Rebuilding my city__Clairton

There are many negative comments on how bad Clairton really is today and just as many reasons.I also grew up in Clairton__ I also left. A better description would be, ran. When I left, as a young man, I took with me, and so did you, my skills,knowledge and education.In my case I never thought about living in Clairton because I knew,or at least, believed I could do better than Clairton.Years later the city is in its current state. When you add up the mass departure from any city, especially a small city like Clairton,all potential growth will cease with the quality of life, snatched away. I write this to say what? Lets come up with a plan to help rebuild our city. Instead of writing how bad the city is, let put our heads together and formulate a plan for rebuilding. As for me, I'm working on a plan__ will any one join me? I will offer some of what I believe Clairton will need to survive in this century. I hope to read your commentary and not your criticizing. Louis LaMonte

I commend you. I've stopped commenting on this blog because of Rasputin. He's stuck on the same theme. Kill the mill. I coined his name because like the real Rasputin ,he never seems to die.

I hope this thread stays alive and positive. Clairton is criticized for the crime, poverty, and school system. At the very least, these three issues seem be the cornerstones of Clairton woes. Addressing these issues without a tax base seems impossible. And building a tax won’t happen until these issues are resolved. Where do we start .especially with the current global recession, to begin a positive cycle?
Clairton never recovered from the recession 80’s. Maybe it’s time for Clairton to recover.
Take a good close look at the homes in Clairton. Look at the many nice homes. Every time Clairton is on T.V we see the ugliest places of Clairton. Please don’t think so narrowly that there is nothing but wrecks in Clairton. I just looked at a home in Upper Saint Clair that is currently fit for human occupancy.
Many of the homes on Clairton Hill were built for U.S. Steel management and are big grand old homes. And the other homes built for laborers were constructed in to standards that are far above what you can build today anywhere at any price. Just try to find true 2X4’s that actually measure 2X4. Or how about planked roofs? Those things don’t exist anymore.
Ride through Clairton park. It is one of the nicest parks in the area. And the pool is awesome. The park has a walking trail and pavilions that are in great condition. The large pavilion has a kitchen with a huge outdoor pavilion! The park is meticulously maintained.
And take notice of the streets in Clairton. I remember a time when it was full of potholes. Drive on any street and count the potholes. I’ll bet you’ll use one hand. And even during the heaviest snowfalls, the streets are cleared as well as or better than municipalities with much more resources than Clairton.
Compare buying a home in Clairton to a home in a Pittsburgh community. If you have ever dealt with code enforcement officers, you will find most of them to be arrogant and have no technical knowledge.
George Gragola (spelling might be wrong) is super cooperative and great in which to do business. And getting lien letters and such from the finance department is hassle free. In fact, give yourself a little extra time when doing business with Clairton officials and staff. They are all friendly and down to earth people.
I can’t wait to hear what the suggestions and ideas will be.
Please keep the comments realistic and applicable to the topic. If you have a gripe, offer a solution!

Well Virgona will be out of office soon. Has he done anything as mayor? Nothing good will happen in Clairton with some of the people you have running things.

I was certain the positive comment roll would be broken by a different poster, but yrg7, you managed to do it first. Rather than whine and complain, why not offer positive alternatives? As mentioned above, Clairton has some of the grand older homes that can be refurbished and become showcases.

How about this for and idea: seek grant monies to have some of the homes, particularly along Mitchell and Halcomb refurbished, become historical buildings, and offer tours to locals and tourists like Newport RI does on a much grander scale. With one such positive idea implemented other forward thinking people will be attracted and the riff raff will be priced out of the market.

Too idealistic? One definition of genius is the ability to look at something and see the potential of something else.

Nobody wants to move to Clairton. You're kidding yourself. Why refurbish a house that you'll lose your money on?

Bus tour to Halcomb Ave? That's funny. The bus can stop at the ice cream place on the corner where all the kids hang out.

The town was never that nice to begin with.

