Brighton Heights Going Anywhere?

[Samantha N.]

Wondering if anyone has any good news for me on Brighton Heights... in terms of where is it going, are there any pending plans for development in the area? I'm at a loss, I don't understand why this place hasn't blown up, have more restaurants, nicer bars, a brewery or at least people talking about it? Is this just destined to be a bedroom community forever?

[Nick Michaels]

First things first, let's talk city borders and real neighborhood borders.

Despite what the Pittsburgh neighborhood map says - Brighton Heights as a neighborhood ends when you go across the Shadeland Avenue Bridge or down into "Woods Run", which is not technically a neighborhood, more defined by the valley between Brighton Heights and Marshall-Shadeland -the values and housing stock down there are VERY different from those up the hill. So let's call Brighton Height's southern / eastern border is McClure Ave / Woods Run Ave. 

Next up, the section just south of where Jacks Run meets up with Bascom Ave, to the west of Vinceton St, primarily accessed by Oakdale St from Woods Run I would consider more part of the Observatory Hill neighborhood in terms of property and demographics.

Even at that point, there are two very different parts of Brighton Heights - it can be street by street but generally... Properties north of Davis Ave, and east of California Ave are going to hold more value than those not.

As far as it having a reputation as "one type of neighborhood or another" - let's just say that growing up in BH, I had opinions of the closer northern suburbs and then moved there later in life and found them to be false.

As far getting Shadyside rents... 2 BR in Shadyside go for anywhere from $1200-2200 unfurnished depending on exact street and finishes. You would be hard pressed to find a 2 BR going for even the low end of that range, unless it is recently remodeled and potentially furnished. But you can definitely get better rents than you would in surrounding neighborhoods.