Uptown Pittsburgh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Uptown Bluff
Neighborhood of Pittsburgh
Uptown (visible on the left side of the image) overlooking the Monongahela River.
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Allegheny County
City	Pittsburgh
Area
• Total	0.327 sq mi (0.85 km2)
Population  (2000)
• Total	6,600
• Density	20,180/sq mi (7,790/km2)

Uptown or The Bluff is a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is also known by its older names, Soho and Boyd's Hill. Uptown is located southeast of Downtown Pittsburgh. It borders the Hill District to the north. The neighborhood is also across the Monongahela River from the South Side. The main zip code for Uptown is 15219.

Uptown is home to important places like Mercy Hospital and Duquesne University. It also has a community of homes that was very busy in the early 1900s. The Pittsburgh Fire Bureau 4 Engine and 4 Truck are also located here.

History of Uptown Pittsburgh

The area now known as Uptown was first called Ayer's Hill. This name honored an English fort built there in the mid-1700s. Later, around the time of the American Revolutionary War, it became known as Boyd's Hill. This name was used throughout the 1800s as Pittsburgh grew.

Early Development and the Soho Estate

Uptown was first developed by James Tustin, an interesting man from England. He built a large estate in the area in the late 1700s or early 1800s. His home had an English style and a fruit orchard. People at the time said it was "the most beautiful place in Pittsburgh." This was noted in a 1915 article from the Pittsburgh Gazette–Times. Tustin named his estate "Soho" after a place he lived in Britain. Soon, the whole neighborhood started to be called Soho.

Becoming Part of Pittsburgh

The neighborhood was originally part of Pitt Township. But it became part of the city of Pittsburgh in 1846. This happened after a huge fire in 1845 destroyed many buildings in Pittsburgh. The city needed to rebuild and grow.

Changes Over Time

A guidebook from 1922 said that the houses in Uptown were "old and not attractive." It also mentioned that many factory workers and their families lived there. A 1977 guide noted that Uptown was once a nice place for wealthy Pittsburghers to live. But as factories moved in, the wealthy families moved out. The neighborhood was also affected by Pittsburgh's urban renewal projects in the 1960s. Some people believe it has never fully recovered since then.

Today, new construction projects are happening in Uptown. Duquesne University is expanding its campus. There is also new development around the arena where the Pittsburgh Penguins play hockey.

Uptown Neighborhood Character

Fifth Avenue in Uptown has some law offices, like Schiffman Firm, LLC. You can also find a few restaurants and bars there. However, there are also many empty stores and small parking lots for people who work Downtown. Brick rowhouses, which are houses built in a row, are very common in this neighborhood.

People in the community are working hard to bring back a strong sense of identity to Uptown. The residents include people who work Downtown, long-time residents, university students, and health professionals.

City Steps in The Bluff

The Bluff / Uptown neighborhood has two sets of city steps. One of these is very old and impressive. It connects Bluff Street to Second Avenue and has 170 steps. It also includes a walkway that goes over the Boulevard of the Allies. These steps are very popular for Duquesne University students, teachers, and staff. They use them to get to the 10th Street Bridge and the Southside. These City Steps help people quickly reach public transportation. They make it easy to travel through this busy area.

Neighboring Areas

Uptown shares land borders with four other Pittsburgh neighborhoods:

• Downtown Pittsburgh to the west and northwest.
• The Crawford-Roberts part of the Hill District to the north.
• West Oakland to the northeast.
• South Oakland to the east.

The entire Bluff area is also next to the western part of the South Side Flats. These two neighborhoods are separated by the Monongahela River. You can get between them using the South Tenth Street and Birmingham Bridges.

Images for kids

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  A panoramic view of Pittsburgh's Bluff or Uptown neighborhood from the top of a parking garage at Duquesne University from January 2008

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  Fifth Avenue High School, built in 1894, at 1800 5th Avenue.

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  Reymer Brothers Candy Factory, built around 1910, at 1425 Forbes Avenue.

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  Kaufmann's Department Store Warehouse, built around 1910, at 1401 Forbes Avenue.

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  Armstrong Tunnel, built in 1926, between Forbes and 2nd Avenues at S. 10th Street.

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  South Tenth Street Bridge, opened in 1933, over the Monongahela River at S. 10th Street.

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  The city steps connecting Second Avenue to Bluff Street in the Bluff-Uptown neighborhood of Pittsburgh.