Looking for a house near University of Pittsburgh (Wilkinsburg, Swissvale: cheap house, neighborhood)

[aw_now_what]

I live in the Central Lawrenceville flats, and I would agree it's neither better nor worse than the slopes in general. People always think of Main and Fisk when they talk about Central Lawrenceville, but 42nd through 46th on the slope are fairly modest streets - in some ways more modest than the flats.

Still, I have a hard time thinking my 11.5 foot wide brick rowhouse was not built with workers in mind.

That may be as far as your house is concerned, but a lot of the houses below or just above Butler were built for people who owned or managed businesses, factories, or were professionals, etc.

Also, Friendship was not by any means a "planned community."

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Sideblinded

Personally I think the "recommender's" need to shake it up a bit and think outside the box. I don't live in Greenfield, but seriously am confused why it isn't more highly recommended. I live in Squirrel Hill, I don't think I am "better" than Greenfield. Neighborhood, Schmeighborhood! Mike McCarthy's (Packer coach) parents still live on Greenfield ave!

Put it in perspective, Regent Square in "Pittsburgh" is a tiny, tiny sliver. The Regent Square theater, Square Cafe etc, are not even in the city of Pittsburgh! Point Breeze has a very tiny business section. Most of Squirrel Hill's business section falls in Sq Hill south closer to Greenfield! South side of Forbes.

I often recommend Greenfield.

I wouldn't want to live there though because I hate it's topography. I wouldn't live in the Southside Slopes for the same reason.

Originally Posted by Sideblinded

...live where you want.

I do!

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Nothing really wrong with it, it's just overshadowed. If it were in another part of the city it would probably be recommended more often.

I actually think its rather the opposite. There is nothing wrong with it, it's just that there are lots of Pittsburgh neighborhoods of similar quality, and cheaper to live in.

North Point Breeze, as we've discussed before, is as convenient to the East End, as cheap, has good schools,and much, much nicer houses. People are only scared away because it has mostly black residents and is across the tracks from Homewood.

On the other hand, large portions of South Pittsburgh and the West End have pretty good schools on a K-5 or K-8 level, which score identically to Greenfield. So if that's all your concerned about (and you plan on having your kid go to CAPA or one of the other 6-12 magnets), there's no reason not to look for a house in Westwood, Oakwood, Crafton Heights, Banksville, Brookline, Bon Air, Beechwood, Overbrook - even segments of Carrick. You can find much better deals, for much lower prices.

Greenfield offers one thing really over similar options - location. And even that is just kinda-sorta a good location. You're close to Oakland and Squirrel Hill's business district, but not close enough to actually walk. It's more like the difference of a 10-minute drive, versus a 20-minute one

Note, I'm not recomending any of these to the OP, since the are fairly far from the Pitt campus.

Originally Posted by aw_now_what

Also, Friendship was not by any means a "planned community."

The housing, of course not. But I meant it was planned insofar as they decided to build a streetcar suburb to cater to factory managers. Those houses are grand, but they were usually not built with any real architect input. This is in contrast to some of the scattered true mansions, which were designed by a particular rich person for their own tastes.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by eschaton

On the other hand, large portions of South Pittsburgh and the West End have pretty good schools on a K-5 or K-8 level, which score identically to Greenfield. So if that's all your concerned about (and you plan on having your kid go to CAPA or one of the other 6-12 magnets), there's no reason not to look for a house in Westwood, Oakwood, Crafton Heights, Banksville, Brookline, Bon Air, Beechwood, Overbrook - even segments of Carrick. You can find much better deals, for much lower prices.

That is kind of what I meant. I think we recommend a lot of those southern neighborhoods pretty often. The only difference is location, and maybe the quality of education at the high school level. If Greenfield were suddenly put into the south part of the city it would probably be a lot cheaper and would be recommended as often as a Brookline or Westwood I think. I suppose it's a pointless debate since you can't actually move neighborhoods, but there's no doubt in my mind that Greenfield is at least somewhat overshadowed by Squirrel Hill.

For what it's worth, I don't know if Brashear is really that bad. I know like 7 or 8 Brashear grads who all are either in school, have a degree, or even have an advanced degree. Of course my sampling may be biased since I met these people through school and white collar work.

[aw_now_what]

But I meant it was planned insofar as they decided to build a streetcar suburb to cater to factory managers.

But.... no that is not true. There was no "they" who decided, and many of the houses were built for people other than factory managers. And it wasn't a planned community. I am curious as to where you get this stuff about Friendship, Lawrenceville, etc.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by aw_now_what

But.... no that is not true. There was no "they" who decided, and many of the houses were built for people other than factory managers. And it wasn't a planned community. I am curious as to where you get this stuff about Friendship, Lawrenceville, etc.

The Friendship stuff from the architectural history of Pittsburgh by Frankin Toker.

[aw_now_what]

No wonder. That book is full of errors. It's wronger than OJ jokes.

[robrobrob]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

I think it just stems from the fact that Greenfield is not usually a person's dream neighborhood. It's usually not even a targeted neighborhood, but instead something that gets suggested by forums like us or realtors when someone who really wants someplace like Point Breeze, Squirrel Hill, Regent Square, or Shadyside can't afford it. Nothing really wrong with it, it's just overshadowed. If it were in another part of the city it would probably be recommended more often.

Agreed. Most people who pick Greenfield are usually settling. This may change because Regent Square, at least the city part, was at one point a destination for people who couldn't afford Sq. Hill.

Realistically, Greenfield has always been about the same. It was never really the bargain neighborhood nor the expensive neighborhood.

[gg]

Wow, 5 pages and a few days and the OP has no response. Great replies and recommendations here.

[seraphita]

Wow, 5 pages and a few days and the OP has no response.

Nope, I've been busy researching all the neighborhoods recommended here . . .

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. Some posters recommended the Swissvale/Edgewood area, and I found some great houses in my price range. I think the area is technically a suburb, but it's only 5 miles from Pitt and there's a bus that goes directly there. Does anyone have experience with the area? Is it pleasant, safe, walkable, etc?