5 GREAT NEIGHBORHOODS IN PITTSBURGH

BY JASON COHEN

HIGHLAND PARK

WHILE PITTSBURGH’S A PLACE WITH PLENTY OF HISTORY, DATING BACK TO OVER 250 YEARS AGO, HIGHLAND PARK STANDS OUT, THANKS TO ITS ATTRACTIVE HOUSING STOCK OF ARCHITECTURAL STYLES RANGING ACROSS DECADES. THE NEIGHBORHOOD’S TITLED “PARK” FEATURES EVERYTHING YOU’D EVER NEED: WALKING TRAILS, PLAYGROUNDS, TENNIS COURTS, A SWIMMING POOL, CYCLING TRACK AND EVEN A RESERVOIR. NESTLED WITHIN THE PARK IS ONE OF THE CITY’S TOP ATTRACTIONS: THE PITTSBURGH ZOO AND AQUARIUM. SINCE IT’S SO CLOSE TO THE ZOO AND PARK, THIS IS MOSTLY A QUIET AND RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, THAT OFFERS MORE RACIAL DIVERSITY THAN A LOT OF OTHER AREAS OF PITTSBURGH. ITS ONLY DRAWBACK IS THAT IT ISN’T TERRIBLY CLOSE TO THE BUSINESS DISTRICT.

MEXICAN WAR STREETS

WITH ITS COLORFULLY REPAINTED ROWHOUSES AND THE “MATTRESS FACTORY”, THOSE MORE ARTISTIC HOME SEEKERS ARE LIKELY TO BE IMPRESSED BY THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. THE MUSEUM AND ITS ADJACENT GALLERIES SHOW SOME OF THE BEST OF PITTSBURGH’S BUDDING ART SCENE. THE REST OF THE CITY’S NORTH SIDE IS JUST A SHORT WALK AWAY, WITH PLENTY OF THINGS TO DO FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND INTERESTS. THE ONLY DRAWBACK TO THE AREA IS ITS PROXIMITY TO LESS-THAN-DESIRABLE AREAS.

REGENT SQUARE

IN THE HEART OF REGENT SQUARE IS BRADDOCK AVENUE, LINED WITH CAFES AND VARIOUS INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES. FRICK PARK, THE LARGEST OF PITTSBURGH’S PARKS, BORDERS THE NEIGHBORHOOD. APART FROM QUICK ACCESS TO VARIOUS AMENITIES, RESIDENTS OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR VERY WELCOMING ATMOSPHERE.

EAST END

WHILE EAST END IS ACTUALLY MADE UP OF MANY DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS, IT’S THE MOST VIBRANT AND ESTABLISHED SECTION OF THE CITY, WITH THE WIDEST APPEAL. THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE EAST END EACH OFFER SOMETHING UNIQUE: SHADYSIDE IS A CONVENIENTLY-LOCATED MIX OF OLD-MONEY HOMES AND BUSINESSES, SQUIRREL HILL IS A HUB OF PITTSBURGH’S JEWISH COMMUNITY, AND EAST LIBERTY IS ONE OF THE HIPPEST SPOTS IN THE ENTIRE CITY.

VIRGINIA MANOR, MT. LEBANON

WHILE LIVING IN A CITY WITH DIFFICULT PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND A HIGH INCOME TAX CAN HAVE ITS DOWNSIDES, MT. LEBANON MAY BE THE BEST ANSWER TO THESE PROBLEMS. IT HOSTS A HIGH-ACHIEVING SCHOOL SYSTEM, STURDY OLDER HOMES AND SOME OF THE BEST MASS TRANSIT OPTIONS IN THE REGION. THE TOWN’S “SIGNATURE” NEIGHBORHOOD IS VIRGINIA MANOR, WITH BEAUTIFUL HOMES HOMES DESIGNED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE REGION’S HILLY LANDSCAPE. ITS EXTREME WALKABILITY MAKES THIS SUBURB ESPECIALLY APPEALING TO THE MORE GREEN-MINDED RESIDENTS.