Pittsburgh the San Francisco of the East? (Carnegie, Duquesne: school, universities)

[slavicamerican]

My mother loves to shop in Robinson T. and I hate that place. I wish more folks would move to downtown Pittsburgh and more shopping would open up. How come that isn't happening? Or is it, and I don't know it?

[zman63]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

I don't think it's fair to rag on other cities for having "no character" because they have boring ass suburbs. Last time I checked, ours were filled with 50's ranch homes and places like Robinson too. Hell, even in Garfield in East Liberty you're starting to see this type of stuff pop up. People went bonkers when a Target opened up and celebrate when they get a new Chipotle.

Exactly. I would like to see them grow economically and population wise as these two cities. Plus if we were growing at that rate most of the construction would be be new. The new housing built in the hill district doesnt have much character. Even if these old buildings can be saved it is more economically feasable to start new.


Look at the produce terminal in the strip, it will get leveled and replaced by new boring construction.

Having character doesnt pay tax bills, employ people or grow a city.

[zman63]

Originally Posted by slavicamerican

My mother loves to shop in Robinson T. and I hate that place. I wish more folks would move to downtown Pittsburgh and more shopping would open up. How come that isn't happening? Or is it, and I don't know it?

They are turning old vacant office buildings into apartments. This is exactly what the city needs. However the demand still isnt there in downtown to shop. Pittsburgh is mostly still a suburban focused city.

Btw.......

I hear forest city (owner of station square) is going to level the warehouse that had matrix and saddleridge in favor of an apartment bldg.

[steindle]

Originally Posted by slavicamerican

I wish more folks would move to downtown Pittsburgh and more shopping would open up. How come that isn't happening? Or is it, and I don't know it?

//www.city-data.com/forum/pitts...2000-a-77.html

And yes, there is pretty much no doubt that Downtown has more, and a substantially higher quality, of a retail scene than it did in the 80s or 90s.

[Herodotus]

Originally Posted by Mtl-Cns

Can't speak for Charlotte but where is this in Columbus? German Village is about the only "old" neighborhood I can even think of, and the rest of the "city" seems like mega-churches, shopping centers and housing developments.

Try Short North, Italian Village, and Victorian Village, as well as the east side.

Columbus Photo Gallery by step2me at pbase.com

[bluecarebear]

I still disagree with Columbus and Charlotte. I also disagree with saying that every city has neighborhoods. Not true at all. Charlotte may have 3 original and that goes for Columbus as well. There are numerous mini "main streets" throughout Pittsburgh. Heck, the neighborhoods are such a strong presence that politicians can't even get them to agree or consolidate. How many are there? I think 90. What separates Pittsburgh from other cities is that people self-identify with a neighborhood. They don't want it to change. Which is a good thing.

[pghdude28]

Interesting comparing a city that leans far left, progressive, a gay mecca, and expensive to a city that leans left (union), conservative (socially), intolerant of gays, and cheap to live in. The hippies went to San Francisco for the Summer of Love and the white trash mullet wearing hillbillies went to Pittsburgh for a summer Kenny Cheney concert. Wear a flower in your hair on your way to San Francisco and wear a cut off muscle T over your beer belly on your way to Pittsburgh. "San Francisco of the East," "Paris of Appalachia." What's next? "Manhattan of the Golden Triangle?"

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by pghdude28

"San Francisco of the East," "Paris of Appalachia." What's next? "Manhattan of the Golden Triangle?"

Funny you should say that, just at the time you posted it I was wondering why so many Pittsburghers make all these comparisons, anyway. You don't hear people in SF wondering if they're the Pittsburgh of the West or the Los Angeles of Northern California, etc. You know you gave arrived as a city when you don't need to be anything but just Pittsburgh, Beautiful Pittsburgh.

[LIRefugee]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Funny you should say that, just at the time you posted it I was wondering why so many Pittsburghers make all these comparisons, anyway. You don't hear people in SF wondering if they're the Pittsburgh of the West or the Los Angeles of Northern California, etc. You know you gave arrived as a city when you don't need to be anything but just Pittsburgh, Beautiful Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh is the Pittsburgh of Pennsylvania.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Funny you should say that, just at the time you posted it I was wondering why so many Pittsburghers make all these comparisons, anyway. You don't hear people in SF wondering if they're the Pittsburgh of the West or the Los Angeles of Northern California, etc.

It's cause we want to pretend we are in that same league but in reality we're not. This is not a knock to the city or anything, I'd much rather live in my own city then the "___ of the ___".