Park West Industrial Park -- do any decent urban/built-up environments offer good workweek commutes to there? (Pittsburgh: best suburbs, condominiums)

[maclock]

Can anyone reading this suggest decent urban/built-up environments that would offer good commutes to Park West Industrial Park, which is close to and to the south of the airport, during the workweek at regular office hours? By decent, I mean not run-down and offering a wide variety of shops, services, restaurants, pubs, and other amenities. And by urban, I don't mean suburban for the avoidance of doubt (think about places with proper downtown cores which also offer lots of desirable housing within easy walking distance of their respective downtown cores).

Low crime and good public schools would also be most welcome, as would easy access by public transit to Pittsburgh proper. Thank you very much in advance for whatever suggestions you might wish to offer!

[Moby Hick]

Sewickley.

[pittsburghaccuweather]

Originally Posted by maclock

Can anyone reading this suggest decent urban/built-up environments that would offer good commutes to Park West Industrial Park, which is close to and to the south of the airport, during the workweek at regular office hours? By decent, I mean not run-down and offering a wide variety of shops, services, restaurants, pubs, and other amenities. And by urban, I don't mean suburban for the avoidance of doubt (think about places with proper downtown cores which also offer lots of desirable housing within easy walking distance of their respective downtown cores).

Low crime and good public schools would also be most welcome, as would easy access by public transit to Pittsburgh proper. Thank you very much in advance for whatever suggestions you might wish to offer!

Have you visited Pittsburgh before? Where will you be coming from? I am assuming from your questions you haven’t been here before. I will let you answer those two questions and respond accordingly with information for you.

[guy2073]

Bridgeville, crafton, sewickley, mt lebanon.

[_Buster]

Budget and desirable type of housing would help. If you really want urban, downtown could work, although you might have some traffic jams coming home in afternoon if that bothers you.

[maclock]

I had looked at Sewickley. It looks very nice alright, but I wonder if it isn't a bit small for my liking. I've also looked at Mt. Lebanon.

I haven't visited Pittsburgh before. If I make the move, then I'll be coming from a major city out west. Budget would be $350K or less. I prefer detached homes over semi-detached homes or rowhouses. Condominiums aren't really my kind of thing.

[Knepper3]

Sewickley is smaller, more residential. $350k or less leave many areas as options. What else are you looking for in a home? how close is close enough? If you want bigger city maybe Carnegie, Green Tree, Carfton, even Scott Twp? You could go further west too if you dont mind a little longer drive to the airport area.

[guy2073]

Originally Posted by Knepper3

Sewickley is smaller, more residential. $350k or less leave many areas as options. What else are you looking for in a home? how close is close enough? If you want bigger city maybe Carnegie, Green Tree, Carfton, even Scott Twp? You could go further west too if you dont mind a little longer drive to the airport area.

They are putting in an expressway from bridgeville/cecil area to the airport. Areas like canonsburgh soon will be a short commute

[Knepper3]

Originally Posted by Knepper3

Sewickley is smaller, more residential. $350k or less leave many areas as options. What else are you looking for in a home? how close is close enough? If you want bigger city maybe Carnegie, Green Tree, Carfton, even Scott Twp? You could go further west too if you dont mind a little longer drive to the airport area.

Sorry it was late, you could go further EAST.

[pittsburghaccuweather]

Originally Posted by maclock

I had looked at Sewickley. It looks very nice alright, but I wonder if it isn't a bit small for my liking. I've also looked at Mt. Lebanon.

I haven't visited Pittsburgh before. If I make the move, then I'll be coming from a major city out west. Budget would be $350K or less. I prefer detached homes over semi-detached homes or rowhouses. Condominiums aren't really my kind of thing.

First, congrats on getting an opportunity to come here. West of the city of Pittsburgh and the nearby I-79 corridor is literally where most of the growth is for the whole Pittsburgh metro area. There are are a few, 6 or so of 90 inner city neighborhoods where there has been some growth. Your office is going to be smack dab in the middle of where the growth is for the region.

I also suggest coming here to visit. Pittsburgh is unlike any other metro you have probably experienced. The terrain is very hilly and it is spread out. There are some areas that feel isolated from the city and may only be a few miles away. A lot of what you are looking for existed along the rivers and they were their own cities and towns. Basically they existed because they had their own plants and industry, not that they were a suburb of Pittsburgh. I know it’s hard to understand unless you see it yourself. A lot of those areas are left behind. Western pa did not do a good job preserving the small urban towns that surround the city. I don’t believe we have an area that will fit your criteria 100 percent

Some folks mentioned the best areas already for what you described. Sewickley and mount Lebanon are probably the best that are close to he city. I would then say Bellevue borough and then coraopolis and Carnegie. Bridgeville is one too but I don’t think there are many businesses in its little downtown area. The issue with Carnegie is that the downtown is located at the bottom of the bowl. It is entirely in a floodplain. Some may suggest Millvale, which floods out 2 times a year now it seems. Unfortunately those are the best options closest to the city.

In my opinion, since your job is west, the best little town and urban area with an excellent school district is Beaver Borough. Beaver area schools are excellent and the little town is walkable with shops. Very nice, but it is a good 30 miles outside of downtown Pittsburgh. Granted there is the beaver county transit into Pittsburgh, but as I said very isolated.

I live in Weirton, WV which is in the panhandle. I’m 30. minutes from the airport and your offices. We have a downtown, but unfortunately it is in the same shape right now as a lot of the Pittsburgh area. Not many businesses and vacant. I moved here to get away from the high taxes of the city and Allegheny county. Our school district is Hancock County, WV. It is a good school district. It’s probably on par with the middle of the road schools around Pittsburgh. I’d say to keep your options open and look here as well.

I really think you need to visit the area and see for yourself. What you are looking for is going to be a difficult find here. The best suburbs are literally bedroom communities around here with strip malls or shopping centers. I wish you luck and let us know if you have questions.