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Mt. Oliver is a "suburb" of Pittsburgh which is totally surrounded by the city. Located in (or rather surrounded by) the southern hilltop neighborhoods of South Side Slopes, Arlington, Mt. Oliver (city neighborhood), Carrick, and Knoxville, it maintained its independence largely due to historical accident.
Like much of what's now the Southern Hilltop of Pittsburgh, Mt. Oliver began its history as a neighborhood within the now-defunct Lower Saint Clair Township. The name of Mt. Oliver came from a colonial settler, Captain John Ormsby, who had worked under General Forbes. He decided to name his 249-acre property after his father, and a son who nearly died at the age of two months - Oliver. The name ended up sticking in the 19th century due to it being used as the name of a local post office. Mount Oliver incorporated as a borough in 1892, joining the then-independent nearby municipalities of Beltzhoover and Knoxville as some of the first southern hilltop "suburbs."
Mt. Oliver's boom period was roughly from incorporation until 1930, at which time the borough was essentially totally built out. The typology of housing was very typical for streetcar suburbs in hilly neighborhoods of this time period, with the earlier homes all being wood frame, and a later shift to brick in the early 20th century when transportation of brick became cheaper (and brick ceased to be a structural material, and was instead put as a single layer on a frame structure. Mt. Oliver was never a wealthy area like nearby Knoxville, instead just being built out with solidly middle-of-the road, middle-class housing, although some grand homes do exist. During roughly the same time period, the late holdouts like Knoxville and Carrick were incorporated by the city, leaving Mt. Oliver in its present state as an enclave. At some point, however, it did lose its own school district and was merged into Pittsburgh Public Schools - likely during the 1960s, when the state passed two laws which reduced the number of districts by nearly three quarters.
Starting with the Great Depression, Mt. Oliver's steady population decline started, falling from its all time high of almost 7,100 to its present total of 3,200. There were three eras in particular that were bad for Mt. Oliver - the 1950s (flight into more classic suburbs in the South Hills), the 1970s/1980s (related of course to the collapse of the steel industry) and the 2000s.
Mount Oliver, even in the 1990s, was already a rough-around-the edges working class town. However, with the closure most of nearby St. Clair Village, there was an influx of gang violence into the neighborhood - albeit not wholesale white flight - Mt. Oliver is still a majority white area, with only around a third of the borough's population African American. In some ways, it might have been better however if more of the white population had left, because the large working-class white population remaining ended up succumbing in part to the nationwide heroin epidemic, meaning Mt. Oliver in some ways now has the worst of both worlds. In addition, while Mt. Oliver's overall household income used to be roughly identical to the City of Pittsburgh, it is now considerably more poor.
That said, while Mt. Oliver has its share of troubles, it is not yet a full on ghetto. Since the three homicides in 2013 the borough has not seen a murder. Overall crime rates, once you get away from the Brownsville corridor, remain significantly lower than nearby Allentown and Knoxville. There still is at least the potential for the area to turn around before it is too far gone. In particular, the portion of the Brownsville Avenue business district which goes through Mt. Oliver is a big potential asset - by far the most urban/intact business district in the Southern Hilltop. I've actually been a bit surprised in recent years that East Warrington in Allentown is getting all of the love in terms of a resurgence, because it's a demonstrably worse area (smaller business district, more gaps, higher crime, worse building stock). Unfortunately, by the time it's potentially Mt. Oliver's "turn" the built environment may have deteriorated to the point where there is much less worth saving.
People I know who were raised in Mount Oliver are returning. Purchasing decent houses for little and hoping for a rebirth. The potential is there to benefit from an Allentown resurgence. Let's hope.
I've actually been a bit surprised in recent years that East Warrington in Allentown is getting all of the love in terms of a resurgence, because it's a demonstrably worse area (smaller business district, more gaps, higher crime, worse building stock).
The Allentown Business District I think is being helped by 2 main factors:
1. Types of businesses. Places like Black Forge Coffee House, Onion Maiden, and The Weeping Glass give it the "cool" factor. Also having longtime staples like Alla Famiglia help too. This helps fight the perception battle. This also brings a different clientele to the area as well.
