Affordable areas close to downtown with good public transportation access (Pittsburgh: best neighborhood, apartments)

[traveler_nt]

I just accepted a job offer in downtown Pittsburgh and I'm looking for nice areas near there to live. I will not have access to a car right away so the area will need to have good public transportation access. I would like the area to have restaurants, coffee shops and a bit of a night life scene. So far, I've been reading about Regent Square and Friendship. Any input is appreciated!

[guy2073]

What is your budget, there is someone on here that has mentioned Allegheny center apartments on the Northside.

[SteelCityRising]

Are you looking to rent or buy? Without knowing this I'm going to just assume you're looking to rent, at least initially, since you're new to the city, and this will be the best option until you "get your feet wet" here.

Most neighborhoods that are proximate to Downtown, have good transit access, and are a bit "happening" are also expensive, with rentals going for $1,000/month+ for a 1-BR. I don't know if you're "attached" or not, but if not I'd suggest looking for 2-BR rentals and finding a roommate. The pricing premium for most 2-BR units is negligible over most 1-BR units, so splitting the slightly higher 2-BR rent in half should just about always result in a much lower share of rent than footing the entire bill for a 1-BR on your own.

Our new upstairs neighbor lives sans car and is quite happy in Polish Hill. The 54D bus runs from the North Side to the South Side via Oakland and our neighborhood. The Dr. MLK, Jr. East Busway (bus rapid transit) runs east from Downtown and has a stop in Polish Hill at Herron Avenue. This would get you Downtown from here in under 10 minutes. You could find modest rentals here for under $1,000/month. We split a 1-BR for $700/month. Our upstairs neighbor pays $850/month for her tiny 1-BR, but it's fully-furnished and nicely-remodeled. I've seen other listings in the neighborhood in the ~$900/month range, on average. You can walk to the heart of Lawrenceville, which is hip, quirky, and artsy, in about 15 minutes, but you'll pay a fraction of the rent. You can also walk to Oakland, Bloomfield, Downtown, the North Shore, and even parts of Shadyside in under 40 minutes. Our neighbor relies on us to drive her weekly to the laundromat (Bloomfield) and grocery store (Shadyside). Otherwise she wouldn't ever need a vehicle since the bus takes her door-to-door to work.

Another neighborhood that came to mind was Beechview. It's sleepy, looks dumpy, and is definitely a holdout for some of Pittsburgh's "old-school" old-timers, but it's also dirt cheap, safe, has great light rail access into Downtown, and is a skip away from other more "happening" neighborhoods like Brookline, Dormont (suburb), and Mt. Lebanon (suburb). If I was a betting man I'd say Beechview is going to be red-hot in about another decade. As for now, though, you can save a ton on rent and then use the savings to build up a down payment for a house or just burn through it to pay for Uber/Lyft and hit up the town more frequently.

Troy Hill has decent (not great) bus service but is well-sited on a scenic bluff overlooking the Allegheny River. It's a safe neighborhood that will probably be "red-hot" in under ten years, especially since they now also just got a new restaurant that's been generating some buzz. It's as walkable to Downtown as Polish Hill is and has cheaper rent, too. Like Beechview, it's another neighborhood that has a lot of "old-timers". Troy Hill itself has great day-to-day conveniences and is close to many areas, including the McKnight(mare) Road corridor, which has the area's most upscale mall (Ross Park) and numerous big-box stores and chain restaurants.

Friendship, which you initially cited, is also another excellent choice. It's right in the heart of the East End, yet rentals tend to be a bit more moderately-priced, especially if you take the route of splitting a 2-BR with a roommate. It is walkable to Bloomfield's business district (Liberty Avenue), yet it is greener (more trees) and has a bit more breathing room whereas Bloomfield is one of the densest neighborhoods in the city behind Downtown and Oakland. Walking to Liberty Avenue will get you on a bus to Downtown. You can also more easily walk to the Negley Avenue Dr. MLK Jr. East Busway station in adjacent Shadyside from some parts of the neighborhood. From a walkability standpoint it's hard to beat Friendship for the price, since a half-hour on foot can have you in the business districts of East Liberty (Penn Ave.), Shadyside (all three of them---Ellsworth, South Highland, and Walnut), Bloomfield (Liberty Ave.), and even Lawrenceville, if you're up for a long uphill trek on the way back from Butler Street.

[eschaton]

We need more information regarding what you consider affordable before making suggestions. "Affordable" for someone coming from the East Coast means something a lot different from "affordable" for someone coming from the Midwest.

In general, I'd say Bloomfield is the best neighborhood in the city to live in without a car. The bus service there is among the best in the city - you can get to essentially every neighborhood in the East End, along with the South Side and North Side, from a bus which goes through Bloomfield. Pittsburgh has better neighborhoods with better nightlife and more things to do (e.g., South Side and Lawrenceville) but those come at a big premium, and Liberty Avenue in Bloomfield gives you enough choices as it is.

