Tell Me About Pittsburgh, Then..

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Pittsburgh?? I never thought I would live in Pittsburgh, but maybe? I moved here to North Carolina from Tucson two and a half years ago. I was starting to have problems with my youngest son, now 16 and newly diagnosed with autism, and I thought that it would be good for him. We could be more around my family, nature and mountains might be better for him than the city and gangs, yeah it was going to be great. His behavior problems really just increased, my family is still batshit crazy, duh, and now he’s learning how to be racist and misogynistic, and how to chew tobacco. It’s not better here.

My son’s (absent) father’s grown daughter lives in Pittsburgh and has formed a strong connection with him and has offered to support us in moving there and helping with the tuition to a private school there that specializes in children with learning disabilities and autism. I’m willing to do anything I can to help him get on a good track before he becomes an adult, and would be willing to move just about anywhere (maybe not North Dakota) if it’s going to help him.

I know nothing about Pittsburgh. What do you know about it?

2

I lived in Pittsburgh from 1989-1994, while in grad school. I lived in Shadyside, East Liberty ans Squirrel Hill. I worked on 5th ave near Univ of Pittsburgh.

I loved pittsburgh, as a single adult. It was inexpensive, charming and easy to get around. Faculty who lived there with families seemed equally happy and most sent their kids to the neighborhood public schools.

It was a while ago, but it was a happy time in my life.

3

I lived there as a small child, 1980-1983. We lived in Squirrel Hill.

So basically, in my mind, Pittsburgh is associated with Mr. Rogers, corduroy bellbottoms, afros, Walter Cronkite, and the Monroeville Mall when it still had an ice skating rink.

I have been back twice since. It always strikes me as frighteningly hilly, with crazy drivers on the freeways. The Carnegie is nice, though.

4

All the hills makes Pittsburgh a city of neighborhoods, as opposed to one giant sprawl that is all the same.

5

Pittsburghers (real born ones) don’t cross bridges. Folks born in the South Hills know Virginia better than they do McKnight(mare) Road. And people in Cranberry only know McKeesport from maps and news reports. I don’t frikkin understand it and I’ve been here since like 1972.

6

I lived in Wexford, just outside Pittsburgh, for 7 years. I loved it, and I’m not a city person. It’s big enough to have cool stuff to do and see, and small enough to get away from easily. It’s an ‘old’ city, population wise, or at least it was when we were there. Maybe it’s gotten hipper and younger since the late 90’s.

I think it’s worth a look.

7

OK - being a little more factual; I hate it but thats because I grew up really rural in the other corner of PA. Pittsburgh has its really great parts - lots to see and do and be a part of. Even a lot that are free. Sports at all levels is handy and some of the “beer league” and semi-pro stuff is really great to watch and a cheap ticket. Cultural value is high no matter what sort of culture or style you are looking for. Cars are almost optional; for most neighborhoods the local rapid transit (isn’t too rapid) runs regular enough that you can shop, work or whatever and never get behind the wheel.

On the bad side – some of the streets can be a little rough crime-wise. None of the neighborhoods is a total write-off but every one has that one block or area you are best avoiding most times of the day. And while we’re a melting pot city, there is a certain kind of – nationalism? classism? racism? – more than you find in other places. We melt but we don’t blend well. Especially when you are the “new people”. We were part of the “new people” for 30 years until the last of the original owners on our block died.

Get used to hills; we have hundreds. Get used to deer; we even have them a couple miles from the Point. Get used to road construction. A friend often jokes that “Pittsburgh” is an old Native American phrase that means “lane ends - merge at the cones”.

8

Missed this line first time around. You want to avoid Glassport and the surrounding area. Not much Mail Pouch but snuff dipping is so common there that US Tobacco used it for studies long before such things were popular. Back in the 70s almost all the boys and some of the girls wouldn’t be caught dead without their can of Cope on them. It’s not quite that bad now but still pretty bad.

Also consider not picking around Butler. That area still has a lot of active KKK chapters(?) and some seriously fundi-Christian stuff. The semi-famous “Man said/God said” (or was it the other way around?) website was based out of Butler for a long time.

Thats the odd thing about Pittsburgh - you can go from seriously liberal to overtly conservative by just going a few blocks let alone miles.

9

I’ve never lived in that part of the country, so I really have no idea what the culture is there. Asheville is southern to the bone, regardless of how progressive and alternative they claim to be, Tucson is western… what is Pittsburgh? I grew up in Michigan, is it like that? Do they have that accent that Philly has? Is it super snowy and cold in the winter and hot and humid in the summer, or what?

10

Pittsburgh is more Midwestern than east coast, but the influence of multiple major universities and colleges, plus medical centers brings in a flood of influences from both coasts. I lived in St. Louis after and it was similar there- somewhat parochial but a lot of innovative and progressive ideas as well. A nice mix, really. Cold, snowy winters.

11

There are islands of dreary, crushing poverty scattered all through the Pittsburgh area. Those areas are not notably dangerous such that you should feel fearful if you have to go there or pass through for some reason. Those areas are, however, excellent places to find trouble if you go there looking for certain things.

12

Good to know…

13

If the location of the school perrmits it, you will save a bundle on taxes by living and shopping outside of Allegheny County. Beaver County, where I live, is mostly rural farm country with the bulk of the people packed into old mill towns clustered along the Ohio River. Some of them are nice places to live, some of them are islands of poverty like I mentioned earlier. Look around a bit before you settle.

14

Don’t ever get too far away from your GPS. Because of the rivers and hills, all roads lead to where you don’t want to be. :wink:

15

Lived in Pittsburgh my whole life, including about 10 years in the city.
Winters here are strange. It’s very cold and snowy most of the time from December to March, but you sometimes get 60 degree temperature swings in a single day. Literally shorts and T-shirt in the morning, heavy coat, gloves, and hat at night. You’re going to have to learn how to drive in snow and ice if you don’t already.

