Considering Mt Lebanon and USC area, looking for advice (Pittsburgh: rentals, houses) - Pennsylvania (PA) - City-Data Forum

mudmutt · 12-11-2011, 07:53 PM

I have taken a job in Pittsburgh but will not be relocating my family until the school year ends. So I have some time to spend in the area to "scope out" where we plan to live. As well as start house hunting and be patient so I can find what works for us.

From much of our research (which has been heavily influenced by this forum) we are heavily leaning toward the Mt Lebanon/USC area. Last week I decided to drive out there after work (from Downtown) and I didn't exactly get the feel from driving through the area that it was as "walkable" and "accessible" as I was expecting. It's very possible that I wasn't in the right area and didn't give it the time necessary to see what's going on. So I want to try it again, but with a plan. A plan I hope to put together with feedback from this group.

Here is what I'd like to accomplish:

1.) Find an area that's in Mt Lebanon/USC, drive out in the evening after work.
2.) Have dinner
3.) Walk the area around where I've eaten checking out shops, houses, etc

To be even more effective, I'd really like to do this without having to drive there... I'd like to take the T from my office into the area to know what that is like also. I'd be very interested in being able to utilize the T rather than to drive into downtown and park. If I could add that to my excursion, I'd love to. If it matters, I would be coming from sixth ave downtown, right where the PNC towers are.

Thank you in advance for your input/insight.

DomerJen · 12-11-2011, 09:55 PM

You can take the T to Dormont Junction and walk over to the Beverly Rd area of Mt. Lebanon (several casual restaurants there) or get off at Mt. Lebanon and eat on Washington Rd. and walk around that area. There are several smaller stops in Mt.L but those are the two that I'd plan to go to if you wanted dinner first.

It'll be hard to get much of a feel of anything, I'm afraid, as it's so dark.

My husband walks to the T to go downtown from Mt. Lebanon. It's not the fastest way to do things (takes him almost 45+ min each way between the walk/wait/ride). We're debating having him drive to the T (if he could get a spot at some decent time... so far 7am is too late) or just pay to park downtown. But that is very $$$. So it's not all sunshine and roses, but you can make it work for sure. We've been here a month now and still only have one car and it's been fine.

Hopes · 12-11-2011, 11:22 PM

USC isn't walkable. Of the two, only Mt. Lebo is walkable.

You can get to Mt. Lebo from town via the liberty tubes. Go straight afterwards. Bear to your right at a Y road near a McD's (on right). The first business district you drive through is Dormont. The second business district you drive through is Mt. Lebo. If you end up where the road turns into a four lane highway with malls, you've gone too far and you're in USC. Turn around and the first business district you see is Mt. Lebo.

Here's google directions from downtown to Michells Fish Market Restaurant in Mt. Lebo: http://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Pi...via=1&t=m&z=12

gallacus · 12-12-2011, 06:43 AM

If you're looking for a specific agenda, I'd second the Beverly shops idea. Head over to Cafe io for a nice, casual dinner, and take a walk around the area to check out the housing. While it's not Manhattan, there are some nice little shops/restaurants on that block of Beverly, and the housing stock nearby is quite nice (I prefer the area North/Northwest of Cafe io). It's also walkable to the Elementary School, which has tennis courts, basketball courts, field, etc.

If you ended up in this area, the T would be a 10-20 minute walk, depending on where you buy, and the Washington Road area (the heaviest concentration of shops/restaurants) would be about the same walking distance.

WestLibertyAve · 12-12-2011, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gallacus

If you ended up in this area, the T would be a 10-20 minute walk, depending on where you buy, and the Washington Road area (the heaviest concentration of shops/restaurants) would be about the same walking distance.

It would be about a 10-20 minute walk from the Dormont T station to the Beverly Road business district, but the Mt. Lebo T stop is adjacent to the Washington Road shops and only takes a minute to walk up the stairs and along the walkway to the street.

Unless you don't mind a decent walk in the dark and cold, I'd stick to Washington Road, as there are more places to see and potentially visit, and as I said it has a T stop that's literally right there.

As far as driving up West Liberty...there really isn't a Y in the road anymore near the McDonald's, as the recent reconstruction now provides 2 lanes of traffic through this intersection...so unless you get in the left turning lane, you'll still be headed in the right direction. And someone mentioned "4 lanes and shopping malls"...be aware that the entire stretch of road is 4 lanes, despite how tight it might feel driving up Washington Road...it's still 4 lanes. Also be aware that the Dormont/Mt. Lebo BD's are sort of merged and it'd be hard for someone new to know where one ends and the other begins. The area you will be most interested in is roughly between Bower Hill Rd and Castle Shannon Blvd.

WINDCHIMES · 12-12-2011, 09:05 AM

I would take the T to the offical Mount Lebanon stop, where there is ALOT more shopping, restuarants to explore and there is also a Howard Hanna right at the T stop, they could probably give you a ton of information there, show you rentals or even homes to buy...and all of Mount Lebanon is safe and clean, you would not have to worry about where you lived there...good luck!

Hopes · 12-12-2011, 10:19 AM

The OP said he wants to drive there.

Thanks for the update on the construction improvements near McD's, West Liberty Avenue!

mudmutt · 12-12-2011, 11:05 AM

Thank for the feedback. This definately helps.

Based on the comments about walk time, can I deduce that the T ride should be about 30 mins from downtown to the Mt Lebanon stop? I'm right at the Wood Street Station.

mudmutt · 12-12-2011, 11:07 AM

Also regarding USC not being walkable. Is it difficult to do the park/ride thing in USC as mentioned in Mt Lebanon? Ie is there ample parking or do you need to arrive early to secure a spot?

gallacus · 12-12-2011, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mudmutt

Thank for the feedback. This definately helps.

Based on the comments about walk time, can I deduce that the T ride should be about 30 mins from downtown to the Mt Lebanon stop? I'm right at the Wood Street Station.

It takes 22 minutes to get from Wood Street Station to the Mt. Lebanon Park 'n' Ride on the T.