Pittsburgh- LGBT friendly neighborhoods?

[Danya (imported)]

I guesstimate that there is a greater than 50% chance that I will be moving to Pittsburgh sometime between Wednesday and Friday of next week (last week of July). If anyone here knows anything about LGBT friendly areas within the city, I will be grateful if you share your knowledge in a PM.

Pittsburgh has a law preventing discrimination on the basis of gender identity, but I'm sure some sections of the city are more 'friendly' than others. Allegheny County has a similar law, but I'd prefer to live in the city to be close to public transportation.

Thanks!

Danya

[Sweetpickle (imported)]

Squirrel Hill. It just sounds so right.

Or the area around the Univ of Pgh.

[Dave (imported)]

Oakland is the area around the University of Pittsburgh, Chatham College, Carlow College, Carnegie Mellon U and the Univ of Pitt Medical Center (UPMC). Shadyside and Squirrel hill are just to the east of Oakland and EAst Liberty is a bit further. Highland Park is where my niece lives and it's a nice section of the city. I can't say much about any neighborhood other than if you want to have a sensible commute in a car, don't cross a river or go through a tunnel. I used to live 5 miles outside the city and at rush hour, it could take an hour to get there at rush hour...

Is the job downtown?

[Wolf-Pup (imported)]

Squirrel Hill. It just sounds so right.

Or the area around the Univ of Pgh.

I grew up in Squirrel Hill. My parents still live there, and I'm east of there about 10-15 minutes drive. I believe the local LGBT center is located there. There is also an organization called TransPitt that meets on Mondays in downtown if I remember correctly. Squirrel Hill is a friendly neighborhood and Shadyside would probably be as well. I think Oakland would be most friendly in and around the Universities, but rather unfriendly in other parts.

Squirrel Hill is on the bus routes with several buses that go from there to Oakland and Downtown. Shadyside is also on bus routes, but I'm less familiar with those. I must admit it has been over 20 years since I've bussed it. For that matter its been over 10 years since I've been able to work due to back issues.

I've lived in the Western Suburbs too, Robinson Township and then Imperial. If you have any question send me a PM here and I'll do my best to answer or find the answers for you. Is the move definite and just a matter of when, or is it just a possibility? There may be enough of us around here to have a 3-Rivers MOM I can't travel well, but I can get around the city just fine; although I don't go out all that much since the back implosion.

If you are looking for counseling here I can recommend http://www.persadcenter.org/ where i went this past spring for some gender counseling....I got better

Good Luck with the move if it happens!!

Wolf-Pup

[Danya (imported)]

Thanks to everyone for sharing your knowledge!

Squirrel Hill. It just sounds so right.

Or the area around the Univ of Pgh.

I had an aunt and grandfather who lived in Squirrel Hill. I like the name, too. I remember t

he Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh.

Oakland is the area around the University of Pittsburgh, Chatham College, Carlow College, Carnegie Mellon U and the Univ of Pitt Medical Center (UPMC). Shadyside and Squirrel hill are just to the east of Oakland and EAst Liberty is a bit further. Highland Park is where my niece lives and it's a nice section of the city. I can't say much about any neighborhood other than if you want to have a sensible commute in a car, don't cross a river or go through a tunnel. I used to live 5 miles outside the city and at rush hour, it could take

an hour to get there at rush hour...

Is the job downtown?

Yes, the job is downtown. I was considering a southern suburb but I'd probably have to commute through the Liberty Tunnel and then cross the Monongahela River. I love the view of downtown on exiting the tunnel at the river. It's almost like you have stumbled upon a city hidden by the surrounding hills. After your warning,

though, I will definitely stick with the city if possible. I prefer to save on fuel and parking by commuting.

I grew up in Squirrel Hill. My parents still live there, and I'm east of there about 10-15 minutes drive. I believe the local LGBT center is located there. There is also an organization called TransPitt that meets on Mondays in downtown if I remember correctly. Squirrel Hill is a friendly neighborhood and Shadyside would probably be as well. I think Oakland would be most friendly in and around the Universities, but rather unfriendly in other parts.

Squirrel Hill is on the bus routes with several buses that go from there to Oakland and Downtown. Shadyside is also on bus routes, but I'm less familiar with those. I must admit it has been over 20 years since I've bussed it. For that matter its been over 10 years since I've been able to work due to back issues.

I've lived in the Western Suburbs too, Robinson Township and then Imperial. If you have any question send me a PM here and I'll do my best to answer or find the answers for you. Is the move definite and just a matter of when, or is it just a possibility? There may be enough of us around here to have a 3-Rivers MOM I can't travel well, but I can get around the city just fine; although I don't go out all that much since the back implosion.

