil to 1.5-ish.

Originally Posted by ML North

I thought every city with a hip reputation had nightlife scattered about various strip malls (laid out on flat land) that were at least separated by such a distance that one had drive from one to the next (on wide roads laid out across flat land)?

Your jealousy is showing.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Maast

one bar in the middle of a ghetto is not really going to add to nightlife.

Good thing that isn't what I am talking about then.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by GregHenry

I'd take another look, Julie. Coming from California, you should really know this:

Weather Today - Weather Forecasts, Radar, Maps for 1000s of US and World Cities

I considered the weather in my decision making process. You really pay a huge premium to have CA weather (the house I bought would quite literally cost at least 10x more in SF, CA). The PA weather and the liquor laws as compared to CA were in my "Cons" column. But the cost of living combined with all the other "Pros" won me over. I bought in Crafton. I'm here now for an extended stay while I line up people to do renovations on my house. Then it's back to CA for the holidays and packing my belongings to move in January. I had hoped to be able to move in the spring so I could be settled before winter, but I found the house I wanted in October which means I'll get to experience a Pittsburgh winter right away. Wish me luck.

[GregHenry]

Originally Posted by juliegt

I considered the weather in my decision making process. You really pay a huge premium to have CA weather

Well, yeah. That's kind of the whole thing. Ocean, too.

One's dwelling is somewhat important, but the place is far more important than one's house. If the place isn't right, who cares what the house looks like?

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by GregHenry

Well, yeah. That's kind of the whole thing. Ocean, too.

One's dwelling is somewhat important, but the place is far more important than one's house. If the place isn't right, who cares what the house looks like?

You're right, location of the house is as important as the house itself. I do like Pittsburgh, I wouldn't have moved just because I found a house I liked within my budget. I explored many other parts of the country and liked it here best. I've been here less than two weeks so it remains to be seen how well I'll like it over time. But as of today I'm very happy with my decision.