Renting Apartments in Squirrel Hill

Site of arguably the longest-lasting pizza battle in the city (Mineo’s vs. Aiello’s), Squirrel Hill is a vibrant, eclectic area in Pittsburgh. It’s not only a battlefield for pizza enthusiasts, but a hub of ethnic food in the city. Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and India represent Asia. There’s also cuisine from Mexico, and Asian and Kosher groceries. Squirrel Hill apartments are snatched up quickly by students and families eager to have everything they need within walking distance.

The neighborhood is right off 376 with an entrance ramp on the corner of Forward and Murray Ave. It borders on Schenley and Frick Parks, which provide easy access to Oakland and Regent Square, respectively. Because of its direct (and abundant) bus route to Oakland, it’s a popular destination for Pitt, Carnegie Mellon, and Carlow students. It borders Point Breeze and Shadyside as well, and the South Side is just one inbound exit away on the parkway.

The major commerce of the area is on Forbes and Murray Avenues, both of which are on hills. Squirrel Hill is almost all residential apartments and houses outside of that. 

Shopping is another draw to Squirrel Hill. Several second-hand boutiques, including Avalon, line Forbes Ave. The area also features an abundance of ice cream and frozen yogurt joints that are open year-round. It’s home to the Manor Theater, an iconic independent cinema, and a Jewish Community Center that features a museum, gym, and pool. Squirrel Hill also boasts a bowling alley, an iconic record store, and a branch of the Carnegie Library to round out its attractions.

The neighborhood is one of those rare family-friendly areas in a major metropolitan area. It lacks the nightlife of some of the other Pittsburgh neighborhoods — like South Side, Oakland, Shadyside, and Lawrenceville. Its large Orthodox Jewish population makes Friday nights (the Sabbath) quiet instead of a raging party atmosphere. And because of its appeal to families, many of the houses in the neighborhood have remained single-family homes instead of being subdivided into rental units.

However, the area’s appeal to students has enabled some recent repositioning of older homes into apartments. A rarity in Pittsburgh, many Squirrel Hill apartments come in the form of large buildings as well as repositioned houses. Squirrel Hill is vibrant and constantly seeing new businesses, new trendy variations on classic ethnic cuisine, and new interesting coffee shops. It’s one of those rare neighborhoods that always thrives no matter which businesses are there at the time. It’s eclectic — even through changes. And it is a great neighborhood to rent.