What's the most underrated suburb?

[BrianTH]

By the way, when you look at different maps of Pittsburgh as it developed over time, it is really obvious how it was a function of the intersection between the local topography and prevailing transportation technology of the time. In the earliest phases, Pittsburgh was built along the flat lands along the rivers. After the mainline of the Pennsylvania RR came through in the 1850s, the flat lands along the railroad were added to the mix (this is essentially the event that opened up the older parts of the East End to development). Finally the automobile allowed development to spread into hilly areas and away from both the rivers and the railroad.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

I hate suburban sprawl, but most of Pittsburgh's suburbs are old anyway. Even the suburbs are filled with historic housing stock. I found a pamphlet from 1900 advertising my neighborhood (West Park), proclaiming that it was a "suburb." Yeah, that was 110 years ago. So living in the suburbs does not necessarily mean you are contributing to sprawl. Exurbs like Cranberry are a different story.

I hate the way I feel I need to defend Cranberry -- because even *I* don't like what's gone on there.... but since George Washington was tramping around there, and there are homes that are as old as that (not many, mind you, since it was a farming community) and two of the churches are over two hundred years old -- although they have newer buildings, as the small country churches wouldn't accommodate todays' crowds, and Dutihl Methodist Church was burned down due to arson.

But take a meander around their boneyards and you'll find old stones, with names that match various streets in the area.

But even when we moved there in 1964, when I was the tender age of five, the area was still relatively rural. Our local pharmacy sold horse tack. (That's saddles, bridles and bits...) And the only development there was Fernway.... I watched Sun Valley being built.

So there is a history in Cranberry. It wasn't created in 1984 out of nothing and poof there were developments. It's very similar to those 100 year old suburbs that are now part of Pittsburgh proper... and it wouldn't surprise me to find out one day in the future, when they are digging up my grave at Dutihl to make way for something or other, Cranberry will be a Pittsburgh neighborhood.

I only hope my family members all scream bloody murder to get my whole family put back into the ground and left in peace. I had to do it once for my Dad...

[SewickleyPA]

Originally Posted by mattjd

Talking about the whole deal here: housing prices, taxes, schools, crime, location to highways, commute time to downtown, nearby shopping, etc. What's some underrated suburbs that have these things, yet still doesn't get the credit it deserves?


My choice would be Hempfield.

Pros:
Lots of new housing developments
Fair housing prices
Great school district
Lots of shopping close on rt.30
Lower taxes compared to Allegheny County
Full of Obama-haters

Cons:
Commuting to downtown sucks
Too far from the airport
Hs football team sucks
I don't live there

Sounds like a uneducated yinzer enclave, no thanks.

[grimacista]

At one time, many city neighborhoods were new 'plans' or 'developments' where many houses look exactly like each other.

Aspinwall is greatly underrated. It is urban enough to have a 'city' feel with its street grid and walkable business district but small enough to be appealing to those that don't like city life.

[tallydude02]

When I mention I live in Washington County to city residents and to those people from the northern suburbs, some of them look at me in amazement. It looks like they are looking for my banjo and to make sure I have a full set of teeth. One even told me that is too damn close to WV. Of course they don't know that I lived in WV almost my whole life when they say that.

Then I mention North Strabane and it seems better...lol...