2. Proximity to places with wealth. The Allentown district is adjacent to Mt. Washington and South Side Slopes, which tend to be wealthier than the current state of Knoxville and Mt. Oliver. Below are the median incomes for each.
$35,050 - Mt. Oliver (PGH)
$33,936 - Mount Oliver (Boro)
$33,192 - Knoxville
$48,479 - Mt. Washington
$41,110 - South Side Slopes
$38,307 - Allentown
Speaking of perception - there is a perception (whether true or not) that much of Allentown and the SE corners of Mt. Washington are becoming safer. The Zone 3 station is right there, though I do acknowledge that Mt. Oliver's is right in the heart of its district too. But really much of the perception is that a lot of the 'random' crime has shifted away from Warrington and is more centered on the Brownsville corridor. Beltzhoover isn't what it used to be, as honestly - not much of it is left standing - and a lot of that has shifted into Knoxville, Carrick, etc.
Want to revitalize a neighborhood? Buy up a ton of residential properties and a few nearby commercial properties in a neighborhood. Keep commercial rents low (almost at a loss) to attract favorable businesses (coffee shops, venues, knick knack stores, etc.). This drives up your residential rents.
I'm not sure if that's RE360s model, but it wouldn't surprise me. Just about every single "neighborhood resurgence" we've had in the city has been based around having the "cool" places around.
Anyway - didn't mean to derail the convo about Mt. Oliver, but thought I'd share some related perspective.
Mount Oliver, even in the 1990s, was already a rough-around-the edges working class town. However, with the closure most of nearby St. Clair Village, there was an influx of gang violence into the neighborhood - albeit not wholesale white flight - Mt. Oliver is still a majority white area, with only around a third of the borough's population African American.
...
That said, while Mt. Oliver has its share of troubles, it is not yet a full on ghetto. Since the three homicides in 2013 the borough has not seen a murder.
Boy, 11, Shot & Killed In Mt. Oliver
There's been at least one shooting of the 11 boy in 2015. Due to other fatal shootings occurring several feet away on the Knoxville border there's only a technicality that they're not in Mt. Oliver Borough's jurisdiction. If you look at the post gazette homicide map double check your sources as it misses or misplace several homicides a year, and the feature that shows all the years doesn't show all the homicides.
As a side, since I've left the forum I've seen you mention White flight on many threads relating to predominantly Black, Racially-Mixed, and formerly majority Black (due to gentrification) City/Allegheny County neighborhoods... However, you rarely mention redlining, block busting, urban renewal, and the systemic neglect of these "ghettos" or "semi-ghettos".
Your language specifically in regards to Black populations in neighborhoods, poor populations in neighborhoods and "White flight" epitomizes subliminal racism, subtle racist remarks and White/class privilege. How can you talk about majority Black or largely mixed neighborhoods when you're framing a concept that their presence in the neighborhood makes it problematic or inferior?
My solution is that before you try Wilkinsburg, Rankin, Penn Hills, North Braddock or Terrace Village, St. Clair or even Windgap that you privately ask to team up with Wpipkins2 or Hertudus... What you offer by doing neighborhood/suburb of the week is more the White person's view to the neighborhood of the week. For example, why combine Homewood South/Homewood North/Homewood West when you don't do that for the Lawrencvilles? Each part of Homewood has different histories, different aspects of things occurring today... but I understand why to do it with a majority White participation on the forum
You're post here was fair, but in almost all of your threads about areas like Mt. Oliver Borough there are major fallacies and inaccuracies. You've got excellent 'top notch' knowledge about the Pittsburgh area during the 1800's, and through the early 20th Century. However, for the Black neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County you need to change your narrative and perspective if you're going to continue chronicaling the neighborhood/suburb of the week. The later 20th Century is where you need the most help... Typically up until when ever gentrification starts to occur, you've got that down as transplant to Pittsburgh.
Boy, 11, Shot & Killed In Mt. Oliver
There's been at least one shooting of the 11 boy in 2015. Due to other fatal shootings occurring several feet away on the Knoxville border there's only a technicality that they're not in Mt. Oliver Borough's jurisdiction. If you look at the post gazette homicide map double check your sources as it misses or misplace several homicides a year, and the feature that shows all the years doesn't show all the homicides.