[jea6321]

regent square is a beautiful neighborhood but not great for commutes to downtown. even less so if you dont have a vehicle.

as mentioned earlier, affordable can mean a lot of things. Expectations of quality are another big factor. There are lots of affordable yet dated and dumpy housing units in this city. The newer or updated ones come at a premium in just about all neighborhoods of any desirability.

for access to downtown, some nightlife and somewhat affordable, I would suggest any of the southern T ( light rail) accessed neighborhoods, Beechview and Dormont both are decent options. The front side of mt washington close to the mon incline and shiloh/virgina ave business district. Allegheny center or central northside. Polish hill, bloomfield or friendship to the east. Now depending on budget, you may want to consider squirrel hill or shadyside, but they are not what is considered affordable housing neighborhoods by pittsburgh standard. If you are coming from DC, Philly, NYC etc, then it wont seem that pricy at all.

[PIT2MAD]

Originally Posted by jea6321

for access to downtown, some nightlife and somewhat affordable, I would suggest any of the southern T ( light rail) accessed neighborhoods, Beechview and Dormont both are decent options. The front side of mt washington close to the mon incline and shiloh/virgina ave business district.

The front side of Mt Washington is going to be the most expensive. One area that gets basically no attention is the backside along the Southern and Boggs corridor. There are two bus lines and South Hills Junction and even the Palm Garden stop are short walks away. Now mind you, this area has some crazy terrain, but Boggs and Southern themselves are the easiest climbs to the top and many could get to Shiloh in 10-15 minutes walking. And it's safe! I know from experience after renting there for a while.

After living in several city neighborhoods and inner ring burbs on that side of the city over the past 10 years or so, it was my spot halfway down Southern that had the best access to downtown and Oakland, aside from my one year stint in SS flats. Even if I drove, I could be from my apartment to my parking spot near Schenley High in 10 minutes flat (or 12 if I just caught the red light trying to enter the Liberty Tubes) at the height of the morning rush via Liberty Tubes/Bridge and Bigelow Blvd.

Speaking of the Southside, if you look for things on the "slopes" you will find them much cheaper, but you will have to be careful as you get closer to the top near the neighborhood of Arlington. Also, one minor thing, you'll likely be climbing a few hundred steps to get home every day. But you'll be a quick walk away from all of the action in the "flats" and you'll get to enjoy some amazing views.

If you truly want to live within the fabric of a bustling neighborhood with a great Main Street and a lot of things to do at a reasonable price, I have to agree with the others on Bloomfield. Good bus service, walkable to a lot of other neighborhoods. Cheaper than Friendship, safer than Garfield, retains more of an authentic Pittsburgh vibe than Lawrenceville does these days. Better connections and things to do and perception of safety than Troy Hill, terrain isn't as crazy as Beechview or back of Mt Wash or the SS slopes, and not as calm and conservative as Brookline and Sq Hill often feel to me (especially at night) despite their great amenities and their offerings of affordable rents.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by PIT2MAD

If you truly want to live within the fabric of a bustling neighborhood with a great Main Street and a lot of things to do at a reasonable price, I have to agree with the others on Bloomfield. Good bus service, walkable to a lot of other neighborhoods. Cheaper than Friendship, safer than Garfield, retains more of an authentic Pittsburgh vibe than Lawrenceville does these days. Better connections and things to do and perception of safety than Troy Hill, terrain isn't as crazy as Beechview or back of Mt Wash or the SS slopes, and not as calm and conservative as Brookline and Sq Hill often feel to me (especially at night) despite their great amenities and their offerings of affordable rents.

Indeed. The only downside of Bloomfield is it's probably one of the ugliest neighborhoods in the city. That said, as a renter you're probably not going to care much about that. Well, and the local grocery store is hella sketch, but there's an Italian market, a greengrocer, and a farmer's market to supplement your shopping needs.

[BigPizzaHutFan]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Indeed. The only downside of Bloomfield is it's probably one of the ugliest neighborhoods in the city. That said, as a renter you're probably not going to care much about that. Well, and the local grocery store is hella sketch, but there's an Italian market, a greengrocer, and a farmer's market to supplement your shopping needs.

How is the grocery store there "hella sketch?" Looks pretty normal to me.

[PIT2MAD]

Originally Posted by eschaton

Indeed. The only downside of Bloomfield is it's probably one of the ugliest neighborhoods in the city. That said, as a renter you're probably not going to care much about that. Well, and the local grocery store is hella sketch, but there's an Italian market, a greengrocer, and a farmer's market to supplement your shopping needs.

Word. That's kind of where I was going with the "authentic Pittsburgh feel" but I didn't quite finish that thought. It's truly a salt-of-the Earth type of neighborhood, much like the Boggs/Southern corridor and SS slopes I mentioned before. Not much will blow you away (aside from the views from the slopes) but for cheap safe living and good connections, sometimes you gotta make a sacrifice here or there.

Friendship for example is gorgeous and I have no idea of the current rental rates there, but you will likely have to walk a little farther for most of your trips (biking is an easy alternative). If you prefer grand houses and a lot of trees and a little more tranquility, it could be an option (again depending on the rent these days).

Honestly there are even a few more recommendations that likely could be made if the OP lets us know a little more about what they are looking for given the info already provided. Despite the lamentable arguing in other threads, my faith in the Pgh forum is always restored when people rush to the aid of a newbie like always happens in these threads, putting aside all personal prejudices against specific areas to give the most informed opinion possible

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by BigPizzaHutFan

How is the grocery store there "hella sketch?" Looks pretty normal to me.

Might be different now. When it was a foodland I thought it was pretty horrible. Not as bad as the old Giant Eagle was in Lawrenceville, but one of the worst I've seen in the City.