Areas East of Mellon Arena (Pittsburgh, Bedford: crime, townhouses, employment)

[RUSDC]

Can someone please shade some light on areas EAST of Mellon Arena, and NORTH of Fifth Ave.

Say, this little house:
Moderator cut: link removed, please read the tos

Looks like a new development.

How is that area? Really bad? Bad with potential?

(Google street view is showing mixed results...)

[BrianTH]

That's in what is known as the Hill District. People tend to have strong feelings on the Hill--personally, I think it is mostly not as dangerous as people often suggest, and there is enough new development going on to characterize it as an improving area. But other people will tell you to avoid it entirely.

[airwave09]

147 Erin St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 MLS# 866824 - Zillow

It isn't really bad... it's definitely improving. This is a new development that is penetrating into what once was a bad area, but is now mostly abandoned. The really bad area that you would want to be away from are the projects up on Chauncey Drive.

I can't comment on what living in the new development is like, however. It appears that most of the crime in the Hill District happens up near those projects though, and that house is only about a half mile away.

[I_Like_Spam]

The Hill District is frankly, pretty dangerous with a lot of gangbangers.

It does, however, have a lot of newer construction just east of the arena, and is quite close to Grant St. in town and walkable if you're employment is there.

So it does have potential to improve substantially, and the property could very well appreciate.

I'd rank it bad with potential.

[ferraris]

I'd rank it bad with potential.

I would say "bad but improving." You're not wrong in saying that there is potential, but I think that some of that potential is already being realized. In general, the closer to the hockey arenas (either one), the better.

[ML North]

A friend of mine has a similar house off of Webster, and I spend a lot of time there. Generally it's pretty quiet, there are often kids playing outside, and most of the newer homes are well kept. I used to walk down to Fifth Avenue to catch the 500 (RIP ) very late after coming back from the South Side or Oakland. I drive all over the Hill as a quick route to Oakland, Shadyside, Bloomfield, or Southside, during rush hour.

That being said the area is definitely "transitional." I've seen people being arrested in the street and have heard close-range gunshots (only once though). These events are generally rare, and are most likely spill over from the projects up on Bedford.

In general, I don't worry about being in the area, but I am a little more alert than I would be in my own neighborhood (War Streets).

[Uptown kid]

Yall are advising the 0P to live IN/BORDERING Bedford Dwellings in the Hill District! Bedford Dwellings isnt in transition hell its getting worse (MAINLY cuz of Chuancey Drive but still). The ONLY truely safe areas in the HI are Upper Hill, Crawford Square, Centre Ave & a few queit hidden streets... I ain't sayin' that the places listed are the only non gang affiliated places, but the HI is FULL of blood gang bangers, gang activity, crime, drugs... Shoot the Hill is easyily Pittsburgh's second worst neighborhood (after Homewood; which this year it has more homicides than)! Here's the current body count for the Hill this year:Terrace Village 2, Bedford Dweelings 2, Middle Hill has 4...

[steindle]

OP: To put things in perspective a little bit, it should be noted that Uptown Kid says something like the above in virtually every thread.

[Benzman66]

Originally Posted by steindle

OP: To put things in perspective a little bit, it should be noted that Uptown Kid says something like the above in virtually every thread.

But ya gotta admit, he is usually right on 95% of them.
All the projects in the hill ARE BAD areas.

[Uptown kid]

The OP asked How is that area? I'm telling the OP the truth... Would you say the Hill is a gang-free, safe place to live? We're nine months deep into the year, and eight people died [majority under 25]. Since the weather's been warm young black people all over the county have been shot/stabbed, fatal-no serious damage, and the Hill never fails rank high on the list! To tell the truth many people view it as blighted, dangerous, and just in big mess!!! Now I do think the area has potential, Oak Hill which is a mixed-income housing plan is becoming more like Crawford Square and less like Bedford Hill. Plus if the city keeps demolising abondonded houses and then eventually turning them into townhouses/duplexes it will add on to the appeal factor. If the FBI/homocide police droped the hammer on some of blood sets it would cut down the crime (like Manchester). Personally~ I dont try to advise OP's to buy/reent in rough neighborhoods, weather its the quietest street Homewood or da quietest block of East Dutchtown.