A vision for the Pittsburgh Metroplex

[PghUSA]

Since around the country and around the world when you say "Pennsylvania" people immediately think of either the city of Philadelphia or the Pennsylvania Dutch (at least from my experience). I have an idea beyond consolidation, yes then when someone reads that American Eagle Outfitters is from Warrendale they won't think "suburb of Philly" or when they hear Christina Augilera is from Wexford or Mark Cuban is from Mt. Lebanon they also won't immediately think "suburb of Philly" but what about Washington, or Beaver Falls or Latrobe, Rolling Rock is a Philadelphia beer I have heard on countless occasions from bartenders outside of Pa.

What I propose is since Greene County and Lawrence County WANT more attention in the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission http://www.spcregion.org, why not recognize that no one beyond 200 miles realizes where exactly Southwestern Pennsylvania is, they DO recognize the Pittsburgh Steelers, they do recognize Pittsburgh. My proposal is to dissolve most if not all of the cities and boroughs in the metro counties, similar to how many sunbelt metros have counties that provide city like services, sometimes as the only or one of the few governments in the county. Rename all metro counties Pittsburgh North (Butler), Pittsburgh South (Fayette), Port of Pittsburgh (Beaver), Pittsburgh East (Armstrong), Pittsburgh Heights (Westmoreland), Steel Valley (Washington), SW Pittsburgh (Greene), NW Pittsburgh (Lawrence). The news datelines, the "Joe Namath was born and raised in . . . " etc. would all tell the world what Pittsburgh's metroplex's true character was. If Pittsburgh was similar to Atlanta where Georgia was almost synomyous with Atlanta then I wouldn't think we needed this, unfortunately all too often I've told people out of town I was from New Stanton, and they ask me how I like the Philly airport, or ask me how I drive with the amish on the roads. New Stanton and all of Westmoreland should be Pittsburgh Heights or some similar name, we root for the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins, we watch KDKA and listen to KQV, watch Panthers basketball, get rushed to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center if its major and fly out of Pittsburgh International Airport, why should we tell the world something different in a news dateline or bio? Nobody cares about New Stanton or Beaver Falls when they are making huge corporate decisions in San Francisco, Seattle or Hong Kong, they would however know something of Pittsburgh.

[TheGerbil]

I see your point but.... Never gonna happen. Besides, it would be tad confusing wouldn't it?

"Where's your office?"

"Pittsburgh Heights."

"Er... That's the one that used to be Greene County?"

"No no, that's Southwest Pittsburgh."

However I understand where you are coming from, and I feel the same way you do about people seeing PA as Philly and Amish Country. It is frustrating.

[Evergrey]

Correct me if I'm wrong... but isn't there an Amish population located within the northern reaches of the "Pittsburgh metroplex"... like rural northern Butler Co. and Lawrence Co.?

[PghUSA]

^^Everygrey yes there are some populations like that, I think technically they are shakers or something not exactly amish, no matter they basically quack and walk as a duck. Only thing is Pittsburgh metro though it has some amish like villages and some oil rigs would not be legitimately construed as either "oil country" or "amish country".

Gerbil, initially your correct and yeah it would step on some local pride in some of those communities, but at the same time they are hungry to court companies like "Sony PITTSBURGH Center" in New Stanton etc. and be included in regional decision making with the SPC. After a few months any confusion I think would disappear. Heck we can live with McKeesRocks and McKeesport being two very different and very seperate towns presently. Same with Moon and Mars and Sewickley City and Sewickley Township Westmoreland County. It will be different to be sure but overall it might help in the long run.

[mjcatl2]

I didn't think there was a bigger advocate for consolidation than me PghUSA...

I love the ambition, but I truly think that consolidating with most of Allegheny County would be A) a significant challenge B) essential and effective C) large enough and D) a great marketing statement.

[PghUSA]

^^Oh I wouldn't "consolidate" all 9 counties, that would be a little much, just rename them and have them consolidate within themselves. No more having Joe Namath be from "some town named Beaver something outside Philly or something", instead it would be "Port of Pittsburgh, Pa." etc. I do agree though mj that the pittsburgh/AC consolidation is priority #1 and unlike the renaming of the metro counties, would be much deeper impact then just semantics.