Pittsburgh 24/7 District (Washington, Liberty, Oakland: appointed, pharmacy, under 21)

[escilade18]

Originally Posted by ctoocheck

Perhaps part of the reason Oakland isn't a more bustling "24-hour" place is that a very large portion of the student population is under 21 and is therefore precluded from going out evenings .




I would probably agree with raubre in saying it's probably not so realistic in general given wider circumstances. You couldn't just put a few attractions together and expect it to draw a 24-hour crowd without (for example):
-changing our sprawling, car-oriented culture to increase housing density
-improving city schools and such to work towards that density
-addressing crime issues that would be detrimental to a 24-hour area, and to the city in general
-having improved public transit and walkability that comes with more urban development
-allowing people younger than 21 to drink, or at least attracting more young adults over 21
and so on.

Sorry if you find me a pessimistic party pooper.

Actually, your post is good. The ones I personally don't like are ones that are more along the lines of "it won't happen, move on"

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by ctoocheck

Perhaps part of the reason Oakland isn't a more bustling "24-hour" place is that a very large portion of the student population is under 21 and is therefore precluded from going out evenings, and grad students who are of drinking age are more spread out across the city.




I would probably agree with raubre in saying it's probably not so realistic in general given wider circumstances. You couldn't just put a few attractions together and expect it to draw a 24-hour crowd without (for example):
-changing our sprawling, car-oriented culture to increase housing density
-improving city schools and such to work towards that density
-addressing crime issues that would be detrimental to a 24-hour area, and to the city in general
-having improved public transit and walkability that comes with more urban development
-allowing people younger than 21 to drink, or at least attracting more young adults over 21 to a more concentrated area
and so on.

Sorry if you find me a pessimistic party pooper.

^ Best reply thus far in this thread.

As noted no part of Pittsburgh really has nearly the population density required to sustain a 24/7 business district. Oakland isn't far off, in my opinion, but without serious efforts to curtail our region's urban sprawl epidemic, improving city schools to lure in (and retain) more young families with greater levels of discretionary income, improving (rather than decimating) public transit options, etc. this district really isn't feasible.

If it were viable, then free-market forces would already have caused it to emerge. As BrianTH noted we shouldn't need to "force" this to occur; it would occur organically if it were meant to happen.

I personally feel as if the drinking age isn't a big deterrent, though. I'm in my mid-20s, and I have no desire to drink. I have a desire to eat and shop after 10 PM, though, and it's a shame there's not much to do here.

[ctoocheck]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I tried ordering Pizza Hut the other night for delivery at 10:30 PM after work only to find out they were closed. I was miffed to find out Target closes at 10 PM. The liquor stores also close early here. I guess if you want to be even more technical one could complain because my own employer, a food delivery service, stops taking orders at 10 PM (9:30 PM on Sundays) because most of the restaurants we serve close their kitchen at 10 PM. If it's 11 PM and you want to do something in Pittsburgh besides a bar or the casino, then your options are severely limited---no shopping, no dining. Pizza Perfectta in Shadyside gets a TON of business from me due to their unusually late hours.

Now understand that there are likely few people who go on a shopping trip past 10:00. Even the Target in Columbia Heights in DC, in the heart of the city, closes at 11 on weekdays (as do the ones in surrounding areas).
Additionally, I would assume few people are going to dinner quite that late on weekdays. You could always stop by a bar and get bar food. Maybe the industrious residents of our city have learned to prepare their own meals somehow? Besides, there has to be something more out there, in this city of ours, that is open later, and in any case, if there was a 24-hour area you'd have to travel there anyway. Why not just travel to whatever's open late now?

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

^ Best reply thus far in this thread.

I personally feel as if the drinking age isn't a big deterrent, though. I'm in my mid-20s, and I have no desire to drink. I have a desire to eat and shop after 10 PM, though, and it's a shame there's not much to do here.

Well thanks!

Either (a) you are an exception in this case (which is why you can't find what you desire) or (b) this is true on a wider scale which means that all the younger adults who would want to go out are not allowed to, while all the older ones who are allowed to don't want to (or can't quite find the style of place they'd like to visit)

[gg]

Pittsburgh is too small. The logical place for super late night is the Strip. Primanti's is open 24 hours, but I think they stop serving beer at 2:00AM and then start again at 7:00AM. There are places with a 3:00AM license or private clubs to hold you over till 7:00AM. That is how it is done in our region. Only really big cities can pull off 24 hours, or huge tourist destination cities. For those wondering, there are lots of bars open at 7:00AM in Pittsburgh for the shift workers and the retired shift workers or night workers that kept their schedule. Yes, many that go to a bar at 7:00AM are retired.

Personally, I don't think we need a bridge from 2-7AM. Might be good there is a break. For those that don't want that break, they usually are members of private clubs. I am too old to know the places, but there used to be the Mattress Factory and some dump in Verona, called the Veronians. That was a hole!

[raubre]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

^ Best reply thus far in this thread.

As noted no part of Pittsburgh really has nearly the population density required to sustain a 24/7 business district. Oakland isn't far off, in my opinion, but without serious efforts to curtail our region's urban sprawl epidemic, improving city schools to lure in (and retain) more young families with greater levels of discretionary income, improving (rather than decimating) public transit options, etc. this district really isn't feasible.

If it were viable, then free-market forces would already have caused it to emerge. As BrianTH noted we shouldn't need to "force" this to occur; it would occur organically if it were meant to happen.

I personally feel as if the drinking age isn't a big deterrent, though. I'm in my mid-20s, and I have no desire to drink. I have a desire to eat and shop after 10 PM, though, and it's a shame there's not much to do here.

It wouldn't work too well in Oakland either becuase they college kids aren't there all year 'round either, esp. in the summer.

[escilade18]

Well I suppose there's always wal mart for the late night shopping crowd

[jay5835]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

I tried ordering Pizza Hut the other night for delivery at 10:30 PM after work only to find out they were closed.

Mad Mex's kitchen is open 'til 1 AM, and the food at Oakland location is half-price starting at 11 PM.

Mad Mex Pittsburgh Locations

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by escilade18

Well I suppose there's always wal mart for the late night shopping crowd

^ There's no Wal-Mart located in close proximity to the city. I guess the Waterworks location isn't far (but is it 24 hours)?

[escilade18]

Originally Posted by SteelCityRising

^ There's no Wal-Mart located in close proximity to the city. I guess the Waterworks location isn't far (but is it 24 hours)?

It is actually (which surprises me since it isn't a super center) Walmart.com - Store Detail
Also, there are some McDonalds that have 24 hour lobbys such as the one in Oakland Restaurant Hours - 3708 forbes ave.
I do agree that it would be nice to have a 24 hour area but it would require a "shove in the right direction by government" since I don't see it developing organically (too risky for businesses to want to invest although I can easily see it working if put in the right area)

[gg]

Originally Posted by escilade18

It is actually (which surprises me since it isn't a super center) Walmart.com - Store Detail
Also, there are some McDonalds that have 24 hour lobbys such as the one in Oakland Restaurant Hours - 3708 forbes ave.
I do agree that it would be nice to have a 24 hour area but it would require a "shove in the right direction by government" since I don't see it developing organically (too risky for businesses to want to invest although I can easily see it working if put in the right area)

Giant Eagle is 24 hours as well.