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Here is a nice little article you may like to read from an entrepreneur out of Arizona who was transfered here five years ago. It's just his story and opinion, it's not based on stats or numbers. But it's a nice read, might help you!
Thanks for the article. I pointed out one thing that really irks me and that when locals don't realize what a great town Pittsburgh is. I can understand that from someone who has never been there and may be relying on stereotypes of the smog, heavy industry, etc from years past. I love that industrial heritage, myself. It really gives new, clean contemporary developments a context to create a richer urban landscape. Oh geez, the more I type, the more I want to move back!
Well, this is my first posting although I read this site regularly. For the past 11 years, I have called Chicago my home. It truly is a wonderful place with and infinite number of things to do. The primary reason I left Pittsburgh in the first place was to live in a big city and experience that kind of living while I was young. Did not want a day to come along where I would say... "I should have gone to Chicago back when I was 26..." While I am completely happy here and have had the opportunity to grow and see some of the world, there is just something about Pittsburgh the beckons. Not sure if it is the rolling hills (Chicago is extremely flat), the beauty to behold in the autumn, or my family and life-long friends still living there that are the draw. Perhaps it is a combination of all of that and a feeling of, "I have had a great time, but it would be nice to settle down and come back home". Yes, I would miss this city immensely, but it is always a cheap flight back on Southwest. For those events that I have come to treasure in Chicago, such as the Pride parade at the end of June, I will always return. However, there is a simplicity that exists back home that I am feeling eager to embrace once again.
This weekend I will be travelling back to Pittsburgh. While there, I intend to make a trip to OhioPyle to see the leaves (if they have even begun to turn... autumn, where are you?) I am also going to take a look at some property in the city. After living here, I would consider nothing less than residing in a pedestrian friendly neighborhood, especially because I have been without a car for the past 6 years. Time will tell, but yes, a move back is definitely a possibility for me.
I'm originally from the Mon Valley. I left the region initially when I went to college. After school, I found my way to Miami. My father has lived here for 16 years, so I [sort of] knew what I was getting into.
My motivations for leaving was that I found Western Pennsylvania too homegenous, and things seemed to "never progress"....economically, culturally, and socially. I must admit, Miami does have those qualities...but there are a lot (a lot, a lot) of problems too. Although you have just about every ethnic and cultural group on the planet here; it's hard to benefit from it because very few people function outside of their respective cultural communities. Also, Latin/Hispanic culture is the dominant force and sort of overshadows everything else. Not that I have any issues with Latin culture...but I'm not used to it. And I think it's odd that when you meet people here, they make a move to kiss you on the cheek (a big Latin custom). I deal with it...because I don't want to be rude. But I don't enjoy random people kissing me in lieu of saying hello!
I also have issues with the economy in Miami. Although there are a ton of jobs here (check out Career Builder...jobs are everywhere), most pay a going rate of about $30-35K per year. That would be fine in Pittsburgh, but here, you can't rent a place (1 bd) for under $900/month and not be either in the ghetto or an hour away from the city. And stand alone houses? Budget for $300,000.00 and up. Again, anything lower puts you in the ghetto. Admittedly, for a lot of Miami families...it's not a problem. Because with immigrant populations (which is most of the population) they will have 2, 3 or 4 full-time incomes coming in because they will live with their extended family. In my office, I'm the only one that lives totally alone. Other singles I know of either live with significant others or have roomates.
Miami has a plus on the physical beauty and how the region is laid out. I also like that West Palm/Ft. Lauderdale/Miami are all kind of in the same region but are unique to themselves. Like New York, it's also a shoppers paradise. But culturally...it's a dud. We don't even have a metro symphony orchestra! (The New World Symphony is actually a private group; the Florida Philharmonic folded the year that I got here). Sports teams? Miami has some of the worse sports fans around (they only will go to the games if you're in the playoffs). If your favorite music is anything that is not Latin or reggae; good luck finding it being performed. The dating scene is bad, because many singles are super materialistic. More interested in how a relationship can get them ahead rather than the type of person you are.
So yeah, I would love to go back to Pittsburgh. True I can't stand the winter, but it's a small trade-off. One thing that is keeping here for the moment however is the inexpensive higher education. I would like to get a Master's degree...and the in-state rate is only $255/credit hour as oppossed to Penn State's rate of $750/credit hour . Yep, so that's the main thing keeping me here for the moment.