Yeah, it seems to have been an error on the part of the Post Gazette.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uptown kid
[url="http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/11/02/11-year-old-boy-shot-and-killed-in-mt-oliver/"]
As a side, since I've left the forum I've seen you mention White flight on many threads relating to predominantly Black, Racially-Mixed, and formerly majority Black (due to gentrification) City/Allegheny County neighborhoods... However, you rarely mention redlining, block busting, urban renewal, and the systemic neglect of these "ghettos" or "semi-ghettos".
Your language specifically in regards to Black populations in neighborhoods, poor populations in neighborhoods and "White flight" epitomizes subliminal racism, subtle racist remarks and White/class privilege. How can you talk about majority Black or largely mixed neighborhoods when you're framing a concept that their presence in the neighborhood makes it problematic or inferior?
I have mentioned urban renewal in cases where it has been appropriate, such as when discussing the Hill District, East Liberty, and Allegheny Center. And I have mentioned all of the policies you bring up in other threads on the forum. Just a few weeks ago when Monroeville was brought up, I said I thought that the viewpoint that it was in decline was based in racism.
That said, I feel like it would be repetitive to attempt to have the exact same conversation about institutional racism every single time we discuss a neighborhood with a historically large black population. I also worry that right-wing posters will essentially derail the thread. I try to stick to the basics and say "this happened" not "this is why it happened."
That said, your point has salience. All white people should take time to reflect upon how institutional racism has helped to shape their ideological priors.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Uptown kid
[url="http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2015/11/02/11-year-old-boy-shot-and-killed-in-mt-oliver/"]
My solution is that before you try Wilkinsburg, Rankin, Penn Hills, North Braddock or Terrace Village, St. Clair or even Windgap that you privately ask to team up with Wpipkins2 or Hertudus... What you offer by doing neighborhood/suburb of the week is more the White person's view to the neighborhood of the week. For example, why combine Homewood South/Homewood North/Homewood West when you don't do that for the Lawrencvilles? Each part of Homewood has different histories, different aspects of things occurring today... but I understand why to do it with a majority White participation on the forum
You're post here was fair, but in almost all of your threads about areas like Mt. Oliver Borough there are major fallacies and inaccuracies. You've got excellent 'top notch' knowledge about the Pittsburgh area during the 1800's, and through the early 20th Century. However, for the Black neighborhoods of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County you need to change your narrative and perspective if you're going to continue chronicaling the neighborhood/suburb of the week. The later 20th Century is where you need the most help... Typically up until when ever gentrification starts to occur, you've got that down as transplant to Pittsburgh.
My introductory posts are never meant to be exhaustive, just start the conversation. I welcome the contributions - even corrections - of anyone and everyone.
As to why I lumped the Homewoods together and not the Lawrencevilles, the answer is pretty simple - alphabetical order. Homewood North/South/West done separately would result in three weeks straight of Homewood discussion, which could get redundant and result in not much discussion on Homewood West at all. In contrast Central, Lower, and Upper Lawrenceville are all covered months apart. In a few weeks I plan to cover Squirrel Hill North/South at the same time.
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My introductory posts are never meant to be exhaustive, just start the conversation. I welcome the contributions - even corrections - of anyone and everyone.
This. I think your introductory is great and you are a huge asset to this forum. Let people chime in to correct and add to the discussion. Well done sir.
Wish you didn't leave. Always good to hear everyone's opinion in the ever-changing climate we are living in. Glad to hear from you for a change. Maybe you will stick around or at least stop by now and again.
This. I think your introductory is great and you are a huge asset to this forum. Let people chime in to correct and add to the discussion. Well done sir.
I'll agree. Even though you're not a born and raised Yinzer like myself and others I welcome your thoughts and learn a little from every new post for each neighborhood. Just one person's opinion. Thanks!
This. I think your introductory is great and you are a huge asset to this forum. Let people chime in to correct and add to the discussion. Well done sir.
I only consider my posts failures when absolutely no one responds (as happened with South Oakland the other week).
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