What area does your son’s step sister live in? Are you more of a city person, or are you thinking suburbs? There are nice and bad areas in each.

Um, without more info on what you’re looking for it’s hard to give an accurate description. There are fun things to do here, Kennywood (amusement park) is a lot of fun, as is Sandcastle (water park). There are lots of museums, theaters, concerts, etc, if you like that sort of thing. If you go around the city you can find some nice ethnic restaurants (Vietnamese, Thai, Indian) and gourmet places.

Pittsburgh is an old city made up of small neighborhoods with a diverse group of people. There are lots of hills, rivers, and valleys that provide natural dividers and make figuring out where to go a bit confusing at times. You can get on a street that looks like it runs parallel to the one you want, and wind up in a completely different place.

Once you get out of the suburbs there’s a lot of farmland and it becomes pretty rural. I live about 25-30 miles away from downtown on the edge of suburbia, and while there’s still a lot of houses it’s very quiet and relaxing. There’s a farm about 15 minutes from here where we can get fresh corn and vegetables that were in the ground that morning, and a small store 5 minutes away that also has fresh fruit and veggies.

If you can post a little more info about what you’re looking for, what sort of interests you and your son have, I can try to answer. I have lived here my whole life, and while it’s not a perfect place, I wouldn’t voluntarily live anywhere else.

16

Hope you’re not used to driving on decent roads – Pennsylvania has been voted worst roads in the U.S., and Pittsburgh traffic is a nightmare. Be prepared for potholes!

And no, we do NOT have the same accent as Filthadelphia, thankyouverymuch. Don’t ever ask that in Pittsburgh. :wink: We have a very unique one, actually. (Yes, I have the Pittsburgh accent. It’s not quite as bad as some people’s, but you can tell if you met me. And yes, I DO say “yinz”.)

What part of the city are you moving to? It’s a very diverse area here, so I could probably tell you more about some areas than others. My personal favorite places are PPG Place and the Strip District.

I’m in the North Hills area, myself.

17

If you plan to work in the city but would rather not live in it, I suggest you look for housing where your commute won’t involve a tunnel. North Hills area would be my choice :slight_smile:

18

I dunno, man. I’ve never lived there but my mom’s family is all from there and I’ve visited there many times. I’ve never in my life been to a big city that’s as segregated.

19

And due to the thousands of restaurants and shops along McKnight Road, it’s a traffic nightmare every single day. I hate going to North Hills and only go if I absolutely have to. There IS a ton of stuff to do there, so your mileage may vary. North Hills is a bit on the expensive side, isn’t it? (I’ve never looked for apartments or housing there, but that’s the impression I get)

City neighboorhoods: The South Side is a big drinking/bar district and while it’s nice to visit on occasion I really wouldn’t want to live there, especially with a young boy.
Oakland (east Pgh) is mostly students and people in the medical industry, there are a number of colleges and hospitals there. Lots to do but again I wouldn’t want to raise a child there.
Shadyside is nice, but expensive. Seems to contain a lot of richer, older city dwellers.
Squirrel Hill (or Scroll Hill as some locals refer to it) is known as a big Jewish community, but has a pretty diverse mix of people. Not surprisingly it has a very wide variety of shops and restaurants. I’ve seen Chinese, Middle Eastern (various countries), Cambodian, Vietnamese, Thai, Italian, and Mexican restaurants and shops, all within a small area. If I were to pick an area within the city to live, this would probably be it.
I would avoid Homewood, there is a lot of gang violence there.
I don’t know too much about the North Side or the West End. I have heard at least parts of the North Side are bad (violent) but don’t have more info. I haven’t been to Carnegie (west end) since my tattooist retired.

20

I’m going to both differ and agree in some ways from these two. Traffic is horrible but a lot is self-inflicted. People who live in Monroeville or Wexford and work downtown. Not so much “white flight” as “middle-class flight”. If you are in these places (especially the former) and have a regular 9-5 job, expect to be frustrated by traffic or get a bus pass and read or nap both ways. Expect at least an hour or more for the commute which may be like 15 miles. Rte 279 from the North Hills has some serious issues some days and the Parkway East from Monroeville is so bad we just call it “the Parking Lot East”.

In the city or darn close can be a better bet. An area that used to be almost a “free fire zone” (lower Federal Street through to the Heinz Plant) has been bought up a lot and redeveloped by the one major hospitals for doctors and key staff - so they can be closer to work and avoid the commutes. You will have a $100K home next to a $10K home and about the only difference is the 10K one is probably 3rd generation owner and the 100K one is some gass-passer who just got here and dumped a load into a redecoration/remodeling. Don’t write off the city but go into it eyes open and with a couple guides.

True but changing. In Pittsburgh’s case it was more by accident than choice. As different groups/races/national groups improved their situation the biggest part moved out to the suburbs. As new groups came in, they came to the closer parts that had just been abandoned. Our major African-American influx was in the 40s and 60s because of the mill jobs and what they offered.

Lets take Manchester for example. It has been traditionally “working poor” since about 1880. Not quite as German as nearby “Deutchtown” <sic> it was working poor German, Welsh and Italian well through the 30s. Those people moved to Brighton Heights and Bellevue as transportation and work got better (and their kids moved to Ross and West Deer) and the first African-American influx began there. For about 30 years it was basically all African-American. Now the third and fourth generation of those who left are moving back because of how close it is to town and work. And how cheap housing is there compared to the suburbs. In the 70s, the one street there literally had a block that was white on one side and black on the other. Now things are mixing more both racially and economically.