Affordable downtown apartment for young couple?? (Pittsburgh, Butler: apartments, condo, neighborhoods)

[John&Katie]

I am looking into U Pitt for PhD programs starting next fall and need to begin researching apartments.

My boyfriend and I do not know anyone in the area who could suggest neighborhoods to look into.

We are very interested in a downtown setting within walking or biking distance to restaurants, shops, etc. (ideally for 800-1000/month). Also, I would like to avoid areas where the undergraduates and fraternities are located.

I would appreciate any advice on areas or properties to look into.

Thanks!

[BrianTH]

So the term "Downtown" as we use it in Pittsburgh refers to just the small area with skyscrapers and such, right at the confluence. Do you mean downtown in that sense, or would any walkable, central neighborhood also suffice?

In any event, you can certainly look in Downtown--it is growing as a residential area and has quick access to Pitt. You may be able to find something modest in your price range.

Another popular option for people associated with Pitt that meets your walkability requirement is Squirrel Hill. There are some undergraduates but it is more grad/professional students and professors.

Other options would include Greenfield, Friendship, Highland Park, and Regent Square.

[AaronPGH]

I'd look into Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Point Breeze if you want swankier neighborhoods. And possibly Friendship if you don't mind a little more grit (but still nice). Lawrenceville can be really great too (artsy, on it's way up), but it's a little further out of the way from Pitt than the others. Much harder to use public transit there.

For a quieter, cheaper option that is still close to the universities and has great park access, I'd look into Greenfield... although it has a much smaller selection of places to go in the business district.

Steer clear of Oakland and the South Side if you want to avoid noisy drunks.

[Jrn14]

Originally Posted by John&Katie

I am looking into U Pitt for PhD programs starting next fall and need to begin researching apartments.

My boyfriend and I do not know anyone in the area who could suggest neighborhoods to look into.

We are very interested in a downtown setting within walking or biking distance to restaurants, shops, etc. (ideally for 800-1000/month). Also, I would like to avoid areas where the undergraduates and fraternities are located.

I would appreciate any advice on areas or properties to look into.

Thanks!

I think you should look into at least a 4 bedroom since you have such a big family

[trotter_rej]

Originally Posted by AaronClark

Lawrenceville can be really great too (artsy, on it's way up), but it's a little further out of the way from Pitt than the others. Much harder to use public transit there.

Starting on Monday, there is a new bus route, 93 Lawrenceville-Oakland that runs between the Shop and Save in Upper Lawrenceville and DeSoto St. in Oakland. Between that and the 54C, the transit options from Lawrenceville to Pitt should be pretty good. However, this new route is proposed to be eliminated with the January cuts if the PAT funding issue is not resolved. So you would be back to just the 54C in that case.

[Renaldo5000]

Originally Posted by John&Katie

I am looking into U Pitt for PhD programs starting next fall and need to begin researching apartments.

My boyfriend and I do not know anyone in the area who could suggest neighborhoods to look into.

We are very interested in a downtown setting within walking or biking distance to restaurants, shops, etc. (ideally for 800-1000/month). Also, I would like to avoid areas where the undergraduates and fraternities are located.

I would appreciate any advice on areas or properties to look into.

Thanks!

Downtown is not where the action is in Pittsburgh. It is actually quite dead (although they are trying to change that) after 5 pm on the weekdays. Also, places there are rather expensive. Check out Shadyside and Squirrel Hill. More working-class places would be Bloomfield and some spots in Lawrenceville. South Side is an option but only if you are not right up on Carson (the main drag that gets boozy and annoying on Friday and Saturday).

[jay5835]

Yes: Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, Bloomfield, based on walkability to restaurants and bus to school.

Mostly yes: Friendship. I live in Friendship, which is kind of above Shadyside, and it's convenient for shopping, walking (flat land), and getting to Pitt. The 71A bus runs every ten minutes (at least in theory; rush hour traffic can really mess with bus schedules). The reason I don't give it an unqualified "yes" is that there aren't many restaurants in walking distance. I can walk to Whole Foods or the Market District (upscale division of Giant Eagle chain supermarket), though, in five or ten minutes, respectively.

No: South Side, unless you like vomit on your shoes and lots of noise.

Downtown, unless you can buy a condo for a quarter-mil or more.

Maybe: Lawrenceville. The "Williamsburg" of Pittsburgh. But for this Williamsburg, it pays to have a car unless you like walking up hills every day. If you want to try it and see, start at any corner on Butler Street in the 40s, and walk up to Penn Avenue. Admittedly, you'd probably live midway up the hill, but this will give you an idea.

Greenfield. Other than a Giant Eagle (supermarket), there's not much to walk to, and if you don't have a car, it can mean walking up some really steep hills.

[pman]

I don't know that downtown should be under no, IF he can find something in the right price range, go for it.

[Renaldo5000]

Originally Posted by jay5835

Maybe: Lawrenceville. The "Williamsburg" of Pittsburgh. But for this Williamsburg, it pays to have a car unless you like walking up hills every day. If you want to try it and see, start at any corner on Butler Street in the 40s, and walk up to Penn Avenue. Admittedly, you'd probably live midway up the hill, but this will give you an idea.

Oh, it's not that bad from Butler up to Penn. Maybe if you're morbidly obese or something then it's rough.

Originally Posted by jay5835

No: South Side, unless you like vomit on your shoes and lots of noise.

This is true for most of the South Side Flats. But, there are some spots that are a few blocks back from Carson that are decently quiet. Also, our OP should consider the lower South Side Slopes.

[Renaldo5000]

Originally Posted by pman

I don't know that downtown should be under no, IF he can find something in the right price range, go for it.

True, but people need to know that downtown is not a "where the action is city-center" like it is in other metropolitan areas.