Essay on A Portrait of Southside Flats - 1991 Words

Introduction to the Neighborhood Situated on the Monongahela River is the neighborhood of Southside Flats. Within its boundaries is one of the entertainment hubs of Pittsburgh. The main thoroughfare of E Carson St. is inhabited with bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. The early history of the neighborhood saw it as a beacon of industry with its proximity to rivers and railways. At the end of the nineteenth century, it would boast a steelworks factory that employed a sizable portion of the Southside residents. Many of these residents were immigrants from Eastern Europe and brought many of their traditions with them to Pittsburgh. This way of life would continue until the 1980s when the steel plant was shut down. The area was absent†¦show more content†¦They are left with vacant plants and have begun to take steps to address their problems by trying to attract tourists with such areas as the Works. A city in a similar position was Baltimore as highlighted in the article â€Å"’A Third-World City in the First World’: Social Exclusion, Racial Inequality, and Sustainable Development in Baltimore† by Mark Levine which addresses the issues of Baltimore in its quest for more tourism but is hindered by its high crime rate. The plight of Baltimore is also highlighted in the television program â€Å"The Wire.† Summary of Demographic and Crime Profile When looking at the population numbers of Southside Flats and Allegheny County, there are not many differences. The differences are that the neighborhood has relatively few African-Americans living within it (around 2.5%, while Allegheny County has 12%) (U.S. Census 2000). This is likely due to the history the neighborhood has as a destination for people of Eastern European descent, which would account for the over 95% of the neighborhood that is white (U.S. Census Bureau). Another disparity that appears is the number of home owners. The census information shows that 67% of residents in Allegheny County own their home; Southside Flats data shows that homeownership is about 42% (U.S. Census Bureau 2000). The biggest difference comes in median household income. The median income for residents of Southside Flats is just under $25,000,