Best city neighborhoods to buy?

[Plink]

I have a mix of friends in the suburbs and in the city. Mostly Northside and Southside. Southside friends have become quite defensive about their area. The city friends think the suburb friends opinions of living in the city are crazy. And vice versa. For me, it’s very easy to see the benefits of both types of areas and the downsides.

I think I like the Northside the best of all areas. Very energizing place to live. The park is beautiful with the city skyline in the background. Very NYC Central Park feel. But there are problems still not solved and given the topography, not sure how that is going to happen. After a big bust (last year, I think), there is still the drug dealing on E. Ohio Street which brings the addicts, prostitutes, and gang activity and I recently witnessed four addicts looking at their stamp bags in an alley. And you feel safe is a perfectly reasonable question. Spend some time walking around certain areas. It’s very easy to tell from the foot traffic and the looks on people’s faces whether there is a public safety problem. I wonder, what are the case studies of getting those guys off the corners. How does it happen?

There are also other clear problem areas as well. What is truly amazing to me is the persistence of the community and businesses in spite of all this. This is the civic pride that SteelCityRising mentions. In the Northside, it’s quite remarkable and in my view, not even remotely arrogant like what one would see from some of the people that live in the wealthier suburbs.

(Worth noting that many business owners don’t live in the Northside. They live in places like Ben Avon.)

The Northside has it all including easy access to anywhere but that also has its downside. I recently saw a drawing that showed what the Northside would have looked like without the highways. It almost physically hurts every time I think about that.

[svband76]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I have spent a combined 11 hours this week after work picking up litter in Marshall-Shadeland in the areas of California and Marshall Avenues and the 65 NB ramp system. Contractor bag after contractor bag after contractor bag. If North Siders truly love being North Siders, then they have an odd way of showing their love for our city. Areas I canvass look like a wreck again within days.

I really hope this depressing and neglected part of the North Side that includes Marshall-Shadeland and Perry South gentrifies soon so we can have coffeshops and house tours and block parties and civic pride like 90% of the rest of the North Side. It's extremely discouraging to live in one of the only North Side neighborhoods that is consistently being left behind. Our councilor (Lavelle) is useless, too.

Hang in there. I feel your pain. I pickup garbage daily as well in the South Hills. People are pigs and so inconsiderate it makes you wonder. I chastise anyone I see littering.

[eschaton]

Originally Posted by svband76

Hang in there. I feel your pain. I pickup garbage daily as well in the South Hills. People are pigs and so inconsiderate it makes you wonder. I chastise anyone I see littering.

America actually isn't as bad as some places. I've heard from multiple British people how much less people litter over here than there.

[Copanut]

Not in the city, but traveling on the Parkway East the other day I noticed so much trash along the roadside. Looked third world or the result of a country western concert at the stadium.