South Hills (Pittsburgh, Mount Lebanon, Lebanon: houses, neighborhoods, purchase)

[pdsiroky]

I will be relocating to Pittsburgh and have been looking to purchase a home in the South Hills area. I have looked at Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, and Castle Shannon so far. Any insights as to pros and cons of any area vs another?

I am looking for a 3br 1-2 bath with off street parking and enough of a yard for 2 lazy dogs to run around in. I would like to be within 1.5 miles of some sort of downtown area that had shops restaurants and bars. Otherwise pretty open to any area

Any insight on Overbrook, Banksville, Greentree?

Any help would be appreciated

[ExPit]

Originally Posted by pdsiroky

I will be relocating to Pittsburgh and have been looking to purchase a home in the South Hills area. I have looked at Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, and Castle Shannon so far. Any insights as to pros and cons of any area vs another?

I am looking for a 3br 1-2 bath with off street parking and enough of a yard for 2 lazy dogs to run around in. I would like to be within 1.5 miles of some sort of downtown area that had shops restaurants and bars. Otherwise pretty open to any area

Any insight on Overbrook, Banksville, Greentree?

Any help would be appreciated

I lived in Banksville (Greentree City) when I was a kid, but it hasn't changed much. I don't know if you have kids but the school system in Banksville can be a problem. Banksville Elementary on Carnahan Road, if I'm not mistaken only goes up to the 6th grade now, the high school (9th to 12th) is Brashear. Where they go for 7th and 8th I don't know but you could contact the school or school board directly to find out.

My experiences in that area as a kid were great. There are woods behind the school that for a kid of course were like Sherwood Forest, and at the same time you can hop a bus on Banksville Road and be dowtown in less than ten minutes. Now Greentree itself is a municipality of its own with its own schools. Greentree kids went to Manilla Elementary and Keystone Oaks High School in Dormont...

But I'd say the best things about either one of these areas are convenience to town, Oakland, South Side, North Side, even the East End, relative safety, and housing affordablity. From what I understand you can get a very nice 3br house for well under 200k in either place. As far as a business district within 1.5 miles, you'd be in good shape in either place as well. Banksville and Greentree Roads both have the conveniences you're looking for, there's a mall in Greentree called Parkway Center, but beyond that you've got West Liberty Avenue which is packed with things like that.

Good luck, I always liked the near South Hills...

I'd say compared to these two places, Overbrook is a pass.

[Tinare]

Originally Posted by ExPit

there's a mall in Greentree called Parkway Center

There's not much "mall" left to Parkway Center Mall anymore. Pretty much there's K-mart and a couple odds and ends stores, but overall, lots of empty spaces and it's basically pretty sad...

Mt. Lebanon and Dormont have the most "downtown" appeal, as far as having districts of walkable shops, restaurants and bars. I personally like Mt. Lebanon better. It has more variety in dining, and there are a couple of distinct town areas -- one on Beverly Road and one on Washington Road. It's also a better school district and, depending on what part of Mt. Lebo you look in, generally larger lot sizes than Dormont, which has more of a city neighborhood feel to it. I live in Brookline which is a city neighborhood that borders Dormont and the two are very similiar in how close the houses are together. In Mount Lebanon the houses, while still close, start to become a little further apart.

Castle Shannon, Banksville and Greentree all have shopping areas, but they are less "downtown" like, more towards strip malls and driving shopping districts. But they are all decent neighborhoods, have nice houses available in them and are close to Dormont and Mt. Lebanon as well.

[fleetiebelle]

There's not much "mall" left to Parkway Center Mall anymore.

I love the Giant Eagle there, though. It's never ever crowded.

I live in Beechview, and while I wouldn't necessarily recommend the neighborhood (it's got potential, but it's not there quite yet,) I do like being close to the city amenities as well as the inner suburbs. The Greentree/Brookline/Dormont/Mt Lebo area is very convenient.

[slamont61]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

I love the Giant Eagle there, though. It's never ever crowded.

I live in Beechview, and while I wouldn't necessarily recommend the neighborhood (it's got potential, but it's not there quite yet,) I do like being close to the city amenities as well as the inner suburbs. The Greentree/Brookline/Dormont/Mt Lebo area is very convenient.

Beware of the Not Crowded store... Produce, meats and just about everything can not turn over fast enough. However where in Beechview would one shop? I have read that Beachview is beginning to pick up a Hispanic Population (something Pittsburgh has yet to really experience) Is that the case?

[Copanut]

Although the Pgh Hispanic community is small, that section of the population does seem to be gravitating to the Beechview area. Some local churches are offering bi-lingual masses. There was a Hispanic grocery there for a while, not sure if it is still open.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by COPANUT

Although the Pgh Hispanic community is small, that section of the population does seem to be gravitating to the Beechview area. Some local churches are offering bi-lingual masses. There was a Hispanic grocery there for a while, not sure if it is still open.

I was up there a few times in 2006 and just was back up there and from my observations it is still vastly White and with some Blacks. I saw a couple Hispanics recently but it seemed like the Hispanic places had closed up. The Mexican restaurant I remember empty, the Hispanic store at the bend on Broadway which had Spanish signs closed, and everything else closed that was Hispanic IMO. From my observations the people who lived there didn't appreciate the newcomers.

[otters21]

Originally Posted by bradjl2009

I was up there a few times in 2006 and just was back up there and from my observations it is still vastly White and with some Blacks. I saw a couple Hispanics recently but it seemed like the Hispanic places had closed up. The Mexican restaurant I remember empty, the Hispanic store at the bend on Broadway which had Spanish signs closed, and everything else closed that was Hispanic IMO. From my observations the people who lived there didn't appreciate the newcomers.

I agree. I was in the neighborhood in July 2008 on a Sunday morning and I saw the local Catholic Church let out after Mass and most of the parishioners were white. However I did see some Hispanics, mainly Mexican. From my observation Beechview is a very large area. It does has the room to support a substantial Latino population without any large scale white flight occuring. It's a shame that the Mexican restaurant closed. I heard the food was delicious.

[fleetiebelle]

From my observations the people who lived there didn't appreciate the newcomers.

I wouldn't say that at all. I've attended several community meetings about developing the former Bernardo Katz-owned properties, and everyone at those meetings lamented to the close of those businesses. Like with anything, it takes more than just support from the neighborhood to make a business take off. La Tienda Jiminez is still at the corner of Broadway and Coast, and places like The Huddle and Davio's still do good business. The owners of Davio's recently opened a deli/sandwich shop on Broadway as well.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by fleetiebelle

I wouldn't say that at all. I've attended several community meetings about developing the former Bernardo Katz-owned properties, and everyone at those meetings lamented to the close of those businesses. Like with anything, it takes more than just support from the neighborhood to make a business take off. La Tienda Jiminez is still at the corner of Broadway and Coast, and places like The Huddle and Davio's still do good business. The owners of Davio's recently opened a deli/sandwich shop on Broadway as well.

Oh well I did notice less store on Broadway that catered to them. I guess those were the Bernardo-Katz places.