Incoming grad student looking for advice? first big move (Pittsburgh: 2015, apartment complexes)

[nad7vx]

Hi all,

This website has been of great help and I appreciate everyone's efforts in helping people like myself get acclimated to Pittsburgh. I will be starting my masters program at Carnegie Mellon University from August 2015 and am looking for apartments/neighborhoods to consider. I've been recommended the following neighborhoods: Shadyside, Oakland, and Squirrel Hill. I will be 22 (coming straight out of undergrad) and am looking for a neighborhood with a young vibe with a great and vibrant nightlife (maybe even collegiate feel?) and in route to Carnegie Mellon (15 min ride or 20 minute walk). Those are pretty much my main factors. Which of those neighborhoods do you think caters to these needs and are there any specific apartment complexes y'all found great that I should consider.

Thanks in advance!

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by nad7vx

Hi all,

This website has been of great help and I appreciate everyone's efforts in helping people like myself get acclimated to Pittsburgh. I will be starting my masters program at Carnegie Mellon University from August 2015 and am looking for apartments/neighborhoods to consider. I've been recommended the following neighborhoods: Shadyside, Oakland, and Squirrel Hill. I will be 22 and am looking for a neighborhood with a young vibe with a great and vibrant nightlife (maybe even collegiate feel?) and in route to Carnegie Mellon (15 min ride of 20 minute walk). Those are pretty much my main factors. Which of those neighborhoods do you think caters to these needs and are there any specific apartment complexes y'all found great that I should consider.

Thanks in advance!

Avoid South Oakland, it is undergrads. When you say nightlife, do you mean music and clubs and dancing, or bars? There are bars in Shadyside and Squirrel Hill, a lot of grad students in both places (CMU and Pitt). Not much in the way of going out and dancing though.

[nad7vx]

Thanks for the reply. When I meant nightlife, I meant something like a college bar scene. I'm definitely not a dancing type of person but I am looking for a neighborhood that offers venues/outlets for me to meet other grad students from the universities (CMU or Pitt). Basically, I guess I am not looking for a place for older people but people around the ages of 21-26ish. Are there particular areas in shadyside that I should consider? I've heard Walnut Street, but I do not know much about that

[doo dah]

Originally Posted by nad7vx

Thanks for the reply. When I meant nightlife, I meant something like a college bar scene. I'm definitely not a dancing type of person but I am looking for a neighborhood that offers venues/outlets for me to meet other grad students from the universities (CMU or Pitt). Basically, I guess I am not looking for a place for older people but people around the ages of 21-26ish. Are there particular areas in shadyside that I should consider? I've heard Walnut Street, but I do not know much about that

Okay - Ellsworth Avenue, S. Highland as well as Walnut. Squirrel Hill has the Squirrel Cage (Squirrel Hill Cafe).
More Shadyside: Shadyside Chamber of Commerce | Shadyside, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Squirrel Hill: Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition

[nad7vx]

thank you! I will look into those areas asap. is there a website you recommend for these apartments?

[jay5835]

Do you have a car? If not, you should know that because of the way the buses run, probably more CMU students live in Squirrel Hill than Shadyside. You can get to Oakland bars easily from either CMU or Squirrel Hill because they're all along Forbes Avenue. The Squirrel Hill buses make the most sense for getting to school in the morning as well, especially if you've been out drinking the night before.

If you do have a car, you'll probably choose to use it to get to Shadyside or East Liberty. Also, Gooski's on Polish Hill may still be popular with CMU students.

[nad7vx]

Originally Posted by jay5835

Because of the way the buses run, I think more CMU students live in Squirrel Hill. You can get to Oakland bars easily from either CMU or Squirrel Hill because they're both along Forbes Avenue. If you have a car, you'll probably use it more to get to Shadyside or East Liberty. Gooski's on Polish Hill may still be popular with CMU students, I don't know for sure.

thanks. do busses run late in the night on weekends? also, is it still possible to use busses to get to the oakland bars from shadyside

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by nad7vx

thanks. do buses run late in the night on weekends? also, is it still possible to use buses to get to the oakland bars from shadyside

Yes, you can get to Oakland bars from Shadyside. Here's the Port Authority website: Port Authority of Allegheny County > Home You can get better info there about time schedules.

The Shadyside buses are the ones that start with 71. Also, the 75 goes from Oakland to Shadyside.

The Squirrel Hill buses start with the number 61.

[MountainDewGuy]

Based on your description, the following places are possibilities. Shadyside. Lawrenceville. Southside. and perhaps Squirrel Hill.

The Southside has the most bars per capita than perhaps any other neighborhood in the US. It tends to trend blue collar and "yinzer" aka native Pittsburgher.

Shadyside is more upscale, with various establishments to frequent. It trends more yuppie-esque (think yoga and expensive boutique shops) and I'd say the majority of people living here are college educated.

Lawrenceville is the area that recently had a hipster fueled revival.

Squirrel Hill is probably the most diverse neighborhood with lots of students, families, and is a hub for the local jewish community. They have the so called legendary Squirrel Cage (as mentioned), which regrettable still allows smoking since the state is behind the times.

[robrobrob]

Personally, I have never liked the South Side. I much prefer Shadyside. Squirrel Hill has grown on me. When I lived there I hated it. However, if you want bars there are not a ton in Squirrel Hill. Shadyside sort of has a bar scene although it is much smaller than the South Side.