Tell me about the Pittsburgh area, please

[NewJeffCT]

Time for my almost monthly post asking about a different area of the country (Columbus, OH... Richmond, VA... St. Paul, Minn... Billerica, Mass in the past)

But, my wife was contacted by a company in the Pittsburgh area and they seem very interested in her (actually the company is a few miles east of Pittsburgh... but, pretty close)

What can you tell me about the area? What are the areas around Pittsburgh that have good public school systems & are good for families? Also, what about the ethnic diversity of the area, as my wife is Asian.

Thanks

[Ravenseye]

1. Where to begin

First of all, feel free to PM me with any questions. I loved this town so much I moved back out of choice.

The area is great for families. If you're 22 and single, there are much better places to be, but when you have little ones...well it's tough to beat. Can you specify where east? Depending on where the areas differ. There are a number of good school systems in pretty much every direction, though the city schools aren't great. There are a few that are decent, but for the most part people IN the city proper send their kids to private schools, of which there are a number of great ones.

Outside the city limits though in the greater metro area there are tons of good ones. North you have Pine Richland, North Allegheny, Shaler, Hampton, Fox Chapel, all good, and south Upper Saint Clair, Mt. Lebanon, and more. Too many to go into. There are listings, and there are some bad districts such as Penn Hills, but for the most part it's ok.

AS far as ethnic diversity it's much more integrated than some eastern cities. While there are pocket areas where different ethnicities cluster, with a few exceptions the city is growing more integrated. Unlike say north of the Charles river in Boston, you'll actually see Black people everywhere in Pittsburgh. There are many asians in the city itself thanks to the universities, though not enough to have any kind of real ethnic district.

All in all it's a great place to live. Lots of outdoor activities in all seasons from skiing, to white water rafting, hiking, fishing, hunting, climbing, you name it. Great museums...

check out the Wikipedia entry on Pittsburgh.

Anything else specific?

[NewJeffCT]

16. just looked up a few towns

seems that Mt. Lebanon & Upper St. Clair have very good school systems.

[Ravenseye]

21. They do

If I could send my kids to any public system in the county it'd probably be one of those. Unfortunately I find living in the south hills to be too much of a pain in the ass. I hate dealing with tunnel traffic.

Pittsburghers have this problem with tunnels, which sucks cause we have a few...they slow down, markedly so, before entering...So if you're on a highway going 65, some people will slow to 45 or even slower to enter the tunnel, which of course backs up traffic. Next thing you know you've got it slowed up for miles.

Also, because of the hills and difficult topography, there are many onramps in pittsburgh that are just too short to be used to merge effectivly. Hence Pittsburgher's never merge effectively, and often will stop on the onramps to highways making it even harder to merge.

Lastly, they have a problem turning right. If they come to an intersection with a green light, they'll practicaly come to a complete stop to turn right. They can't turn right with any kind of speed.

Combine that with many one lane roads with buses on them stopping constantly...well it can make commuting from the South Hills too annoying for me. ;)

[China_cat]

23. Don't forget all the one way streets.

Never going the direction you want to go. :)

[Ravenseye]

2. One more thing

Just to be clear, there are good areas all around and in the city of Pittsburgh. Basically where a job would be narrows down where youd' want to live, though in the city is always a decent option. Unlike in some cities though there isn't say a 'good side' or a 'bad side'. It's all mixed up together with bad areas next to good, and there are great ones nearly everywhere. They all have good things and bad things going for them though...

Personally I like city living, so we're in the city itself. The housing is much cheaper here though, so we can afford private schools. Whereas if we moved north of the river into the Fox Chapel school district our house would cost twice as much, but we could use the public schools. It all evens out.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

3. I hate it. nt

[NewJeffCT]

5. what sucks about it?

I know they get snow there...

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

6. I worked there for a summer.

It's definitely a good place to raise a family. It is however a boring lame place to spend your summer when your 17. A lot of stuff was closed on Sundays and it closed earlier at night than what I'm used to in NJ. I think it was South Street that had cool shops and the place that pierced my eyebrow.

The job was cool though; I did stage crew at Carnegie Mellon University. There's also the Unseamed Shakespeare Company (at least there was 6 years ago) that caused some controversy, but I did enjoy their production of "The Blue Room."

[miss_american_pie]

7. That's Carson Street on the South Side

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

8. Okay, I was partially right. nt

[Ravenseye]

9. I love Pittsburgh, but I know the feeling

Lots of places do close early, and if you're not 21 it can severely restrict your options. You have to be in the right places though. I went to the University of Pittsburgh, and lived for a breif time as a 20 something in town. There really is plenty to do, but it is in no way like say New York City.

If you're 22 and looking to have a good time, I wouldn't recomend moving to Pittsburgh. If you're going to go to school here and want to have fun, I don't recommend CMU. ;)

[NewJeffCT]

15. I went to school in Rochester, NY for a year

sounds similar - the city shut down at night and on weekends. Come to think of it, Hartford is similar to that as well, but is obviously smaller.

