A recent study just found that Pittsburgh has the
most
bars and pizza shops per capita of any city in the United States. A major
contributor to this somewhat dubious distinction (well, at least to
health-conscious teetotalers) is the South Side. Running alongside the
Monongahela River, this flourishing entertainment district has become a magnet
area for students and young professionals. South Side apartments are hot commodities that don't stay on the market long, as lifelong Pittsburghers and recent transplants continue to flock to this bustling area.
It’s not just the bars and nightlife that make the area
attractive to the city’s younger residents. The South Side is just a drive (or
walk, with the recent addition of a pedestrian area) over the awesomely named
and arachnid-like Hot Metal Bridge to Oakland, where the University of
Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and Carlow College are located. For
Duquesne University and Point Park University students, with downtown campuses
that are not conducive to student living, the South Side apartments are popular
choices. The neighborhood is just a quick walk over the 10th Street Bridge to
downtown.
The South Side is made up of two areas — the Slopes and the
Flats, which are exactly what they sound like. The Flats are on a grid and,
with the exception of some inexplicable one-way streets, are easy to navigate.
The Slopes, on the other hand, are not for the Pittsburgh neophytes or those
with a fear of heights or who like their neighborhoods planned in a logical
fashion. However, if you can manage the narrow roads, some truly great South Side apartments are available for
affordable
prices in the Slopes.
The South Side has seen major revitalization in the past
decade. True, it was always vibrant — the streets were crowded with late-night
revelers — but the area has become more diverse in its options. The South Side
Works opened in the mid-2000s with shopping, dining, and a movie theater. It’s
since expanded to include a wine bar, hotels, and a German beer hall. The South
Side Riverfront Park is an even more recent addition to the area that offers a
great view of the Mon and links to the river trail for jogging and biking.
If you only pass through the South Side every couple months,
it may seem that it is constantly changing. There’s always something new. A new
restaurant, a new store, a new coffee shop, and, of course, a new bar. The
South Side is fun. It’s walkable. It’s vibrant.
One major trend in the area has been the renovation of older
houses into multifamily properties. Most of the homes in the area are like
others in Pittsburgh — old. The new demographics of the area are dictating a
change. No longer do South Side residents require an entire house. Younger
people without children are willing to live in smaller quarters. So,
property managers and investors are renovating
properties and turning them into high-end apartments in the trendy neighborhood.
This style of South Side apartments started in the Flats and is moving up to the Slopes.