I not only considered it, I decided to DO it! I leave Dallas, Tx in less than 3 weeks now. My Uncle who has lived here in Dallas for over 25 years is also moving back home.
We have decided it would be the perfect move for us. However, we have been looking steadily for that job for well over 6 months now. My husband is in lending/finance and these opportunities are very hard to come by. We have had 2 outstanding interviews, however, because of our current salary of 60K, they won't even touch us. I don't think that is an unreasonable salary for a professional with the amount of experience he has (over 16 years). And, yes, that would be taking less than we are currently making. We are well aware that the cost of living is less and that can work out to your benefit, even with a lower salary. We haven't lived in the "burgh for 20 years, but we have always called it home. Now would be the time to get there before our oldest gets to high school. He's already in 7th grade. We will continue looking throughout this school year, but if we can't break through the job market, we may have to reconsider our plan.
Many posters, who already have a job in Pgh, may disagree but I'm certain that you have to know someone to get your foot in the door in Pittsburgh. This makes it nearly impossible to break through when you are out of town and can't make a lot of those networking connections. On the plus, for the OP, I have seen alot more opportunities for accounting in the Pittsburgh area than lending. Good luck to all of you!! As great as the city is now, imagine how amazing it could be if it welcomed all those that love it so much and are wanting to get back there!! Often, when you've lived elsewhere, you are a lot more forgiving on some of the flaws than those who have never left.
I not only considered it, I decided to DO it! I leave Dallas, Tx in less than 3 weeks now. My Uncle who has lived here in Dallas for over 25 years is also moving back home.
Congrats! I left Pittsburgh for Denver about 7 years ago and came back to Pittsburgh 2 years ago. I love it here!
Congrats! I left Pittsburgh for Denver about 7 years ago and came back to Pittsburgh 2 years ago. I love it here!
I have been in Dallas for 8 years. I can't WAIT to get back! It's definately a case of "the grass is greener". I thought Pittsburgh was boring and awful; Now that I have seen how the rest of the country truly is, the "burgh looks more like Mecca every day! lol
I'm originally from the Mon Valley. I left the region initially when I went to college. After school, I found my way to Miami. My father has lived here for 16 years, so I [sort of] knew what I was getting into.
My motivations for leaving was that I found Western Pennsylvania too homegenous, and things seemed to "never progress"....economically, culturally, and socially. I must admit, Miami does have those qualities...but there are a lot (a lot, a lot) of problems too. Although you have just about every ethnic and cultural group on the planet here; it's hard to benefit from it because very few people function outside of their respective cultural communities. Also, Latin/Hispanic culture is the dominant force and sort of overshadows everything else. Not that I have any issues with Latin culture...but I'm not used to it. And I think it's odd that when you meet people here, they make a move to kiss you on the cheek (a big Latin custom). I deal with it...because I don't want to be rude. But I don't enjoy random people kissing me in lieu of saying hello!
I also have issues with the economy in Miami. Although there are a ton of jobs here (check out Career Builder...jobs are everywhere), most pay a going rate of about $30-35K per year. That would be fine in Pittsburgh, but here, you can't rent a place (1 bd) for under $900/month and not be either in the ghetto or an hour away from the city. And stand alone houses? Budget for $300,000.00 and up. Again, anything lower puts you in the ghetto. Admittedly, for a lot of Miami families...it's not a problem. Because with immigrant populations (which is most of the population) they will have 2, 3 or 4 full-time incomes coming in because they will live with their extended family. In my office, I'm the only one that lives totally alone. Other singles I know of either live with significant others or have roomates.
Miami has a plus on the physical beauty and how the region is laid out. I also like that West Palm/Ft. Lauderdale/Miami are all kind of in the same region but are unique to themselves. Like New York, it's also a shoppers paradise. But culturally...it's a dud. We don't even have a metro symphony orchestra! (The New World Symphony is actually a private group; the Florida Philharmonic folded the year that I got here). Sports teams? Miami has some of the worse sports fans around (they only will go to the games if you're in the playoffs). If your favorite music is anything that is not Latin or reggae; good luck finding it being performed. The dating scene is bad, because many singles are super materialistic. More interested in how a relationship can get them ahead rather than the type of person you are.
