Pittsburgh = Most Livable City

[renferme]

To Nords, former Pittsburgher, and all others too:
Pittsburgh is once again America's Most Livable City.
.
Yes, it's hard to believe but...
"And why wouldn't Pittsburgh be highly rated?" ... "It's one of the largest metropolitan areas in North America, so it ought to have a great assemblage of arts and culture. It ought to have education and health care.
"It's got a crummy climate, I know that. So do Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Buffalo. But I don't understand what is surprising about Pittsburgh doing as well as it does."
When I visited in 1985, I was really taken with the place, as are most people who travel through the tunnel and see this wonderful vista. They change their minds about what they'd thought about the city."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07116/781162-53.stm

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bennevis To Nords, former Pittsburgher, and all others too: Pittsburgh is once again America's Most Livable City. Yes, it's hard to believe but...

Sure, it's safe to put this article to press once the snow melts but before August humidity kicks in!

Are locals still fishing through the Sixth Street bridge? Is KDKA still running the Rhinestone Pothole contest? Is Iron City still selling "lite" beer? I like the way the article's picture shows the sun trying to break through the morning pollution haze...

That Mayor Caliguiri's name rings a bell. I wonder what he was doing 25 years ago that would've put him in my long-term memory.

At least they're not trying to sugar-coat it: "It's got a crummy climate, I know that" and "The seven-county area that makes up Pittsburgh failed to finish in the top 20 in any of the categories... but when the numbers are added up, the one that counts is the final total."

We'll probably take a college trip to CMU in the next couple years. Hopefully we'll do it on spring break or early summer. Eh, well, "Pittsburgh: Someplace Special"!

[renferme]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Sure, it's safe to put this article to press once the snow melts but before August humidity kicks in! Are locals still fishing through the Sixth Street bridge? Is KDKA still running the Rhinestone Pothole contest? Is Iron City still selling "lite" beer? I like the way the article's picture shows the sun trying to break through the morning pollution haze... That Mayor Caliguiri's name rings a bell. I wonder what he was doing 25 years ago that would've put him in my long-term memory. At least they're not trying to sugar-coat it: "It's got a crummy climate, I know that" and "The seven-county area that makes up Pittsburgh failed to finish in the top 20 in any of the categories... but when the numbers are added up, the one that counts is the final total." We'll probably take a college trip to CMU in the next couple years. Hopefully we'll do it on spring break or early summer. Eh, well, "Pittsburgh: Someplace Special"!

The 6th Street bridge has been renamed the Clemente Bridge.
KDKA not running the pothole contest.
Iron City Brewery is still fighting (yet again) bankruptcy.
Really, there is no pollution, the Steel Mills are all gone except for 1 small mill
in Braddock. You remember Braddock - just across the Mon River from Kennywood.
We've had a horrible spring so fall, winter just doesn't want to go away,
hence, the ranking of 135 for weather.
Believe it or not, BassMasters had their convention/contest (whatever they called it) on our rivers here last year. So, yes indeed, there are fish in the 3 rivers,
not just carp and catfish.
Caligiri was responsible for "revitalizing" the city - a renaisance (spelling), so to speak.

[W2R]

Never been there, but what a beautiful photo!! WOW!

[Meadbh]

I lived in Pittsburgh for a couple of years around the time it was previously rated as the US' most livable city. I grew to love it. Go Steelers!

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bennevis The 6th Street bridge has been renamed the Clemente Bridge. KDKA not running the pothole contest. Iron City Brewery is still fighting (yet again) bankruptcy. Really, there is no pollution, the Steel Mills are all gone except for 1 small mill in Braddock. You remember Braddock - just across the Mon River from Kennywood. We've had a horrible spring so fall, winter just doesn't want to go away, hence, the ranking of 135 for weather. Believe it or not, BassMasters had their convention/contest (whatever they called it) on our rivers here last year. So, yes indeed, there are fish in the 3 rivers, not just carp and catfish. Caligiri was responsible for "revitalizing" the city - a renaisance (spelling), so to speak.

Every end-of-school field trip was at either Idlewild or Kennywood. One of my classmates, Phil Stoll, won the Thunderbolt rollercoaster-naming contest in 1966-7 and got Kennywood passes for life-- thereby becoming the instant best friend of every kid our school system.

I remember the 1980s jokes that if too many steel mills went bankrupt then IC would lose the feedstock for their fermentation vats...

It's impressive that Bassmasters could fish there. That's a lot of progress in just one generation!

[jdmorton]

Nords and Bennevis,

I've lived in the Pittsburgh area for 28 years now, and worked in the City of Pittsburgh for the past 22 years. The closing of the steel mills and a couple of other heavy metal industries in and around Pittsburgh during the 1980s really caused the water and air to "clean up" much faster than any of us thought it would. During the later part of the 1980s, I worked for the PaDEP, and we were monitoring the situation and were pretty amazed at how quickly the rivers and air improved. We thought it would take decades - it was a couple of years.

Mayor Richard Caliguiri is best known for starting "Renaissance II" that resulted in today's downtown Pittsburgh. He was mayor from 1978 until 1988, when he died of a relatively rare protein disorder. What was really strange about his disease is that two other well-known Pennsylvania politicians also contracted the disease during the 1980s (at least well known in Pennsylvania). Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia about this:

In the mid 1980s, Caliguiri was diagnosed with amyloidosis, a rare and serious protein disorder. Curiously, within a few years in the mid to late 1980s, three of Pennsylvania's most prominent political leaders were afflicted with the disorder. Caliguiri as well as longtime Erie Mayor Louis Tullio and Pennsylvania Governor Robert P. Casey were all diagnosed with the incurable and usually fatal disease.

