Suburban Pittsburgh (Dormont, Mt. Lebanon, Castle Shannon)

Evergrey · #1 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 8:36 PM**

Admittedly, this is a rather dull and brief collection. These photos are for an academic project I'm doing... and are hardly a comprehensive representation of the community and certainly do not contain any artistic merit... but perhaps some of you might be interested in seeing a glimpse Southwestern Pennsylvania suburbia.

All three communities are located in the "South Hills"... just a few miles south of Downtown Pittsburgh... and all 3 share borders with the city of Pittsburgh. All 3 communities are along the Port Authority's 42-S LRT line.

Dormont is the first suburb on the LRT line... it has a population of about 9000 and is the "most densely" populated municipality in Allegheny County. It was incorporated as a borough in 1909 and its name means "Mountain of Gold". Most of its housing stock is 1920-40s. It has a pretty decent business district. Its convenient access to much of Pittsburgh and urban layout has attracted renewed interest.

LRT stop in downtown Dormont

early 20th century apartment buildings

LRT heading towards Pittsburgh's Beechview neighborhood

Potomac Ave... a delightful human-scaled street in downtown Dormont

"mixed-use"

Mt. Lebanon has a population of 33,000 and was incorporated as a First Class Township (urban township) in 1912. It is a large, suprisingly diverse suburb that is not adequately represented by my meager photos. It is regarded as a very wealthy place... but contains varied housing... rentals and owner-occupied... luxurious mansions and modest homes... and has several business districts. It's renowned for having the top school district in the Pittsburgh area. Famous people from Mt. Lebanon include: Ming-Na, Matt Kennedy Gould (Joe Schmoe), Kurt Angle, Orrin Hatch and Mark Cuban.

I thought Ex-Ithacan would appreciated this

Washington Road is a thriving business district

modest apartment buildings

typical Mt. Lebanon residential... lots of attention to details like shadetrees, sidewalks, etc.

lots of apartment buildings like these beauties

cul-de-sac luxury

Castle Shannon is the next community along the LRT line. While it shares a small border with Pittsburgh... I would consider this more of a "middle ring" suburb... it's main period of development was the 1960s. It has a much more automobile-suburban feel and function than Mt. Lebanon and Dormont. There is less cohesion and there are no sidewalks. Housing is plain and modest. It was incorporated as a borough in 1919, has a population of 9000 and is the boyhood home of Dennis Miller.

I loathe these types of developments...

The LRT traveling through Castle Shannon's tiny downtown

The American Dream, circa 1961

duplexes

yay

JivecitySTL · #2 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 8:52 PM**

Bitchin. STLgasm is there RIGHT NOW, staying with his girlfriend's family in Upper St. Clair.

PICKSBURGH ROCKS.

Derek · #3 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 8:52 PM**

nice pictures

SouthJersey7 · #4 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 9:04 PM**

Classic PA urban, love it!

Jularc · #5 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 9:15 PM**

Lovely Pittsburgh. I really like the photos of that Pennsylvania city. It just always look so nice.

Evergrey · #6 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 9:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JivecitySTL

Bitchin. STLgasm is there RIGHT NOW, staying with his girlfriend's family in Upper St. Clair.

PICKSBURGH ROCKS.

He better take picks (of Picksburgh... not Upper St. Clair)!

zeno333 · #7 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 10:04 PM**

Great thread that covers the part of Pittsburgh that is the reason for my middle name. Yes you all can figure that one out LOL

Ex-Ithacan · #8 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 10:06 PM**

What a treat. Never been to or seen these burbs before. I appreciate the whole thread Eg, thanks.

PhillyRising · #9 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 10:10 PM**

I've been along Washington Road coming out of the Liberty Tubes many times and always thought it was a nice place even though most of the building stock is older but still very well kept. The homes in Mt. Lebanon are amazing in the fact they are suburban but have a look of quality to them. They aren't cookie cutter, cheesy McMansions. To me....I still feel as if I were still in the City of Picksburgh. The gay bowling tournament that is held every two years out there and which me and many members of my league go to...is held at the bowling center in Mt. Lebanon.

Urban Sky · #10 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 10:12 PM**

brick galore

SuburbanNation · #11 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 10:12 PM**

if only all suburbs were so...

zeno333 · #12 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 10:20 PM**

You should next time your in Mt Lebanon go through the "Virginia Manor" sub-division. it is one of Pghs first "luxury" sub-divisions. In the 1960's, many executives were advised to move there if they were transferred to the Burgh.

Evergrey · #13 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 10:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhillyNation

The gay bowling tournament that is held every two years out there and which me and many members of my league go to...is held at the bowling center in Mt. Lebanon.

Didn't you say you were coming to visit for that gay bowling tournament sometime soon? There's a new restaurant downtown you should try... called Seviche.

pj3000 · #14 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 10:47 PM**

Classis South Hills shots, Evergrey. I've seen many of these exact views hundreds of times at least.

Rufus · #15 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 11:20 PM**

So is there a collection of wealthy towns near Pittsburgh similar to Chicago's North Shore and Philly's Main Line? I've heard Mt. Lebanon and Sewickley are nice and I think Edgewood but they're not near each other. Thanks for the pictures.

pj3000 · #16 Posted **Mar 31, 2007, 11:25 PM**

^No, nothing like Main Line or North Shore. You have to remember that Pittsburgh is nowhere near the size of Philly or Chicago.

BuffaloSam · #17 Posted **Apr 1, 2007, 12:51 AM**

sweet, I love all the brick!

zeno333 · #18 Posted **Apr 1, 2007, 1:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rufus

So is there a collection of wealthy towns near Pittsburgh similar to Chicago's North Shore and Philly's Main Line? I've heard Mt. Lebanon and Sewickley are nice and I think Edgewood but they're not near each other. Thanks for the pictures.

There are different "wealthy" suburbs near Pgh. In additon to the ones you already mentioned, there is also Churchill an eastern suburb. Back in the 60s, Churchill had one of the highest percentages of PhD's in the US, mainly because of the former Westinghouse R and D complex also in Churchill. That huge complex is now a Siemens facility. Most of the homes in Churchiil are not particurly larger than average, but many of them were built by the former "Sherger" contractor which makes them worth more than other homes their size. Sherger homes have unique characterisics, most notably are their special stone walls along the driveways built by Italian imigrant stone masons. One in the know can tell a Sherger home just by the wall in the driveway, they are that unique. Even Sherger garage doors are unique, with their special designs and pastel colors. The steel center beams for each home were delivered the day it was installed to prevent it from seeing the outside weather. Sherger built his own concrete streets for the neighborhoods out of 9 inch concrete that to this day are in original great condition even after many decades of Pgh winters. Sherger inside plaster was also better....Sherger homes are unique in many ways.

Austinlee · #19 Posted **Apr 1, 2007, 1:11 AM**

awesome. some of the best neighborhoods in Allegheny County are right there south of the city line.... Good eye.

mrherodotus · #20 Posted **Apr 1, 2007, 1:49 AM**

I actually did some shots of this area a couple of weeks ago.

Fox Chapel is probably Pittsburgh's toniest suburb. Sewickley Heights is probably a bit more exclusive, but Fox Chapel is much larger.

How the hell can Gasm come here and not give a few hours to the guys for a serious tour? He better not be having any "gasms" while his girls daddy is at home. We don't need any shootings in suburban Pittsburgh. LOL