Historic Allegheny West
Found on the web by alert reader Louise



Western Avenue Streetfront Boundaries The Allegheny West neighborhood is located on the North Side of the city of Pittsburgh. The neighborhood extends from Brighton Road on the east to Allegheny Avenue, and from Ridge Avenue on the south to West North Avenue. In 1990, the Pittsburgh City Council designated the residential sections of the neighborhood as a City historic district, encompassing about 210 buildings. Location and Access Major streets, such as North Aveue, Brighton Road, and Wesatern Avenue, border or run through Allegheny West. Public transportation routes on all of these streets provide convienent access to downtown and the rest of the North Side.History The Allegheny West neighborhood was originally (in 1788) part of the "outlots", or farming area, that lay outside the Commons land that ringed the town of Allegheny (the "in-lots"). In 1867-76, in response to public demands, town officials developed the Commons into a public park (which is now a City Historic Site). This amenity, together with the location of the neighborhood west (upwind) of the new railroad lines through Allegheny, would act to make the Allegheny West area the most prestigious residential section in the city. However, initial development of the neighborhood proceeded slowly. The first structure built in Allegheny West was a rope factory (or "rope walk") that was constructed in 1813 at Brighton and N. Lincoln, and extended all the way to Allegheny Avenue. It was the property of John Irwin, a Revolutionary War veteran. By the time the rope factory was removed in 1858, the first building lots had been platted along Western Avenue and the first new houses built. By 1872, Allegheny West had become an exclusive residential district, with large houses lining Brighton Road and Ridge Avenue. Construction continued rapidly through the 1870s, with Beech Avenue being largely developed by 1884. Church and school -Emmanuel Episcopal Church (1886), Calvary Methodist Church (1895) and the Allegheny Preparatory School - helped to anchor the prestigious residential area. The first decade of the twentieth century was the high point of Allegheny West's prestige and social desirability. However, the effects of the wartime industrial boom along with increased population density began to make the area less desirable for its rich residents. The prominent families began to abandon their townhouses in favor or suburban or country homes by the 1930s. The effects of the Great Depression and the Second World War discouraged maintenance of properties and encouraged higher-density uses, including businesses and apartments, and the neighborhood became increasingly congested and run-down through the 1950s and 1960s.Major physical changes took place in Allegheny West during the 1960s and 1970s. Much of the south side of Ridge Avenue was rebuilt as the campus of the Community College of Allegheny County. The construction of the college and of Three Rivers Stadium increased the pressure for parking that resulted in demolition for parking lots. However, a countervailing interest in the preservation of the remaining residential structures began in the 1970s, and has led to the renovation of much of the solid but much-abused housing stock to its nineteenth century elegance. Architectural Styles Allegheny West is a Victorian and Edwardian neighborhood. The terms "Victorian" and "Edwardian" however, do not refer to a specific architectural style, but instead to the era of Queen Victoria and King Edward of Great Britain (from 1837 to 1911). During that time, many different architectural styles were popular, including the Greek Revival (ca. 1825-1860); the Italianate (ca. 1860-1885) and its contemporary, the French Second Empire; and the Richardson Romanesque and Queen Anne (ca. 1880-1900), which were superseded by the Classical Revival at the turn of the century. Examples of all of these styles can be found in Allegheny West Some of these styles overlapped in their periods of popularity, and individual houses sometimes incorporated elements from more than one style. However, since Allegheny West was an affluent neighborhood when it was developed, the houses are often complete "high style" versions of their styles.

Information from the Historic Review Commission, Pittsburgh Department of City email: wertheim@pps.pgh.pa.us