So yeah, I would love to go back to Pittsburgh. True I can't stand the winter, but it's a small trade-off. One thing that is keeping here for the moment however is the inexpensive higher education. I would like to get a Master's degree...and the in-state rate is only $255/credit hour as oppossed to Penn State's rate of $750/credit hour . Yep, so that's the main thing keeping me here for the moment.
That is one thing I would miss if I moved back to Pittsburgh - the Latin culture/influence found here in Tampa and most of Florida. I know many Hispanic people, love Mexican and Cuban food and am trying to learn Spanish. I would love to be able to speak it fluently. While I've been here, I have met people from Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Venezuala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Panama, Jamaica, Bermuda, Haiti, Dominican and Brazil. That is one of Tampa's pluses - it is melting pot of cultures.
While Pittsburgh may not have a large Hispanic population (in fact, I think it is quite small), it has strong, local character that, to me, qualifies as a bona fide culture unto itself. Good, bad, indifferent, Pittsburghers are in a class all their own. Maybe it's because it's not really connected to Megaopolis like Philly- they relate more to Jersey and NYC. It's certainly not part of the Midwest. I think Columbus and Pittsburgh are as different as night and day, yet they are physically rather close. It's just unique. Maybe that's what draws me. As this nation sickeningly becomes one huge strip center, Pittsburgh's quirky self still shines through.
As this nation sickeningly becomes one huge strip center, Pittsburgh's quirky self still shines through.
Wow, well said.
I'm at a business meeting right now in Chicago, and ironically have met up with 3 other displaced Pittsburghers. I started talking to the Pittsburghers about how Pittsburgh's bad image is completely undeserved, and how amazing Pittsburgh really is as a city, and these two Germans who were in the States for a couple business meetings (who couldn't speak english very well) chimed in and told us how they were just in Pittsburgh for a meeting themselves. They were telling us all about how they didn't expect much, but how absolutely amazed they were by the city. Kept telling us how beautiful the city was and how great it was.
Maybe its unrelated for this post, but I thought I'd add that to my response
Yes, there are many people who want to come back to Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, our wonderful state government decided we should have the highest corporate net income tax in the nation...thus a mediocre economy. Also, having traveled around the U.S., I can honestly say that there is a deep entitlement/union mentality around here. Public sector unions hold the power in state and local politics, which means lots of teacher strikes, transit strikes, and higher taxes to pay the demanded salaries. Two web sites I would recommend are:
Actually, there was a comment on the Pittsburgh's Future blog from a person from Tampa wanting to move back to Pittsburgh, but was concerned about the economy...just like you.
I think the Pittsburgh area is a great region. Unfortunately, there is a mentality/culture here which directly affects the political climate and holds back the economy. In most places, people believe that success is achieved through improving one's self, getting an education, etc. In western PA, success is achieved by going on strike. Profits are evil, (except to the extent that they can be confiscated via taxes and given to the public sector unions, of course).
That's the cultural heritage of this region. Thus it should be no suprise that the private sector isn't exactly enthusiastic about investing here, even with world-class research universities, affordable housing, etc.
Will it ever change? I'm not very optimistic. It could change if schools taught people about free market economics, how wages/salaries are determined by supply and demand, and how to succeed in a capitalistic economy. However, that last thing teachers' unions want is children learning that salaries are determined by supply and demand. *chuckle* In history class, children learn how great unions are and how businesses are out to skrew everybody, etc. And thus the cycle repeats.
Yes, all of this is controversial. I think unions were necessary back in the day when there were no labor or safety standards and people (including children) died by the thousands just trying to work and survive. No, I don't want to go back to the "robber baron" days.
But times have changed. Many new high-paying, high-skill jobs are being created nationwide, and we aren't seeing as much of it in western PA as we should. The dirty, dangerous, repetative work done by our ancestors is increasingly done by machines and computers. The new jobs of today (and the future) will be designing, building, and servicing these machines. Carnegie Mellon has a world-class robotics institute for doing just that...but so far it hasn't resulted in a booming local robotics industry.
We don't need to grow as fast as Atlanta or Phoenix to be successful, but it would be nice to have a robust economy so that former Pittsburghers could return "home" if they wanted.
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. Yep, so that's the main thing keeping me here for the moment.
Missing Latin culture
