James Simon's Welcome to Uptown Sign

Sorry about the low quality of these images, I don't drive and this is not a spot I normally pass with a camera at hand. When I did, there was a pretty serious back lighting situation.

Both me and Jean were a bit surprised by the weird location of this sign, which is in a parklet few neighborhood people would go. In fact, you really can only see it well, as you leave the area and head towards the South Side.

Beggars can't be choosers, and this was the spot the city must have given. James did a wonderful job bringing a creative and colorful entrance to the neighborhood.

You might know that James also did an amazing Welcome to Braddock sign.

Some Shots of Wilkinsburg

Here are some of the shots I took in Wilkinsburg, the other day, which I hope give a somewhat balanced view of both the opportunities, amazing buildings and work that still needs to be done there.

Partly, because part of it is relatively flat, this particular place reminds me pretty strongly of Cleveland, in terms of the big mix of building types, relative abundance of empty lots and fascinating rural and urban character.

As you can see, there's a lot of serious restoration work being done here.

Wilkinsburg is pretty big so I want to go back and shoot some more.

Some Images From Pittsburgh's Shadyside Neighborhood

Depending on where you live in the wider region, these pictures may either interest or bore you. Hopefully, at this point some Clevelander's or other regional residents now read the blog who may not know this beautiful part of Pittsburgh.

My goal is to sort of think of the region as a menu-which many people leave the region or live in without fully looking at. If you live in Pittsburgh and don't know or explore places like Johnstown, Erie, Youngstown, Akron, Canton, Wheeling, Morgantown and Cleveland you don't know all the options available. If seeing how great the South Side or Tremont is causes some people or businesses to move around the region--great. No place is perfect for everyone or everything. The key thing is that people have seen the menu and all the potential the area holds. For the most part, it's likely better you move to Columbus than move to Los Angeles. Of course better awareness of regional assets may also attract new people from outside the area.

Likewise, greater knowledge of what has worked and not worked in various places is of great value.

These shots were taken yesterday in one of the more gorgeous parts of Shadyside and give some idea of the amazing quality of much of the city's housing stock.

I will try to get back with more images of the area as well as other parts of Pittsburgh.

Great New Blog : Ninety Hoods

No time to do an extensive post. Finally there are more blogs and sites out there giving one an idea of life in some of Pittsburgh's more obscure and offbeat neighborhoods. Now, honestly some of these exist mostly in the Yinzer's incredibly Balkanized brains along with no doubt many others. But, a city with this many hills and hollows is bound to have lots of places you don't know.

It took me a while to admit that my "fantastic" sense of direction came from living in a pretty simple grid city like NYC.

Take my word for it. It's not just a city it's an adventure.

Ninety Hoods.