OT--How is living in Pittsburgh?

ppeter · Feb 8, 2006

This job I was looking at that would have caused a relocation to Dallas is with a big corporation--they are now telling me that if I accept it would most likely be in the Pittsburgh office, not Dallas (the other option is New York City, but that was an automatic pass for both me and my wife, way too expensive).

I know the Steelers just won and everything (and yes Dante, I would have to become a Steelers fan), but I confess I know very little about the town other than its blue collar origin, the beauty of the rivers, and of course, the Steelers.

I did an internet search, and homes were very, very reasonable (about the same as Dallas). I am pushing the employer to give me Dallas, but they are pretty close to saying Pitt or nothing.

Any Rx'ers living in the 'Burg? Can you tell me honestly what every day life is like, good stuff and bad? I am trying to make a very important life decision as to whether or not to accept this job.

RacerX · Feb 8, 2006

PP-

With the exception of 5 years in college, I've lived my whole life in the 'burg. I've traveled far and wide for business and can honestly say the only other places I could live would be Chicago or Baltimore.

Pros...
1. VERY, VERY low cost of living. I make 6 figures and live like a KING. Not even close to Dallas. You can live in the BEST area of pittsburgh for less than a mediocre part of Dallas.
2. People are about as friendly as can be. We like outsiders. They intrigue us.
3. Crime is very low and in mostly "isolated" areas. Not uncommon for me not to lock the doors at night.
4. If you have kids, education in certain areas is top notch. (if you decide to make the move, I can recommend a few)
5. Plenty of culture and things to do at night.
6. World class medical facilities.

Cons...
1. Weather can be very depressing at times.
2. Hard to navigate the area if you are not from around here. We have a famous saying "you can't get there from here".
3. Closest casino is in Niagra Falls, NY (about 4-5 hours)
4. An older population. (outside of a couple counties in Florida, Allegheny county is the oldest in the nation on average) The only time this will effect you is when you're in a rush to go somewhere and you get stuck behind a grey hair going 23 MPH in a 35 MPH zone.

If you have any other questions, let 'em fly....

X

hellah10 · Feb 8, 2006

come on pete...ud be a fool to leave Hawaii...

you wont apprecaite it until you come here and suffer the bitter cold!

RacerX · Feb 8, 2006

Didn't know he would have to move from Hawaii...

All of those nice things I said about Pittsburgh above?

please disregard.

I would work as a pineapple picker before I would relocate from that island.

hellah10 · Feb 8, 2006

Racer X said:
I would work as a pineapple picker before I would relocate from that island.

same here man...just as long as i have a roof over my head and a car...id be happy picking pineapples

WildBill · Feb 8, 2006

Racer X said:
3. Closest casino is in Niagra Falls, NY (about 4-5 hours)

If you are a degenerate slot player the drive is cut to 45 minutes to get to casinos in West Virginia and they will probably have a nice slot casino in the city within 18 months thanks to the slots law.

Hard to imagine moving from Hawaii to Pittsburgh, but then again island fever can drive a lot of people nuts too. Imagine if your only escape to something different required at least a 5 hour flight.

RacerX · Feb 8, 2006

WildBill said:
If you are a degenerate slot player the drive is cut to 45 minutes to get to casinos in West Virginia and they will probably have a nice slot casino in the city within 18 months thanks to the slots law.

WB- not much of a slots player, but they are saying the minute the slots go up in PA....tables open in WV.

not good for the degenerate

ppeter · Feb 8, 2006

Bill, you are quite right---I am getting rock fever. Been back here for 11 years now, the longest I have ever been anywhere. Doing the same job for 6 years, the longest I have ever held down a single job. I get bored very easily, even if its life in ultra-expensive paradise. Six-figures here barely gets you into the upper middle class.

Racer X--thanks a ton for the comments. I would appreciate if if you could name the nicer school districts and neighborhoods.

JudgeWapner · Feb 8, 2006

The Burgh is a good place to live. But going form Hawaii to there? Not so sure you will like it. you will definately like the cost of living.

dmmd98 · Feb 8, 2006

Half of Hawaii is at the California hotel and casino in Las Vegas at this very moment.

Journeyman · Feb 8, 2006

Couldn't believe how cheap it was there...have a friend who lives there and the cost of living is ridiculously low...can get really cold too compared to Hawaii.

monicus · Feb 8, 2006

I used to live there but the weather and a job in FL made me leave.

Here are you few strange but true facts about the Burgh.

Half of all of the worlds kidney transplants are done in Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh is the only major city without a national supermarket chain.
Allegheny county (Pittsburgh) has the 2nd highest % of senior citizens in the USA behind Miami Dade county FL.
At one time in the 70's Pitt was the 11th largest city by population today it is 50th.
Pittsburgh is home to 9 Fortune 500 compaines.
There are more bridges in Pittsburgh than any other city in the world, 720.

hellah10 · Feb 8, 2006

monicus said:
There are more bridges in Pittsburgh than any other city in the world, 720.

yea no shit....i get lost EVERY DAMN TIME i go to Pitt....one bridge after another after another after another....what a headache

JudgeWapner · Feb 8, 2006

Golfers paradise. Shitload of courses.

jasin4000 · Feb 8, 2006

Lived in pittsburgh my whole life...(only 20)

Racer pretty much covered everything...I wouldnt say its bad, but its not the greatest city...

jasin4000 · Feb 8, 2006

Judge Wapner said:
Golfers paradise. Shitload of courses.

WildBill · Feb 8, 2006

I am still trying to figure out why that "where to live" website or whatever it was said Pittsburgh was the best place for me to live. Found it quite amusing.

SHAWN GOTTI · Feb 8, 2006

ppeter<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_2581749", true); </SCRIPT> ............dude!! u gotta move here!!! da burgh is a great place to live! although i WILL NOT HELP YOU MOVE ANY FURNITURE..........I WILL TAKE YOU TO THE WHORE HOUSE ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND GET YOUR JIMMY WAXED ...MY TREAT!!:toast:

go2guy · Feb 8, 2006

A whole lot of ex-Pittsburgh residents who relocated to Maryland (there seems to be a lot of them I meet), most of them young in their 20s and early 30s, said Pittsburgh is going downhill. They said they're no jobs, people are moving from Pittsburgh in droves (a guy I know said) and he says simply it has nothing to offer. They then went on to say when they closed the plants in the 'burgh it pretty much ruined what was a good thing. They said they still love Pittsburgh but would only want to visit now and not stay. Again keep in mind these are younger people I spoke to and their opinions. I'm just sharing some of the things I was told.

jasin4000 · Feb 8, 2006

SHAWN GOTTI said:
ppeter<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> vbmenu_register("postmenu_2581749", true); </SCRIPT> ............dude!! u gotta move here!!! da burgh is a great place to live! although i WILL NOT HELP YOU MOVE ANY FURNITURE..........I WILL TAKE YOU TO THE WHORE HOUSE ON THE SOUTH SIDE AND GET YOUR JIMMY WAXED ...MY TREAT!!:toast:

hey SG....email me at jasin4000@ yahoo dot com