Relocating to Pittsburgh - Opinions on neighborhoods/areas (Manchester, Monroe: house, school district)

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Google says that the "cross burning" thing is a Devil's Night tradition that has been going on for decades with no racial implications. I think people are looking for racism where it doesn't exist.

If I were black, I would feel nervous living in a neighborhood where people thought burning crosses was a "harmless prank" even if it was out of ignorance rather than racial animosity. That said, my wife's mother's family was from Lincoln Place. She spent a lot of summers there growing up, and can confirm as a child in the 1970s people still had retrograde views on race there.

Still, it looks like myself (and a lot of other posters) misinterpreted the OP's post. I thought when she meant not near the airport she meant near the smaller (Allegheny County) Airport in West Mifflin. She does not, so any comments about that side of the county are a moot point. The location in question is easily accessible to the East End and the Eastern suburbs, and their focus should be there.

[robrobrob]

I think Monroeville would be a great choice. The school district is Gateway which is one of the better diverse school district in Western Pennsylvania. By diverse I mean having a decent size African American population.

I am in Lincoln Place a lot. Probably more than anyone else on this board. There is nothing wrong with it. I know African Americans that live there and they haven't had any problems. I don't think an African American would have any problems if they moved there.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

Leech Farm Road is in East Liberty, Monroeville, Plum, Penn Hills, Churchill are all pretty convenient and none would require a tunnel commute to there.

Add Fox Chapel and Shaler school districts to the list. My sister worked at that base when she in her early 20s. It's an easy commute to communities that are on the other side of the Highland Park Bridge. The schools are better too.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by eschaton

If I were black, I would feel nervous living in a neighborhood where people thought burning crosses was a "harmless prank" even if it was out of ignorance rather than racial animosity. That said, my wife's mother's family was from Lincoln Place. She spent a lot of summers there growing up, and can confirm as a child in the 1970s people still had retrograde views on race there.
.

The 1970's were 40 years ago, places change, people pass on, get older, move elsewhere.


If the OP or anyone else wants an area with zero knuckleheads, they are in the wrong universe.


I don't think "retrograde" is the appropriate adjective, it implies that before the 1970's, the people had more progressive attitudes and it went downhill to reach a nadir in the 70's.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

That was a quarter century ago, and all of those "kids" are now middle aged adults, whose attitudes may have shifted and regardless, its unlikely that most are even still living in Lincoln Place.

I'm not that old. lol

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

I lived near Brentwood for the majority of my life. wpipkins probably drove through it twice and read a 20 year old article and decided it's racist. It's not.

This forum has a tendency to paint Pittsburgh as progressive and cosmopolitan but still loves to paint certain areas in a bad light that they know nothing about to cater to their persecution complex.

wpipkins2 has family along the rt 51 corridor from Whitehall to Rostraver/West Newton. Im very familiar with the area and the attitudes within then. I grew up on the east end but spent my early childhood years (3-10) in Clairton/Pleasant Hills.

[keyser412soze]

Originally Posted by mommydupree

We are coming up to look at houses in Monroeville, Kennedy Township, and North Strabane. I also see a couple of other houses on Craigslist but have not heard back from them. One of the houses states it is located in Greenfield (Kennebec). Commuting is not an issue, especially since it takes on average about 45 minutes to travel 10 miles in Woodbridge traffic. I would appreciate any helpful suggestions.

Thanks!

I know you say "commuting is not an issue" but I would suggest not spending that time and gas when neighborhoods as good (or better) for you than Kennedy and North Strabane are much closer. That's just my opinion though!

[Uptown kid]

Lets get back on topic if I am the voice of reason... You know we are wrong!

OP The best schools + most black demographic = The nice part of East Hills & parts of Monroeville...
if schools isn't a problem than here are your neighborhoods (random order):
Southern Highland Park
Chartiers City/North Windgap
South Staton Heights
Upper Hill & Schenley Heights & Avalon St/Brackenridge St
Broadcrest Drive, Upper Lincoln
Blackridge (Penn Hills/Wilkinsburg/Chruchill)
Lower Manchester
Observatory Hill
---
Laketon/McNary/Beacon Hills/Upper Penn, Wilkinsburg
Eastridge/West Penn Hills

[villageidiot1]

Originally Posted by Uptown kid

Lets get back on topic if I am the voice of reason... You know we are wrong!

OP The best schools + most black demographic = The nice part of East Hills & parts of Monroeville...
if schools isn't a problem than here are your neighborhoods (random order):
Southern Highland Park
Chartiers City/North Windgap
South Staton Heights
Upper Hill & Schenley Heights & Avalon St/Brackenridge St
Broadcrest Drive, Upper Lincoln
Blackridge (Penn Hills/Wilkinsburg/Chruchill)
Lower Manchester
Observatory Hill
---
Laketon/McNary/Beacon Hills/Upper Penn, Wilkinsburg
Eastridge/West Penn Hills

Uptown,
What do you mean by if schools aren't a problem? They have 2 kids (9 and 15). Do you think Pittsburgh City schools are a better option than crossing the river or Riverview?

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by villageidiot1

Uptown,
What do you mean by if schools aren't a problem? They have 2 kids (9 and 15). Do you think Pittsburgh City schools are a better option than crossing the river or Riverview?

If diversity is important then I would say yes. My children attend a magnet that is both culturally and economically diverse. Lots of different children from all wwalks of life and the black middle class is well represented.