CHS Grad wrote:

I was certain the positive comment roll would be broken by a different poster, but yrg7, you managed to do it first. Rather than whine and complain, why not offer positive alternatives? As mentioned above, Clairton has some of the grand older homes that can be refurbished and become showcases.
How about this for and idea: seek grant monies to have some of the homes, particularly along Mitchell and Halcomb refurbished, become historical buildings, and offer tours to locals and tourists like Newport RI does on a much grander scale. With one such positive idea implemented other forward thinking people will be attracted and the riff raff will be priced out of the market.
Too idealistic? One definition of genius is the ability to look at something and see the potential of something else.

My dear friend, myself and others -- including yourself -- have presented numerous and viable alternates. Idealistic? I would hardly put coal liquifaction, coal gasification, fuel cells, plastics, or pharmaceuticals in that category and more than i would tourism, or bedroom communities -- to name but a few. No these are all viable, proven realities -- even FOREIGN steel plants i f the automotive industry may be seem as an example is a realistic alternative.

None of this, however, can even be attempted while that old dump remains. Getting rid of it will NOT assure recovery -- but it is a necessary precondition. While it remains new industry is locked out, the economy is locked down and no recovery can even be attempted.

The problem is that USS/USW insist on a PAINLESS solution for THEMSELVES.

THERE ISN'T ONE.

Soooo....run them off and give the rest of the MonValley a chance.

samson wrote:

Nobody wants to move to Clairton. You're kidding yourself. Why refurbish a house that you'll lose your money on?
Bus tour to Halcomb Ave? That's funny. The bus can stop at the ice cream place on the corner where all the kids hang out.
The town was never that nice to begin with.

Care to comment on why it never was that nice or why it isn't now?
Thet would eeem to me to be the key point.

samson wrote:

Nobody wants to move to Clairton. You're kidding yourself. Why refurbish a house that you'll lose your money on?
Bus tour to Halcomb Ave? That's funny. The bus can stop at the ice cream place on the corner where all the kids hang out.
The town was never that nice to begin with.

Year to date, 62 homes were sold in Clairton. And no, they were not all delapidated. 79 homes were bought in Jefferson and 87 were sold in Pleasant Hills.
Although they are different markets, someone is moving to or investing in Clairton.

Let's try to use some facts in the thread. It will be easier to find a solution to Clairton's problems if we use facts rather than prejudiced opinions.

samson wrote:

Nobody wants to move to Clairton. You're kidding yourself. Why refurbish a house that you'll lose your money on?
Bus tour to Halcomb Ave? That's funny. The bus can stop at the ice cream place on the corner where all the kids hang out.
The town was never that nice to begin with.

You're right Samson, as long as you feel like a loser and you feel your city is a loser, you and your city will be a loser. The world is filled with those who have no vision, who refuse to think, and who would much rather snipe than look for solutions because it is so much easier to do so, costs nothing, and they get to wallow in their self pity and negativity. I'll bet you're a bald Samson, too , figuratively speaking.

CHS Grad wrote:

<quoted text>You're right Samson, as long as you feel like a loser and you feel your city is a loser, you and your city will be a loser. The world is filled with those who have no vision, who refuse to think, and who would much rather snipe than look for solutions because it is so much easier to do so, costs nothing, and they get to wallow in their self pity and negativity. I'll bet you're a bald Samson, too , figuratively speaking.

Keep in mind, as we have discussed many times, this game has been played back and forth for more than 30 years. Thirty years of this chicanery by US Steel and the USW with the rest of the MonValley as the loser. That HAS to have a cumulative effect.
It's one thing to support a hard-luck/losing ball club. It's something else to when the home team wants to be paid top dollar for blowing every game.

Maybe we need to say "good-bye" to the bums and franchise some other sport -- or industry

I am just Finishing Up wrote:

<quoted text>
Year to date, 62 homes were sold in Clairton. And no, they were not all delapidated. 79 homes were bought in Jefferson and 87 were sold in Pleasant Hills.
Although they are different markets, someone is moving to or investing in Clairton.
Let's try to use some facts in the thread. It will be easier to find a solution to Clairton's problems if we use facts rather than prejudiced opinions.

How many of the homes sold in Jefferson and Pleasant Hills will end up Section 8. More homes are being sold in your city because more people want to move away.

