Where to live? Shadyside or South Side? (Pittsburgh, Sewickley: apartment, neighborhoods) - Pennsylvania (PA) - City-Data Forum

jhg140 · 05-10-2009, 05:40 PM

Hi everyone,

It looks like I will be relocating to Pittsburgh for work in the coming months. I am moving from the Houston area, but I am originally from Philly, so I'm very happy to just be back in a state with under 110% humidity in the summer.

From some preliminary Google-ing, it seems like Shadyside or Southside might be two good neighborhoods for me to look into (if anyone here is familiar with Houston, I'm living in Midtown/Montrose right now, which I really like). I just need some help narrowing down which neighborhood, and some good ideas for apartment buildings to look into.

A little about me...
- 23 y/o single female
- I have a small dog, so need somewhere pet friendly
- would like to be able to walk to a few restaurants/stores/coffee shops
- I don't necessarily need to be close to nightlife; would rather live somewhere a bit quiet and cab it to the bars (my bedroom window right now faces 3 bars, and the noise drives me insane)
- not sure how the traffic in Pittsburgh compares to the insane Houston gridlock, but I actually will be working 15 miles outside of the city, in Leetsdale; evening traffic is a concern b/c I ride horses, and will be trying to get out to ride after work, so I'd like to live somewhere with easy access to major highways

Any specific suggestions would be appreciated. Pricing around or under $1300 for a nice sized one bedroom would be fine. Thanks!

BrianTH · 05-10-2009, 06:35 PM

You might consider expanding your search to two other East End neighborhoods besides Shadyside, Squirrel Hill and Regent Square. They are a little quieter, have more in the way of yards and are closer to big parks and thus are more pet friendly, and are nearer the highway.

That said, Leetsdale is on the other side of Downtown from the East End, so that may be a problem for a quick evening commute. Have you thought at all about living in Sewickley, which is much closer to Leetsdale, or do you really want to be in the central area?

Chichappens · 05-10-2009, 09:38 PM

Shadyside..........Perfect for you.

hnsq · 05-11-2009, 07:20 AM

If you don't want bars, stay away from the south side. ShadySide or Squirrel Hill are ideal for what you want (in my opinion)

robrobrob · 05-11-2009, 12:50 PM

If you are set on living in the city. My first choice would be Shadyside. However, if you are open to living in a suburban town with a coffee shop and restaurants, then I would take a look at Sewickley. Sewickley is a great town next to Leetsdale and it is very close to the "country" where you can ride your horses. Other than nightlife, Sewickley has just about everything that you want.

Also, I don't think that cabs are around that much. In my experience you usually have to call one as opposed to flagging one down.

Awesomo.2000 · 05-11-2009, 12:55 PM

Why don't you visit before moving? If you visit, and look for a place, go to Squirrel Hill, Shadyside, or Regent Square. Starting to sound like a broken record. these were all my options. I wanted a nice livable neighborhood, but not with extreme nightlife, but just a few neighborhood bars. If I need to go out and party, I can take a cab to the South Side. I choosed Squirrel Hill. There is so much stuff here (besides eventful nightlife) to keep one occupied.

JoeLeaphorn · 05-12-2009, 06:13 AM

Forget cabbing in Pittsburgh unless you either live downtown or make a deal with a cab company. You don't "hail" a cab in Pittsburgh, there is no zone system like in other major cities which means that your fare is based upon time and distance (making even short trips much more expensive than many other major cities), and sometimes you can't even get a cab when you want one.

I agree with others who recommend that if you are working in Leetsdale, consider the Sewickley area. There are a few good restaurants in and around the area to which you can walk and many more that are easily accessible by car. There is a night life but it is calm compared to the South Side. From Sewickley you can easily get to the shopping areas in Robinson/North Fayette and Cranberry. And you can always drive to the South Side or Shadyside or Squirrel Hill if need be.

If you want something more urban, then I would consider Squirrel Hill which has a little bit of everything and is central to many more things. But you'll have more of a daily commute to Leetsdale.

Awesomo.2000 · 05-12-2009, 06:16 AM

Most cities the size of pittsburgh, you call for a cab. It is pretty much what I was use to in Denver. You just dail for a cab 10 minutes before you know you are going to leave. You can still cab in Pittsburgh. You just don't hail for them.

JoeLeaphorn · 05-12-2009, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Awesomo.2000

Most cities the size of pittsburgh, you call for a cab. It is pretty much what I was use to in Denver. You just dail for a cab 10 minutes before you know you are going to leave. You can still cab in Pittsburgh. You just don't hail for them.

You are either lucky or you only use cabs during normal hours or you don't live in one of the many neighborhoods where you don't have to wait forever to get a cab. I've taken cabs in Pittsburgh for years (in fact, I used to drive for Yellow Cab but that was while I was in graduate school years ago). Pittsburgh cab service is terrible (compared to other cities in which I have lived), unless you don't care when you get there or you are going from downtown or the airport.

A couple of times I've called the night before to get a cab to get me to the train station by 5 AM which is when the Capital Limited is supposed to arrive from Chicago and been told that they can't promise me anything. What kind of service is that?

Awesomo.2000 · 05-12-2009, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeLeaphorn

You are either lucky or you only use cabs during normal hours or you don't live in one of the many neighborhoods where you don't have to wait forever to get a cab. I've taken cabs in Pittsburgh for years (in fact, I used to drive for Yellow Cab but that was while I was in graduate school years ago). Pittsburgh cab service is terrible (compared to other cities in which I have lived), unless you don't care when you get there or you are going from downtown or the airport.

A couple of times I've called the night before to get a cab to get me to the train station by 5 AM which is when the Capital Limited is supposed to arrive from Chicago and been told that they can't promise me anything. What kind of service is that?

I actually only taken a cab a few times, and that is from central Squirrel hill to the southside on weekend nights.

Other than that, I always wondered why this city seems to be a very un-cab like city. I took a cab much more often in Denver, and they were everywhere. Even when you are downtown you barely see cabs. I think this is the first time I ever mentioned this on this board, and wonder why it is never discussed more often.

I think Pittsburgher's rely on their own transportation too much. I would love to see stats on cities and how many people own their own car vs. how many people rely on cabs and mass transit.