[Ravenseye]

17. Yeah lots of places close 'early'

as in 10pm or so alot of places will just shut down. Plenty of bars open till close though on most nights. ;)

[miss_american_pie]

4. What Ravenseye said

I refuse to move from here, even though we could earn more elsewhere.

[WilliamPitt]

10. Tons of great little local bars

A beautiful downtown area, and an obsession with the Steelers that verges on the berzerk.

I was there for Super Bowl weekend and had a blast. Nice mix of city and country.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

11. NewJeffCT...I posted a long reply for you in the Pennsylvania forum

Cliff notes version for the lounge: Great place to raise a family...a "big enough" city.

[blue neen]

12. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette just ran this excellent article today.

"Pittsburgh is a smart place to live, and that's not just the word from the local chamber of commerce. A new survey by Kiplinger's Finance Magazine thinks the region is pretty swell, too."

"The Pittsburgh metropolitan area ranked ninth in the nation in its list of the smartest places to set down roots, the magazine said yesterday. Affordability, cultural and leisure activities, education options and quality housing were major factors."
<snip>

"With its bridges and hilly terrain, Mr. O'Neill referred to the city as "the affordable San Francisco," and said that he was struck by the civility displayed by Pittsburghers and the fact that "They're all outrageous Steelers fans."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06129/688503-28.stm

:)

Western Pennsylvanians are friendly and hospitable people. Of course, I am biased! There are some very good school districts in the suburbs. Fox Chapel was mentioned by another poster...Steelers head coach Bill Cowher's kids go there. He didn't send them to private schools, so that's saying a lot for that school district.

Depending on how far east you want to go, there are some excellent school districts in Westmoreland County, and the taxes are lower than in Allegheny County. Kiski Area and Franklin Regional are highly rated schools, both located about 30 to 45 minutes from the city.

The health care in this region is fantastic. In fact, UPMC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Centers) is the top employer in Western Pennsylvania. Very cutting edge in research and treatment (no pun intended).

Good luck in your search!

[wallwriter]

13. Pittsburgh is great. Great quality of life.

Irritated 17-year-olds notwithstanding, there's plenty to do here--cultural events, museums, parks, trails. The city is really quite beautiful with hills and rivers. Also, real estate is surprisingly affordable.

Although there are curiously few Latin Americans here, there are many Asians of different origins, especially at the Universities, especially CMU.

I haven't spent much time in St. Paul, but I'd take Pittsburgh over Columbus or Richmond any day of the week.

Best of Luck!

[Ravenseye]

19. Yeah very few latin americans

Though supposedly a nice little hispanic neighborhood is developing in Beechview, I haven't been there to check it out.

[bleedingheart]

14. Having traveled all around the country for business...I love it

I was born here and thought that there had to be something better...and found out there wasn't.

I can't say enough good things about da'Burgh...

Art, History, Hiking, Biking, Symphony, Ballet, Opera, Plays, University of Pittsburgh, CMU, Chatham, Duquesne...etc
so much....

it is also a great place for kids....

Friendly people who will strike up a conversation in the grocery lane...good hearted ethnic souls...of all colors, shapes and sizes and varieties and religions....

The folk festival is coming up...i will be eating myself around the world...!!!!

[distantearlywarning]

18. All about Pittsburgh

I moved here from Colorado in 2002, and I LOVE it! Pittsburgh is great. I can't recommend it enough. It's nothing like I expected before I came here, nothing like its stereotype, and now I don't want to leave. I feel like I've found a second hometown (and it beats the hell out of Colorado Springs, home of Focus on the Family and the Air Force Academy). Here's a list of pros and cons:

PROS

1. Really affordable everything especially housing
2. Quirky, fun city with lots of great ethnic neighborhoods
3. Amazing fall and spring seasons
4. Good public transportation
5. Good cultural district, lots of museums, including kids museums and a zoo, and a thriving symphony and ballet
6. Very nice city for being so big, old, and industrial - lots of green spaces and revitalized areas, not nearly as dirty as the stereotypes say
7. Lots of liberals here - it's very much a blue city, and some neighborhoods are 80-90% Democrat. Nary a Dubya sticker to be seen in the entire East End!
8. Did I mention the affordable housing??? (Median home price $125K or so, you get a LOT for the money too, huge old Victorians with big trees and yards, cute dollhouses, homes that look like they came from the set of a Harry Potter movie, the possibilities are endless if you want to buy an unusual place for not a lot of money)
9. There are a number of universities in town + a major research hospital
10. Pittsburgh just has a great vibe in general - very smart, funky, fun, and optimistic people + you get to participate in Steelers mania when you live here
11. Very diverse city, with lots of different kinds of people, ethnic and religious backgrounds, etc. and everyone is valued - there's not the conformist Stepford thing you get in a lot of places. No matter who you are or what your lifestyle is, you will feel at home somewhere in Pittsburgh, guaranteed.
12. Best nighttime city view in the nation. Really!