[Zipper]

I think Vancouver is rated at 2nd or 3rd in the world.

[Mwsinron]

Steelers fan who grew up near Cleveland Its nice to see the Steel belt/snow belt city getting some recognition. I moved away from the snow myself and wont go back. But its nice to see things like this.

[redduck]

I lived in Pittsburgh for 3 1/2 years (early 70's). Went to PITT. GO PANTHERS!!! I still buy Pitt sweatshirts and caps. And, it was a great city then--apparently it still is. I still find myself defending the city from all my Southern California friends. The weather did suck. I never got used to the winters or the summers. But, the outlying neighborhoods were really beautiful--especially Mt. Lebanon (sp?) The homes in the suburbs were often majestic--made of stone and brick. Very classy.

Anyhow, maybe I should just take my newfound $236, 000 (approx) and buy a home there. I figure it would be a safe place for me since Martha is looking for me in Estonia and Nords is figuring that I've been hospitalized.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mwsinron Steelers fan who grew up near Cleveland

Oh what a miserable childhood you must've had! I can still remember the "Turnpike Rivalry" with Cleveland & Cincinnati and the fights around the games.

We used to watch Steelers games at home in the 1960s (before the team actually started winning). As an impressionable young lad I used to watch my mother have a frosty beverage or two and get quite incensed over Terry Bradshaw's alleged "quarterbacking". She'd display an amazing repertoire of impassioned body language & hand gestures coupled with a very robust vocabulary that I never heard from any of my English teachers.

Later that season Dad had a chance to take me to a game (in the "new" Three Rivers Stadium, which I believe has since imploded). During that season Terry Bradshaw had managed to endear himself to the town and he was pretty popular. However he did something that didn't work out so well and I leaped to my feet to deliver my best "Mom" encouragement.

Dad had to go find us other seats.

I was amazed at the number of Hawaii Steelers fans that came out of hiding just in time for their last Super Bowl victory.

I'm going to have to take a side trip to Murrysville next time we're in Pittsburgh and see how 3512 MacArthur Drive looks...

[Mwsinron]

Ya the Steelers have a big following. Im jealous going to Three Rivers would have been a cool experience. Before I die Id like to go see a Steelers game in Pittsburgh.

[Arc]

Born and bred Pittsburgher here. I love taking megacorp co-workers - who have never been here to see the city. I trip through the Fort Pitt tunnels - park a long river across from the Point - up the Mon Incline - and dinner on Mt. Washington with tremendous view of the city goes along way in erasing the previous impression folks have of the city. Was just at PNC Park last night - for a rare victory - and a predictably great fireworks show with the skyline in the background. If you like baseball - you will not regret going to PNC Park.

Certainly some bias here but glad to see the city getting some recognition.

[Gumby]

I was in Pittsburgh for two days this past week on business. On Monday afternoon, I had a few free hours, so I walked around downtown and then went across the Monongahela River and rode the incline to the top of the other side. It was a pleasant, sunny day and the view was really quite nice. I did notice that downtown retail seems to be struggling, but that appears to be the story with cities everywhere -- people shop at the malls in the suburbs.

[ZMAN]

Good for Pittsburgh. It is nice to see a city that is not one of the usual suspects on top. I live in Buffalo which is very similar. The "rust belt" deserves the respect! 10 weeks of (real) winter does not define an area.

[Tracker]

8) 8)

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh!!!

"Pittsburgh.............someplace special". Do you remember when that slogan became popular in the 1970's.

I miss Pittsburgh. I miss the people, the ethnic names (my family has a great one), Schenley park, steak salad, peirogies, "yins guys", pot holes.........................

Pittsburgh has the most courteous drivers in the world. My brother was driving people from the Kerry campaign around Pittsburgh and the couldn't get over how courteous the drivers were.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracker "Pittsburgh.............someplace special". Do you remember when that slogan became popular in the 1970's.

My father still has a license plate with that slogan.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracker Pittsburgh has the most courteous drivers in the world. My brother was driving people from the Kerry campaign around Pittsburgh and the couldn't get over how courteous the drivers were.

Wow, the place really has changed!

[P.S.]

Schenley park, the Strip, beautiful old homes, THE BEST thrift store in Shadyside.

hated the parking signs: park on this side of the street every other Mon, Tuesday and Thursday, and on that side on the odd Weds/Thurs of the month, and the Fri of a day that can be squared and if your mother's name is Mildred.... :P

[genghis]

As long as you don't have to breath!
Note Pittsburgh is No 2 in air pollution:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070501/...I5g7bZcUrMWM0F

[califdreamer]

Air pollution rankings seem to vary greatly by what's being measured. For instance, in Cities Ranked & Rated (2004), Pittsburgh is tied for third among 331 metro areas for cleanest air.

Most of the lists for dirtiest air I've seen put a lot of weight on ozone so you usually see a lot of western cities with inversion layers on the "dirtiest air" lists. The ALA list in the article posted earlier puts roughly equal weight on particulates so you see eastern cities that suffer from coal-fired power plant emissions.