Top 3 next areas to improve (Pittsburgh, Allentown: homes, buying, tax)

[theta_sigma]

Originally Posted by RogersParkTransplant

3) You're right, of course. It's the most "suburban" place we've ever lived...but damn, our house is cool, so we don't regret it for a second. I think the combination of the view, the low prices, and the best bits of the housing stock will attract people like us, who are ready for something just a little quieter than being in the city, and are willing to drive around, but definitely want to stay in the city and love being a less-than-10-minute drive to the Strip.

I know the perceived wisdom here is that there are Suburb People and Urban People and there is nothing going for any neighborhood that presents a suburb-like experience within the urban core but... I have to say, I really like it and I think if people were willing to give it a whirl they'd find that it's a pretty great "having it all" living situation. No, I can't quickly walk to a hipster coffee shop. There are actually not that many areas of the city where you easily can, topography being what it is. But I have a very large, flat back yard, my raspberry patch is the size of most of the Lville homes entire "back yards", a huge vegetable garden, and we're getting chickens in the spring; off-street parking; cul-de-sacs where children still safely play in the streets until the streetlights come on; a playground and ball field 4 blocks away; and once upon a time and hopefully again a 5 acre organic farm a block from my front door. (Anyone know what's going on with the former Mildred's Daughters Farm?) It's quiet and very safe, and in 5 minutes I can be in Lawrenceville sipping that hipster coffee, or at Trader Joe's doing my shopping, or in Bloomfield eating Thai food, or in Highland Park having Moules Frites, and in 10 minutes I'm in the Strip doing my weekly trip to Wholey's.

[Der Schwabe]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Highland Park is less suburban than Regent Square/Point Breeze. It as large apartment blocks, and rowhouses as well in places, and scattered two-flats/four-flats in the upper portions of the neighborhood. Not to mention an incongruous residential tower. Point Breeze and Regent Square mostly have less rowhouses/two flats. Regent Square has no large apartment buildings, and Point Breeze lacks apartments except right along Penn where there was mid-century infill (which doesn't look particularly urban).

I hear what you're saying, but spin those street view cameras around. These are isolated examples in very heavily single family home neighborhood. Granted, many of those houses are split up, but a couple of apartment buildings does not draw a huge distinction between this as Regent Square or Point Breeze. FWIW, Regent Square does have apartment buildings along Braddock and another right across from the Get Go (off the top of my head) and plenty of two flats along there as well. I'll grant you that the tower simply makes no sense.

[robrobrob]

Originally Posted by eschaton

It's hard to get people to reinvest in a neighborhood which is still seen in steep decline, rather than one like Hazlewood which is seen as having just about hit bottom. IMHO what the area needs stat is an influx of immigrants.

Mount Oliver Borough has some great houses in the southern half of it, further away from the main portion of the business district. But this hasn't seemed to help Knoxville stabilize itself.

I think Mount Oliver is about at the bottom but the only thing separating it from Hazelwood is vacant housing and lots.

Lets face few people are investing Hazelwood. Tax dollars are being spent there but people aren't exactly flocking there in spite of the fact the go to Allderdice.

I just think that people want to be close to either Downtown or Oakland. Hazelwood and Mt. Oliver aren't close enough. This is probably what is holding Stanton Heights back from coming around. It just isn't close enough and that it really is isolated and it is tough to get there.

I am even starting to think that at some point East Liberty is going to a draw again. It might take some time though.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by theta_sigma

I know the perceived wisdom here is that there are Suburb People and Urban People and there is nothing going for any neighborhood that presents a suburb-like experience within the urban core but... I have to say, I really like it and I think if people were willing to give it a whirl they'd find that it's a pretty great "having it all" living situation. No, I can't quickly walk to a hipster coffee shop. There are actually not that many areas of the city where you easily can, topography being what it is. But I have a very large, flat back yard, my raspberry patch is the size of most of the Lville homes entire "back yards", a huge vegetable garden, and we're getting chickens in the spring; off-street parking; cul-de-sacs where children still safely play in the streets until the streetlights come on; a playground and ball field 4 blocks away; and once upon a time and hopefully again a 5 acre organic farm a block from my front door. (Anyone know what's going on with the former Mildred's Daughters Farm?) It's quiet and very safe, and in 5 minutes I can be in Lawrenceville sipping that hipster coffee, or at Trader Joe's doing my shopping, or in Bloomfield eating Thai food, or in Highland Park having Moules Frites, and in 10 minutes I'm in the Strip doing my weekly trip to Wholey's.

