North side -- Chestnut Street (Pittsburgh, Butler: house, theater, tile)

[Merge]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

Maybe someone will reopen the Star Bar, which was delightful divey kind of joint right on Chestnut. Rebuilding and restoring the old White Tower on Chestnut- it was like the last surviving WT in Pittsburgh- is another idea.

That sounds great! That neighborhood especially needs a place to get cheap, low-quality liquor in squalid surroundings... and it would be the icing on the cake if drunks could get cheap, low quality "food" to chase it all down. It would be especially appealing for the puking-in-their-sleep crowd!

[norcider]

The star lounge was razed in 2015.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Merge

That sounds great! That neighborhood especially needs a place to get cheap, low-quality liquor in squalid surroundings... and it would be the icing on the cake if drunks could get cheap, low quality "food" to chase it all down. It would be especially appealing for the puking-in-their-sleep crowd!

I'm detecting a little bit of sarcasm here, but I personally think that there is a need for low-brow establishments in Pittsburgh too. I heard they want to open a new joint to sell $10 bowls of ramen noodles on Butler Street. That's fine, but I think we need places to attract the hoi polloi as well.

[Merge]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

I'm detecting a little bit of sarcasm here, but I personally think that there is a need for low-brow establishments in Pittsburgh too. I heard they want to open a new joint to sell $10 bowls of ramen noodles on Butler Street. That's fine, but I think we need places to attract the hoi polloi as well.

But... ARE there no prisons?!

ARE there NO workhouses?!

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Merge

ARE there NO workhouses?!

Not in Allegheny County, since they closed it in 1971 for RIDC park project in Blawnox

[eschaton]

I don't have anything substantive to say here except...yay!

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by norcider

The star lounge was razed in 2015.

Where do all the hookers and drug dealers hang out now

[RogersParkTransplant]

What is a White Tower? I'm gathering it was a local chain of liquor stores, but now you real Pittsburgh people have me curious to hear more.

Anything is better than blight. I'm fine with a liquor store if one comes in, especially if it's clean and run well. I didn't know anything about the old Star Lounge but it was sad to see the building razed. I'm hoping the old Bier house building fares better -- that one is a block over on Spring Garden before you get to Vinial, and it's a neat old building. Still has its tin ceiling and a lot of other nice details inside, and there's something to be said for a neighborhood bar, or maybe a little diner with good brunch cocktails (might as well, since the building was for sale with its liquor license last I saw...)

[norcider]

Originally Posted by guy2073

Where do all the hookers and drug dealers hang out now

I don't know because I don't associate with people like that. I do frequent the area on a weekly basis and I do not see any hookers on Chestnut. I will see one from time to time on or near E. Ohio. Most drug dealing is done in the open from my observations.

[norcider]

Originally Posted by RogersParkTransplant

What is a White Tower? I'm gathering it was a local chain of liquor stores, but now you real Pittsburgh people have me curious to hear more.

Anything is better than blight. I'm fine with a liquor store if one comes in, especially if it's clean and run well. I didn't know anything about the old Star Lounge but it was sad to see the building razed. I'm hoping the old Bier house building fares better -- that one is a block over on Spring Garden before you get to Vinial, and it's a neat old building. Still has its tin ceiling and a lot of other nice details inside, and there's something to be said for a neighborhood bar, or maybe a little diner with good brunch cocktails (might as well, since the building was for sale with its liquor license last I saw...)

White Tower/White Castle, I suspect they were somehow linked because of the size, shape and color of the buildings. Cheap burger and fries joint. Pittsburgh had numerous White Tower establishments. From memory:

Cedar Avenue a couple of doors down from the Italian ice place.
Chestnut and Progress, across from Heinz, the tile entrance is still there but the building was demolished back in the 90's.
In town, 6th Ave IIRC near the old Fulton theater.

I know there were others but many were gone by the late 80's.+

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Castle_(restaurant)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Tower_Hamburgers

Photo of the one on Cedar, not my photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/antiqu...ion/4144036237