If you are looking for counseling here I can recommend http://www.persadcenter.org/ where i went th

is past spring for some gender counseling....I got better

Good Luck with the move if it happens!!

Wolf-Pup

I've seen both Shadyside and Squirrel Hill mentioned as good places to live. I wondered about Oakland, figuring spots near the schools would probably be good. It's good to know areas in Oakland away from the universities might not be very friendly.

I've read about the Persad Center. I stuck with gender identity counseling until I got my letter for surgery and haven't been back since. It's good to know, though, that resources are there.

In a few days, I'll know if the move is definite. A Three Rivers MoM is a great idea!

Thanks again, everyone, for your very helpful replies.

[Dave (imported)]

If you go into the South Hills, there is a subway line from South Hills Village (a mall you can find on the map, look at Fort Couch Road) and you cut out the driving and parking expense to downtown.

I live down near Finleyville (look about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh) and the neighbor kid used to go to South Hills Village to go to the Art Institute downtown.

I worked next to South Park (you'll find it below Mount Lebanon (which is a good but expensive neighborhood) and Upper St. Clair (which is a snooty neighborhood) The next suburb down is Peter's Township and it is much more suburban and all that entails.

There are times when you can drive down Route 19 and Route 51 and hit town in mere minutes without traffic or minimal traffic right at rush hour. Driving in Pittsburgh is an art.

Even parts of the South Hills like Carrick or Dormont or Pleasant Hills are good places to live. They all have different personalities.

[Danya (imported)]

If you go into the South Hills, there is a subway line from South Hills Village (a mall you can find on the map, look at Fort Couch Road) and you cut out the driving and parking expense to downtown.

I live down near Finleyville (look about 30 miles south of Pittsburgh) and the neighbor kid used to go to South Hills Village to go to the Art Institute downtown.

I worked next to South Park (you'll find it below Mount Lebanon (which is a good but expensive neighborhood) and Upper St. Clair (which is a snooty neighborhood) The next suburb down is Peter's Township and it is much more suburban and all that entails.

There are times when you can drive down Route 19 and Route 51 and hit town in mere minutes without traffic or minimal traffic right at rush hour. Driving in Pittsburgh is an art.

Even parts of the South Hills like Carrick or Dormont or Pleasant Hills are good places to live. They all have different personalities.

All of this talk of the Pittsburgh area is bringing up a lot of memories from my childhood. Back then, my family lived about 350 miles from Pittsburgh. Several times a year we drove there to visit relatives. We usually started the trip after my father got home from work on a Friday. My two brothers and I shared sleeping space on the back seat and floor of the car.

Years ago, I thought there was talk of building a monorail from the southern suburbs to downtown. I may be wrong. That was a very long time ago.

One of my father's brothers lived in Pleasant Hills with his wife and my only cousins on my father's side of the family. When we visited the area, we usually stayed with my German-born grandparents. They lived within the city limits but had a Homestead mailing address. We took day trips from there to visit relatives all over the area.

My family went to the county fair several years, held in South Park. I have fond memories of those times, and our nearly annual visits to Kennywood Park to enjoy the rides.

Thanks for the additional info. I'll consider areas near South Hills Village, too. At least if I decide to rent an apartment on a short-term lease. I may decide to stick with my current living situation of renting space in someone's home. This option would probably work best for me in an LGBT-friendly area of the city.

Every day that passes, without word of a local job offer, increases the likelihood that I will move to Pittsburgh by Wednesday or Thursday. I've already adjusted to the idea of moving again, after arriving in this area in early 2010 and moving twice within the metro since then. The move is practically a done deal now for me, mentally and emotionally. I have started to look at it as another adventure. Today, I felt excited about it.

[Dave (imported)]

That monorail was the subject of much political screaming and yelling and it's now rubber tires on a raised and dedicated roadway. (and the new part of it to the casino and stadiums is still a source of political screaming and yelling).

I don't know anything about rentals in the South Hills Area or rooms in houses other than apartment buildings I see when I drive around... I built my house over 30 years ago and paid off the mortgage.

[Danya (imported)]

Thanks again to everyone for all the valuable info! There is now 100% certainty

that I will move to Pittsburgh.

[Wolf-Pup (imported)]

I want to say congratulations, but you didn't really wanna come here Awww heck...Congratulations. I used rent.com to find my apt if that is any help.