I must have missed the post where you say what area you live in. I'm guessing you're in an eastern suburb or streetcar suburb type city neighborhood? Crafton is a western version of that. It's just a short trip to Downtown, Mt Washington, the Strip District, Carson St, the West End, the South Side, Oakland, Dormont, Beechview, Brookline, Mt Lebanon, Manchester, etc as well as the big box stores and movie theater in Robinson and the airport.

[theta_sigma]

I'm in Stanton Heights (see location), so it's not really a suburb of any kind, streetcar or otherwise. It's only topography that cuts it off from Lawrenceville and Morningside/East Liberty.

[PghYinzer]

Originally Posted by robrobrob

I think Mount Oliver is about at the bottom but the only thing separating it from Hazelwood is vacant housing and lots.

Lets face few people are investing Hazelwood. Tax dollars are being spent there but people aren't exactly flocking there in spite of the fact the go to Allderdice.

I just think that people want to be close to either Downtown or Oakland. Hazelwood and Mt. Oliver aren't close enough. This is probably what is holding Stanton Heights back from coming around. It just isn't close enough and that it really is isolated and it is tough to get there.

I am even starting to think that at some point East Liberty is going to a draw again. It might take some time though.

What is the definition of tough to get there? Are we saying it is tough to get there only by those on foot? By bus? I do not think any of these places are really that difficult to get to. It's not like you need a pack mule and a weeks worth rations to get there.

[ferraris]

Yeah the idea of Hazelwood not being close enough to Downtown and Oakland really doesn't make sense to me. If anything, that's one of its only remaining strengths, along with the school district, library, and low costs.

[DoubleStraps]

Originally Posted by theta_sigma

I'm in Stanton Heights (see location), so it's not really a suburb of any kind, streetcar or otherwise. It's only topography that cuts it off from Lawrenceville and Morningside/East Liberty.

The same could be said for Crafton/Ingram, which are only outside city limits because they avoided annexation in the early 1900's. I thought Stanton Heights wasn't even in the city until the 50's or something?

I'm not necessarily including you in this, but I think people would be surprised to learn how "urban" some of the communities that are labeled as "suburban sprawl" really are. I mean, Coraopolis has more of a business district, and more walkable amenities, than plenty of city neighborhoods.

[robrobrob]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

It's because instead of debating my ideologies far too often people debate me as a person, which lends itself to me defending myself, which causes threads to derail into oblivion while everyone else blames me for having the audacity to defend myself.

I think this is because your posts are really lengthy and they tend to consist mainly of your opinion. Others tend to write shorter posts supported by facts or examples.


As far as up and coming, I also think that at some point there will be some spill over investment in Wilkinsburg. I realize that the Regent Square portion is basicaly done and Hamnet Place has had a lot of investment but at some point it has to spill over into the rest of the Borough at least the stuff close to the busway. This location is just too good.

[theta_sigma]

Stanton Heights was built in the 1950s, but that land was always part of the city. It just used to be a golf course/undeveloped land until later on, which is the reason for its much-maligned post-war housing stock. It's surrounded on all sides by areas considered prime city living.

I'll grant that it's tough to get to on foot. You have to be committed to a bit of an up hill slog (or up stairs if you're coming from Morningside). We do have bus service (the 97s) but you have to schlep to Stanton Ave to catch it. But in a car? Definitely no weeks of rations required. It's no further from Oakland than any of the other neighborhoods along the Allegheny.