Job Sprawl and U.S. Cities (Pittsburgh is (Wilkinsburg, Clairton: crime, mortgage)

[pman]

id bet better schools would do wonders ffor the populatiin numbers in the city proper but the study is jobs. pittsburgh is remarkably stable (although scranton was as well). interestingly if you compare downtown to its cross state counterpart its noticably larger proportion...otoh the philadelphia metro has a higher share of employment in high density zip codes. one would guess theres a relationship between decentralization and the number of high density zips.
i dont foresee urban groeth boundaries in pa but i think a regional rail system would do wonders for the city vs the proposed mon expressway. i also think downtown wont see much growth. i think if its going to groe it has to be outward rather than up...specifically into the lower hill, north shore/side, and the strip. us steel is considering the strip and igloo site right? having other parta of the city or region qualify as high density might also help.
edited to add: federalization has been unkind to cbds. if federal spending on highways shrinks that will be good for cities.

[Velvet Jones]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

A lot of people like passing gas in crowded elevators. It doesn't make it right.

Would you prefer everyone be rounded up and herded in to Soviet style housing blocks? Take a trip to Moscow or Romania and see how well that turned out.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

What young professional wants to live in Moon Township, anyways? Where is its walkable business district? Where is its nightlife? I actually hope people start calling the U.S. Steel Tower the "UPMC Building" to shame U.S. Steel once they also inevitably abandon the city for the suburbs in the coming years.

Not everyone is young, nor is everyone professional. A lot of people with cars could care less if an area is walkable.

And although Moon does have a scattering of barrooms, clubs and other nightlife, a lot of people including young professionals are more family oriented people and don't have a lot of interest in nightlife per se.

"different strokes for different folks" as they say.

I would see a major social disruption if thousands of people in Pittsburgh were forced by economics or other circumstances into urban housing blocks where they really don't want to be.

[Clint.]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

A lot of people like to live in suburbia, its a lot more open than most reasonably priced city areas, people have room to have their own yard to play croquette,swim in their own pool and grow their own tomatoes.

I don't think population pressures and land availability within, say, the pre-1988 developed area precluded construction of spacious homes and yards - that's part of my point...there aren't more people living here than there used to be, and, with a few municipal exceptions, the region has always been fairly suburban. What's changed is that we now have many more neighborhoods that are widely considered to be undesirable, so while lots exist within certain City neighborhoods and many suburbs close to the City they are often part of a school district or associated with other socio-economic factors that make those otherwise suitable parcels unattractive.

Decades of under investment can turn an area that used to be desirable into one that is undesirable. Or, housing preferences can change so that structures once deemed sufficient 60 years ago for someone of similar income are now too small for the tastes of many. And while the cost of constructing a house on an empty lot may be roughly similar from place to place (controlling for varying government policies - which is a consequence of having hundreds of municipalities set their own rules), if an existing structure first needs to be razed that will significantly add to the cost. So, perhaps part of a plan to encourage investment within a designated zone should include provisions for mitigating (subsidizing) the cost of demolition.

Detroit is a prime example of what happens when large swaths of land are unwanted because of aggravating socio-economic factors. It's not that Detroit City lacks space in which to build homes with spacious yards. It's because individual people with the money to build 5 bedroom homes with spacious yards don't want to deal with the all the negative factors that exist within Detroit.

Existence of a significant number of private lots varying from quite large to moderate in size doesn't have to be mutually exclusive with an overall plan that encourages dense urban-oriented development.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Clint.

Detroit is a prime example of what happens when large swaths of land are unwanted because of aggravating socio-economic factors. It's not that Detroit City lacks space in which to build homes with spacious yards. It's because individual people with the money to build 5 bedroom homes with spacious yards don't want to deal with the all the negative factors that exist within Detroit.

.

Although Pittsburgh has a lot more lots which are unbuildable (at least at a reasonable cost) due to their steepness, we definitely do have a lot of nearby vacant and buildable lots in some of our city neighborhoods and near suburbs which could be used.

However, a lot of those lots have liens or other defects in title that make them unsalable even if people wanted to build them. City government can help to expedite the clearing of the properties from a legal standpoint and that could help.

[pman]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

Not everyone is young, nor is everyone professional. A lot of people with cars could care less if an area is walkable.

And although Moon does have a scattering of barrooms, clubs and other nightlife, a lot of people including young professionals are more family oriented people and don't have a lot of interest in nightlife per se.

"different strokes for different folks" as they say.

I would see a major social disruption if thousands of people in Pittsburgh were forced by economics or other circumstances into urban housing blocks where they really don't want to be.

walkability is also important for elderly and cities can offer a lot more than nightlife. walking to work is very underrated.

[UKyank]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

A lot of people like passing gas in crowded elevators. It doesn't make it right.

I actually fear what will happen here in terms of our traffic congestion in the coming years if jobs keeping moving to the suburbs while the young professionals filling all of those positions keep moving to the city. How is PAT planning to create new routes from the city proper out to each and every scattered suburban corporate campus? The way it is now I have turned down job offers because they were located in places like Cranberry Township or Moon Township while I desire to live in the East End of the city proper to help reduce my carbon footprint by walking to as many amenities as I can.

What young professional wants to live in Moon Township, anyways? Where is its walkable business district? Where is its nightlife? I actually hope people start calling the U.S. Steel Tower the "UPMC Building" to shame U.S. Steel once they also inevitably abandon the city for the suburbs in the coming years.

Pretty much all that I work with (well not necessarily Moon specifically, but a pretty even mix of the Robinson area & the North Hills - but yea, surburbia either way). Believe or not, not everyone, even those in your age group share your world view.

Given your job, you more then likely leave the largest carbon footprint of anyone on this forum so I wouldnt brag too much about that.

I can accept one stating their preference or even how they wish things were but not calling people 'wrong' for not living as you live.

(and I live in the city & commute to work via my feet)

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

A lot of people like passing gas in crowded elevators. It doesn't make it right.

I actually fear what will happen here in terms of our traffic congestion in the coming years if jobs keeping moving to the suburbs while the young professionals filling all of those positions keep moving to the city. How is PAT planning to create new routes from the city proper out to each and every scattered suburban corporate campus?

I foresee a lot more telecommuting in the future, particularly for office jobs, as well as teaching jobs, even medical jobs.

Modern telecommunication will be able to keep a lot of people off of the road . Even retail jobs are moving online nowadays.

I don't see traffic congestion as a problem that can't be solved without a massive push of people into the inner cities.

[Copanut]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

Meh. If Cranberry Township and Southpointe continue to accelerate in growth, coupled with the impending departure of U.S. Steel from our CBD, then this percentage will only worsen. We ideally should have as many jobs concentrated Downtown as we possibly can to make transit work effectively.

Your opinion.

A lot of people who work in Cranberry and Southpointe live nearby. Probably have a smaller carbon footprint than you seeing how you work in the delivery business.

[Bong477]

I lived in Ross as a young professional as was perfectly happy.

I now live in the city as a less young professional with kids and remain happy.