Oakland

The University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning dominates Oakland's skyline

Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". [1] Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland. The neighborhood is urban and diverse and is home to several universities, museums, and hospitals, as well as an abundance of shopping, restaurants, and students. Oakland is home to the Schenley Farms National Historic District[2] which encompasses two city designated historic districts: the mostly residential Schenley Farms Historic District [3] and the predominantly institutional Oakland Civic Center Historic District.[4] The Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire houses 14 Truck on McKee Place and 10 Engine on Allequippa Street in Oakland.

Neighborhoods

Oakland is officially divided into four neighborhoods: North Oakland, West Oakland, Central Oakland, and South Oakland. Each section has a unique identity, and offers its own flavor of venues and housing.

North Oakland

Looking east over the University of Pittsburgh and Schenley Farms Historic District

Neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Population (1990): 10836[1]

Population (2000): 9857[1]

Area: 0.499 mi² [1]

• North Oakland can be loosely defined as the area of Oakland between Neville and Bouquet Streets, encompassing all of Craig Street and running north to Polish Hill. The Cathedral of Learning, the engineering or mid-section of the University of Pittsburgh campus, and the Craig Street business district are in North Oakland.

South Oakland

Neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Population (1990): 3368[1]

Population (2000): 3007[1]

Area: 0.508 mi² [1]

• South Oakland runs along the Monongahela River and forms a triangular shape between the Monongahela River, the Boulevard of the Allies, and Parkview Avenue. The area between Forbes Avenue and Boulevard of the Allies, often considered part of South Oakland, is officially part of Central Oakland, though it is rarely referred to as such by residents. South Oakland is considered by some to be an example of a student ghetto.

South Oakland was the childhood home of Andy Warhol, and later the residence of fellow pop artist Keith Haring. Haring had his first art show while living in Oakland. NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Dan Marino was also born in Oakland, not far from Warhol's home. Warhol and Marino actually grew up on the same block and their former houses are merely a few doors down from each other.

Central Oakland

Neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Population (1990): 5406[1]

Population (2000): 5281[1]

Area: 0.281 mi² [1]

• Central Oakland is bordered by Schenley Park, the Boulevard of the Allies, Fifth Avenue, and Halket Street. This is where the majority of non-dormitory students reside. It is home to many of their favorite eateries, fraternity houses and club houses. It is also the location of the relatively isolated neighborhood of Panther Hollow which runs along Boundary Street. Although it is formally designated as a separate section, Central Oakland is commonly grouped together with South Oakland, and the "central" name is rarely used by residents.

West Oakland

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) has numerous hospitals adding to Oakland's skyline

Neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Population (1990): 1938[1]

Population (2000): 2272[1]

Area: 0.215 mi² [1]

• West Oakland, the smallest of the four districts, is bordered by Fifth Avenue in the south, DeSoto Street in the east, the Birmingham Bridge to the west, and Allequippa Street to the north. Magee Women's Hospital, most of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Carlow University can be found there.

Oakland facts

• The neighborhood is the location of the massive Carnegie cultural complex, originally funded by Andrew Carnegie, which includes the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Music Hall.

• Oakland is home to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, sponsor of the annual Greek Food Festival, as well as St. Paul Cathedral, mother church of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

• Oakland was, at various points, the home of professional sports teams, including the hockey Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the baseball Pittsburgh Pirates. They played at now-defunct venues such as the Duquesne Gardens, Pitt Stadium, and Forbes Field. The Pittsburgh Symphony and many touring plays and musical acts performed at the also now-defunct Syria Mosque.

• WQED, Pittsburgh's PBS station and the first community-sponsored television station in the United States, has been located in Oakland since 1954, although it moved from its original building to a new, larger one in 1970. WQED's first building, which had originally been the manse of a neighboring church, is now the Music Building of the University of Pittsburgh's main campus. Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, the nationally syndicated children's show, was taped at WQED's studios in Oakland.

• Oakland is less than 3 miles (4.8 km) from Downtown Pittsburgh, and as a whole is bordered by Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, the Hill District, Greenfield, Bloomfield, and the Bluff.

Oakland attractions

• Carlow University
• Carnegie Institute (several facilities)
  • Carnegie Museum of Art
  • Carnegie Museum of Natural History
  • Carnegie Music Hall

"Interpretations of Oakland," a mural by John Laidacker on Forbes Avenue depicting scenes from Oakland, including Mr. Rogers.

• Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Main)
• Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)^[2]
• Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens^[2]
• St. Paul's Cathedral
• Schenley Farms Historic District
• Schenley Park^[2]
• Schenley Plaza
• Soldiers and Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial
• University of Pittsburgh (Pitt)
  • Cathedral of Learning
  • Heinz Memorial Chapel
  • Frick Fine Arts Building
  • Forbes Field remnants and plaza
  • Masonic Temple (now Alumni Hall)
  • Petersen Events Center
  • Salk Hall
  • Schenley Hotel (now the William Pitt Union)
  • Stephen Foster Memorial
• University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Hospitals
  • UPMC Presbyterian
  • UPMC Montefiore
  • UPMC Eye & Ear Institute
  • UPMC Western Psychiatric Institute
  • Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC

Gallery

North Oakland seen from near the top of the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning.	Heinz Memorial Chapel at the University of Pittsburgh	Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens[2]	The Carnegie Museums
Hamerschlag Hall at Carnegie Mellon University[2]	The University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning viewed from the William Pitt Union	The University of Pittsburgh's Alumni Hall	Intersection of Forbes Avenue (the main business district) and Oakland Avenue
The Pittsburgh Public Schools' Board of Education administration building	Panther Hollow Lake in Schenley Park[2]	Carnegie Mellon University's Mellon Institute	Aerial view of Pittsburgh Public Schools' historic Schenley High School
View of the main branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh from Schenley Plaza	Soldier and Sailors' Memorial on 5th Avenue in North Oakland.

Notes and references

• Toker, Franklin (1986, 1994). Pittsburgh: An Urban Portrait. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press. ISBN 0-8229-5434-6. 

External links

• Interactive Pittsburgh Neighborhoods Map
• University of Pittsburgh
• Carnegie Mellon University
• Carlow University

See also

• List of Pittsburgh neighborhoods