Is Downtown safe? (Pittsburgh, Liberty, Penn: movie theaters, restaurants, vs)

[StayLucky]

Downtown generally gets pretty deserted after dark. It can be a tad sketchy on certain blocks at night, but I've been out drunk at 3AM walking to 7-11 and never been bothered. Obviously the usual rules regarding street smarts apply, but it's definitely safer than many downtown areas of major cities.

[BarqCider]

ive noticed a few people who moved downtown..only to find themselves out in the east end, south side, waterworks or waterfront areas for fun and then complain about downtown itself(how long it takes to get home, how to get home if not driving, if they can find a way home without paying uber/lyft).

why any student of pitt be it undergrad or grad would want to live in downtown is beyond me, especially if new to town.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by BarqCider

why any student of pitt be it undergrad or grad would want to live in downtown is beyond me, especially if new to town.

Downtown to Oakland isn't that far, there is good bus service between town and Pitt. The cost of rent in town is pretty high and that's a bummer, but if the student doesn't have a problem with paying it, it isn't any less convenient than a student living in Highland, Lawrenceville or Regent Square.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by BarqCider

ive noticed a few people who moved downtown..only to find themselves out in the east end, south side, waterworks or waterfront areas for fun and then complain about downtown itself(how long it takes to get home, how to get home if not driving, if they can find a way home without paying uber/lyft).

why any student of pitt be it undergrad or grad would want to live in downtown is beyond me, especially if new to town.

I rarely ventured Downtown when I went to Pitt because it was basically a dead zone. Things seem to be picking up, however. Also, if it's still the case that you can get more bang for your buck in the Golden Triangle than Oakland/Shadyside/Squirrel Hill, I could see the appeal. Getting to Oakland is certainly easy enough.

[szug-bot]

I live downtown now, and often get back to my humble residence by bicycle, down Penn Avenue, then up Sixth Street.

If you are a Pitt Student, what with Pitt shuttles, a Washington Plaza shuttle, and your time a devoted to Oakland and your studies....in 4 months, you will have forgotten you asked this question and may even feel silly about it.

But yes, be smart about it. And its OK not to feel guilty about not giving money to the person who asks for it.

Good luck at Pitt!

[gortonator]

Originally Posted by Steven P.

Downtown generally gets pretty deserted after dark. .

Is this really true (and let's ignore getting dark at different times during year aspect)? We go downtown to eat or see some gig/show/game maybe every 2 weeks on average, and have never really seen it dead. Case in point - Neko Case gig on a Monday night recently. We struggled to get a seat in Seviche during happy hour (about 6.30), Meat and Potatoes was pretty much full when we had a pre-gig beer at 7.30-ish - standing room only, and we grabbed a quick one on way to bus stop at a bar who's name I forget about 10.30 (not far from Byham) and there's was plenty of folks in there at 10.30-ish.

Not bad for a Monday night ....

[FreightTrainRunning]

Originally Posted by gortonator

Is this really true (and let's ignore getting dark at different times during year aspect)? We go downtown to eat or see some gig/show/game maybe every 2 weeks on average, and have never really seen it dead. Case in point - Neko Case gig on a Monday night recently. We struggled to get a seat in Seviche during happy hour (about 6.30), Meat and Potatoes was pretty much full when we had a pre-gig beer at 7.30-ish - standing room only, and we grabbed a quick one on way to bus stop at a bar who's name I forget about 10.30 (not far from Byham) and there's was plenty of folks in there at 10.30-ish.

Not bad for a Monday night ....

Usually when people say that Downtown is dead at night it's because they haven't actually lived here for years.

If downtown is so dead, why is it so hard to get a table at a restaurant?

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by GeneW

Usually when people say that Downtown is dead at night it's because they haven't actually lived here for years.

If downtown is so dead, why is it so hard to get a table at a restaurant?

There was a lot more commercial activity at night in town years ago, than there is now.


Right now, there is a lot fewer restaurants than there was in the 70's in town. Some newer places have opened up, but the number of replacements doesn't make up for the joints that have closed.

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

There was a lot more commercial activity at night in town years ago, than there is now.


Right now, there is a lot fewer restaurants than there was in the 70's in town. Some newer places have opened up, but the number of replacements doesn't make up for the joints that have closed.

Mondays and Thursdays, the department stores (and some of the other stores) were open until 9:00 PM.
Nowadays, Macy's Downtown is open until 7:00 PM, Saturday through Wednesday, until 6:00 Thursdays, and 5:00 Fridays.
Burlington Coat is open until 8:00, everyday but Sunday, open until 5:00.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by doo dah

Mondays and Thursdays, the department stores (and some of the other stores) were open until 9:00 PM.
Nowadays, Macy's Downtown is open until 7:00 PM, Saturday through Wednesday, until 6:00 Thursdays, and 5:00 Fridays.
Burlington Coat is open until 8:00, everyday but Sunday, open until 5:00.

In the 70's, it wasn't just the retail department stores that generated restaurant business.

Large movie theaters like the Warner, Gateway, Fulton and Stanley all brought in crowds for early and late shows. More night life opportunities as well in Market Square, around Froggy's on "first side", on 6th St. as well.

Western Pennsylvania's smut industry generated a lot of business for bars and restaurants in the Liberty Avenue corridor, peepshows and massage parlors never closed. There was a lot of criticism of Liberty Ave., but it really made town a 24 hour neighborhood and helped non-smut related commerce.