CONS

1. Traffic is a bitch and a half. The highways are always congested and a lot of the on and off ramps are the most dangerous I've ever seen in America. Also, it's difficult to drive, park, or go anywhere without getting lost. The topography makes the city layout seem like it was designed by a 5 year old crack addict.
2. The weather is not so nice during several months of the year. In fact, I would go so far as to call it brutal at times. August and February are the worst months. During August you have 95 degrees + 95% humidity for a month straight. Nothing dries out and your towels mold. Going outside is like putting on a overheated, wet wool blanket. Then during February it never gets above 5 degrees with wind chill, and then there's the 5" solid layer of ice coating everything outside your front door including your porch, your driveway and everything else you might want to walk or drive on.
3. As others have said, if you are a young single person Pittsburgh might not be the best place for you. There doesn't seem to be that much for young people to do here, especially if you don't drink or are underage. I think Pittsburgh is probably better for 30-something working couples, especially if you have young kids. There are lots of "kid type" attractions in the Pittsburgh area.

[Ravenseye]

20. Excellent writeup

AS far as the Cons those are pretty spot on. The topography does make the street layouts...interesting at best, downright confusing at worst. I agree on the August weather, but I find it's not so much THAT cold in the winter. Most of the winter it seems to hover right around freezing, so that it really doesn't snow all that much, rather than hit 34 degrees during the day, so it drizzles and rains, then it mixes to snow, leaving behind a car coated in ice and covered in a dusting of white stuff....SO annoying. I need an auto-ignition on my car so it heats up automatically.

Love it here though. None of the bad stuff comes close to eclipsing the good.

[NewJeffCT]

22. kick for the morning crowd

thanks

[NewJeffCT]

24. afternoon kick

thanks

[livetohike]

25. If it (Pittsburgh) gets hold of you, you will never think of living

anywhere else. I was born there and over the past 30 years have lived all over the US. We are retiring and moving back home this year.

The city is very diverse due to all of the Universities and corporate research centers that attract people from all over the world. I don't think your wife will be uncomfortable at all. People in Pgh. are very proud of their various ethnic backgrounds. Go check out the Cathedral of Learning International Rooms (on the Pitt campus).

You don't have to drive too far out of the city to visit State parks, state forest/game lands or National Forests.

I never found the winter too brutal. I have lived in Mpls and upstate NY and those were really long, cold winters compared to Pgh.

If you are a football fan - you won't find a city more in love with their team than Pittsburgh :-).

There are museums, an aviary, the Pittsburgh Zoo, boat rides on the three rivers, etc. Also, I read that PA has the 2nd largest registration of boats in the USA. Lots of waterways for canoeing, kayaking, or on the larger rivers and lakes motor boating.

I love it there. It's home and the first thing I am going to do is put the canoe back in some fresh water. Maybe I will change my DU name to livetocanoe :-).

Hope you decide to move there. We could always use some more Dems!

[tigereye]

26. I grew up north of Pgh and have lived in or near the city

for 25 plus years.

As people have already said, there is affordable housing, green spaces, restaurants of all types, more culture than when I first came here with lots of plays, concerts, art, etc. It is very kid-friendly with parks and museums. The traffic can be a pain, but you get used to it. It's not as bad as some other major cities. It is very blue and progressive, esp. in the East End near the Universities. It is also very diverse. Monroeville has some good schools and a larger Asian/ Indian- Asian population. Ad there are lots of good suburban school districts as another poster mentioned. There are some good private schools in the city and magnet-type public schools as well, although the city school system is very much in flux right now. I have a 10 year old and although we live just outside the city, there were more choices for schools in and outside the city than I would have thought.

I really like it, except that the weather can be very gray in the winter and sometimes grey and very muggy in the summer with not a lot of sunshine. Oh, and PA roads suck.

[NewJeffCT]

27. Friday kick

My wife had a phone interview with the company that went very well... it seems they are probably going to fly her out to Pittsburgh for a formal interview. They were impressed enough with her that they said they might come out to the company's Connecticut office to accommodate her schedule. I advised my wife that if we're relocating, it would be best to go out there to personally learn about the area.

[miss_american_pie]

28. Let us know when she's here

I'm sure one of us would be able to show her around. :hi:

[NewJeffCT]

29. Thanks

I told her that if she could schedule the interview for a Friday, I could come with her so we could look around Pittsburgh on Saturday... or, if she could schedule the interview for a Monday, I could go to look around on a Sunday.

[Richardo]

30. Nobody posted a pic of one of the country's great skylines?

Do I have to do EVERYTHING around here?

[tigereye]

31. yes, hun

yes you do!

[Richardo]

33. .

:hi:

[miss_american_pie]

32. You left out the incline

:hi:

[Richardo]

34. Good one!

:hi:

[NewJeffCT]

35. My wife was just in Shanghai...

While Pittsburgh is nice... I don't think it would be the skyline that my wife would go for...