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]

Well I mean there really isn’t room for development - there is a small commercial stretch on California Ave around Davis and then a few storefronts around Benton and Brighton.

The California stretch has some businesses that have been there forever and an old bank that has had a few iterations as a coffee shop.

Unless you tear down blocks of homes there is really not room for any new restaurants or breweries or anything like that

I grew up first at the Western end (end of Termon around Marmaduke Park) and then moved to the Eastern end (around Legion Park) - lived there for 27 years and am back there at least once a week. Properties have appreciated strongly in the last 10 years but if you are expecting Lawrenceville type of stuff I wouldn’t hold my breath.

[Stephanie L Tristan]

Hello!  Native Pittsburgher here and I live two neighborhoods over. Brighton Heights, in my opinion, and many others, has been held back by the fact that it falls within the Pittsburgh Public School system.  I will just say that people are clamoring to get into that school system.  I think it would grow more if it was part of any of the neighboring districts.  It has some beautiful old homes and some very pretty streets.  Also, and this is not right, but it is an unfortunate reality, Brighton Heights, at least as long as I have known of it, has had the reputation of being a black neighborhood and those neighborhoods in Pittsburgh just don't grow as much.  

[Gwyeth Smith]

I've become friendly with an investor who has many properties in Brighton Heights.  He loves it.  He keeps telling me that he gets Shadyside rents in Brighton Heights for a fraction of the cost.  I can't personally vouch for the validity of that, but I know he loves Brighton Heights and Greensburg.  

[Max Feinberg]

Hello! A lot of people have been high on Brighton Heights for some time now and as you mentioned it has not really blown up. I still think the cash flow in this neighborhood is very good and frankly that is what Pittsburgh investors should shoot for...cash flow as opposed to appreciation.

As far as development...there is a huge development in the works for the Manchester/Chateau area which is very close by. This will most likely help the home values of areas like Brighton Heights in the coming years. The project is called the Esplanade development and it is to include shops, restaurants, housing, and various activities. Give it a quick search...it is pretty cool!

[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.

[Tushar P.]

@Max Feinberg what about buying something in lawrenceville now for appreciation? Will that work, or is the whole Pittsburg cash flow play due to declining population?  

[Alex Deacon]

@Samantha N. actually the values have risen dramatically in Brighton Heights when you consider the average appreciation of PGH over the past 30 years has lingered around 3%. I dont see it being the next Lawrenceville but nobody really knows where that next hot area is going to be. Also keep in mind that the population growth in PGH is stagnant so there is only so many new hot spots that can be created. It take time and patience.