Rasputin wrote:

<quoted text>
Care to comment on why it never was that nice or why it isn't now?
Thet would eeem to me to be the key point.

the town started because of the mill. Now there isnt a reason for the town. the houses are mostly crappy row houses. they were crappy years ago too but nobody knew any better. as soon as people could do better they left. its not hard to figure out. the school is one of the worst in the state. the air is the worst in the US. good luck rebuilding.

wake up wrote:

<quoted text>
the town started because of the mill. Now there isnt a reason for the town. the houses are mostly crappy row houses. they were crappy years ago too but nobody knew any better. as soon as people could do better they left. its not hard to figure out. the school is one of the worst in the state. the air is the worst in the US. good luck rebuilding.

That's just my point. The old dump has outlived its usefuulness and has become an impediment to further progress.

Plow it under and give the rest of the MonValley a chance.

mr miagi wrote:

<quoted text>
How many of the homes sold in Jefferson and Pleasant Hills will end up Section 8. More homes are being sold in your city because more people want to move away.

Here we go with the section eight again. You do realize that there is section eight in the neighborhoods surrounding Clairton. But section eight can be a good thing if landlords would follow the same guide lines that they use on non-section eight tenants.
A landlord still has to run references and credit checks, just like any other tenant. There are landlords that rent without any kind of management.
To rent section eight, the home has to be approved by HUD. It must comply with a laundry list of regulations. And the homes are inspected yearly (more often depending on the number of units in a multi unit). The lease has to be approved by HUD and the home must meet all municipal codes. In Clairton, that means that the home must have an occupancy permit. The zoning officer on Clairton inspects the home to ensure it is up to code.
Do you think section eight brings drugs to a neighborhood? Section eight tenants are removed from the voucher program if they or anyone living with them under a legal lease are convicted of a drug charges
And did you know that in Clairton, you must apply for an occupancy permit every time you rent to a new tenant? If you change tenants three times, you must get three permits.
If we had responsible landlords that follow the law, we would have better standards of housing in Clairton. Owner occupied and renters. Homes that are abandoned would be back on the tax role.
33.2% of the total homes in Clairton are rentals.(not all section 8) 14.7% of the homes are vacant. I know that the rental percentage is high. And new need to ensure that those leasing in Clairton are following the law and are properly managing their properties.
62 homes sold in Clairton means that 62 people bought homes is Clairton. 62 homes remain on the tax role. And not 62 homes were bought by investors. 31 homes were bought by investors and 31 homes were bought by owner occupied. In total $1,911,900 worth of property was sold in Clairton since the beginning of the year. Tell me, who are these people who are moving investing in Clairton and “loosing money on”?

Come on People, lets hear some constructive ideas! PLEASE

All people talk about is how many stores there used to be in the town years ago.

There are many towns around here with no stores, no business area, yet the people are happy and have nice area, they are nice places to live.

If someone opened up stores in the down town area today, would your town really be any different? No. If the movie theaters opened back up, would things be any different? No. If all the stores that existed years ago opened tomorrow, would it change anything there? No. You would have the same town, just with stores.

So the problem isnt lack of business. Lack of business is just the symptom. The problem is the population. Nothing to build on. All the people who could have rebuilt the town left years ago.

I think the bigger questions is, What is the Vision for future of Clairton? Maybe the hang up is simply that the focus is on what "used to be" and returning back to a similar solution, instead of what it "will be/could be". The direction determins the course of action, right now the cart is before the horse.

By the way, Rasputin we know, we know. Please save the USS comment. We hear ya!

Just a Thought wrote:

I think the bigger questions is, What is the Vision for future of Clairton? Maybe the hang up is simply that the focus is on what "used to be" and returning back to a similar solution, instead of what it "will be/could be". The direction determins the course of action, right now the cart is before the horse.

What is the vision? The best the city can hope for is to clean up the crime & tear down the dilapidated buildings. There is not much to work with. Maybe the school with close and merge. That's about the best thing that could happen in the city.

Yes but aren't these reactions to an issue instead of proactive planning. When I say "what is the vision?", what I am really asking is, what kind of community is Clairton to be long term? The steps you mention are a good first start to any plan, but they cannot be the entire plan.