Pittsburgh’s Green and Sustainable Neighborhoods: Part 4, East Liberty, PA
East Liberty is a historic and culturally diverse neighborhood located in Pittsburgh’s East End. Through its history East Liberty has had some big ups and downs. One look at the amazing East Liberty Presbyterian Church (my daughter calls it a princess castle) and architecturally interesting buildings on Penn Avenue and it is easy to glimpse East Liberty’s booming past. Unfortunately, this area was also the victim of misguided urban development policy. By the mid 1970’s it was best known for abandoned storefronts and high crime. The good news is that East Liberty has been working its way back up the ranks of Pittsburgh neighborhoods, thanks in part to an aggressive nonprofit community development corporation, East Liberty Development, Inc. (ELDI). ELDI has spearheaded the recovery of the area with a strong emphasis on sustainable commercial and residential development. The neighborhood is comprised of a mix of older homes, newly built energy-efficient properties and a commercial shopping district. Great bargains are available for those who want to invest some elbow grease, and the new homes are affordably priced. The area is served by the Pittsburgh Public School District and a number of highly regarded private schools.
Walk-ability: East Liberty comes in with a high walk score of 86. Once known as a major shopping area for the city, recent development are bringing East Liberty back to its roots. The area has landed big box stores, like Home Depot, Trader Joe’s, Borders, and Whole Foods (and coming soon a Target), which 
anchor the ends of the shopping district. For those that need to shop at a big box, these are some of the only ones you will find inside the Pittsburgh city limits. In between the boxes, you will find eclectic local businesses and restaurants, with more popping up everyday. For entertainment, you can visit the famous Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, Pittsburgh Glass Center or a branch of the Carnegie Library, all of which can be reached easily on foot or bike.
Commute: East Liberty is centrally located less than four miles from the heart of Downtown Pittsburgh, two miles from Oakland and a mile and a half from Children’s Hospital in Lawrenceville. Commuting in the city by bike is likely as fast, or faster, than by car. East Liberty is a transportation hub for PAT and is well served by 42 routes that run through the area. By bus, you can get just about anywhere from here. East Liberty is one neighborhood in Pittsburgh that you could easily get to everything you need without owning a car. But if you occasionally need a car, you can sign up for a Zipcar and pick it up at one of four Zipcar locations in the area.
Outdoor Space: As a true urban neighborhood, East Liberty has more roadway than green space. 
However, it would be unfair not to mention several parklets and plans to connect each with tree-lined, pedestrian friendly walkways. One significant park within the boundaries of the neighborhood is Mellon Park, which it shares with Shadyside. This slice of land between Penn Avenue and 5th Avenue is the site of a new bike trail which will connect all the East End parks from Highland Park to Mellon Park; and then connect to Frick, and on to Schenley. A mile or so up Highland Avenue you can find Highland Park, home to the Pittsburgh Zoo, walking and biking trails and a beautiful Victorian-style entry garden. For another type of garden you can visit the community garden located on St. Clair Street.
Environmental Activism: Activism of all types is common in East Liberty. Many of the green initiatives are coupled with community development goals. One example is the GTECH project which has the goal of reclaiming and revitalizing vacant land, implementing innovative green strategies such as planting bio-fuel feedstock, and providing education and green collar job training services. The community garden project lets students from the Kentucky Avenue School sell the produce they grow at East Liberty’s monthly farmers market and then donate the money to charity. Trail and park developments are as much about creating green space as creating livable neighborhoods. Perhaps the most obvious example of East Liberty’s desire to be a sustainable community is the fact that ELDI employs a Sustainable Policy Coordinator who works on issues as diverse as 
storm-water usage, green space and LEED community development.
Housing: East Liberty is a neighborhood in the midst of revitalization. ELDI has worked hard to keep affordable housing options in the area by developing a variety of mixed-income housing. This has resulted in an economically diverse population of with a mix of renters and homeowners. Residential housing is a key element of ELDI’s plans for the area, and the homes they are building are some of the most interesting and energy-efficient in the city. The current project, named Historic Enclave, is made up of new green and efficient homes, priced to start in the low $200’s, and designed as a mix of traditional and trendy. Some beautiful existing homes have also been singled out for renovation within the Historic Enclave project, as opposed to demolition. The next project on the drawing board is called Mellon’s Orchard South, a planned nine-acre development with up to 84 units of green housing. The development aims for zero water run-off and will make use of technologies such as geothermal heating and cooling. This project is one of just five Pennsylvania projects that are participating in the new LEED-ND (Neighborhood Development) pilot program. For those that are looking to green an existing home, East Liberty still offers great houses at reasonable prices. The average sale price in the area is $130,991. If energy-efficiency is important to you then be sure 
to conduct an energy audit when you purchase and make plans to improve the sealing and insulation in these older homes.
Want to find a home in East Liberty that is good for your family, wallet, health and planet? Call Christa Ross from RE/MAX Select Realty, your certified green agent and RE/MAX green specialist at 724-309-1758 or visit my website at www.greenhomespgh.com.