Help from Pitt residents!

[Lara]

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I've tentatively decided to relocate to Pittsburgh for clinicals third year at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital. 🙂

When would be the best time to look for an apartment? 2nd year classes end May 14, 3rd year begins June 28 and I want to take Step One at home in Montreal. Yikes. Maybe early April?

Can cheap plane tickets (under $200) between Philly and Pitt be found?

West Penn is in Bloomfield...is it a nice place to live? I understand there are apartments right near the hospital, which would be a super thing considering I'm still working on getting my driver's licence this semester. 😱 But would it be worth forgoing walking distance to live in Shadyside (providing it's a very short drive by car)? Any input on these neighborhoods would be much appreciated, especially if you know the immediate area around the hospital. Thanks!

 

[auster]

Bloomfield is a very livable, cheap, and pretty interesting area. I actually like it much better than Shadyside, and you would have a harder time getting a bus from Shadyside into Bloomfield. There are a ton of places available there, year round, and I doubt that you would have trouble finding a nice place if you gave yourself a couple of week days to look.
I don't know what you are looking for in a neighborhood, but if you like the idea of a neighborhood where people actually live (rather than just students renting for a couple of years), Bloomfield is the right kind of place. A lot of people rent there, but there are also a good number of families that have lived there forever. It is primarily an Italian neighborhood, with a ton of good places to eat, and a large number of people walking around the neighborhood talking to each other during the warmer weather. (I am kind of partial to the neighborhood)

 

[Lara]

Thanks - anyone else familiar with the area? Maybe some upperclassmen from Temple who went to West Penn could chime in. 🙂

I would love a neighborhood that's well-kept and pleasant just to walk around in (I'm dying for that in my current Germantown location), with interesting stuff to see. Shops like bookstores or good bakeries within walking distance would be awesome, but I guess overall that's not worth sacrificing living right near the hospital. I'd love to know what stuff is on Liberty besides the yummy Italian restaurants...and I wonder if I can get real gelato. 😀

Overall I'm pretty excited with the idea, but any advance info would be great.

 

[scrub monkey]

I live in Shadyside and I think it's a great place to live. I currently live about a 5 minute walk from both UPMC Shadyside and West Penn Hospital. I live walking distance from a giant eagle grocery store, blockbuster, subway's, wendy's, and whole foods. I'm also walking distance from walnut street and the nice upper end shops and restraunts. Bloomfield is a little cheaper. Shadyside is a little nicer. Both areas are fine. Pittsburgh is actually a fun place to be. I do know folks who are graduating and leaving their apartments. What price range are you looking at?

 

[Lara]

5 minute walk to West Penn? That's definitely doable! 🙂 I guess my range would be up to $800 max for a one bedroom. A nice kitchen (with dishwasher) and bathroom is more important to me than size, and I would really love a washer/dryer in the unit...but obviously I'll compromise as needed. If you have more details you can PM me if you wish...thanks!