Why they call it the backyard

[PghUSA]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06113/684424-85.stm

Story on how Pt. Marion Pennsylvania, in the census defined Pittsburgh metro, is now being assisted by it's "hometown" university only 9 miles away, WVU.

Though most outside of this region don't realize how "Pittsburgh" spreads from Ohio through WV and into Maryland, and even most Pittsburghers don't give enough credit to how extensive our "Pittsburgh" is in many ways, WVU taking one of our "suburbs" (according to the US Census and OMB) under it's wings, nevermind the fact that WVU is in the Pittsburgh DMA by Neilsen, once again shows to talk of WVU or Jesuit as "Pittsburgh" universities may not be such a stretch after all. If WVU isn't "Pittsburgh" what's it doing helping out a census-defined Pittsburgh suburb?

As native son Dennis Miller would say, don't want to go on a rant here . . . but

[Evergrey]

Though Point Marion is technically within the Census-defined metro due to it residing within Fayette County, I would definately not consider it a "suburb" of Pittsburgh. I doubt there is much commuting from distant, isolated Point Marion to Pittsburgh. It just happens to be within the farthest reaches of the farthest county in the Pittsburgh metro.

Pittsburgh "sphere-of-influence"? Yes. Pittsburgh "market"? Yes. Pittsburgh "region"? Most likely, depending on how you want to define it. Pittsburgh "suburb"? Definately not.

Nice article though. In addition to Pittsburgh's revitalization... we need to work on the great towns and cities throughout the Pittsburgh "sphere of influence".

[TheGerbil]

On the other hand, I think "suburb" is to some extent a way of thinking. I am pretty sure Steubenville considers itself a suburb of Pittsburgh (for some purposes anyway), and I doubt a lot of people make that commute. So in some ways Pt. Marrion could be a suburb or Pgh. Not that it matters much, I am just glad to see any struggling town get help.

[Evergrey]

Steubenville is closer (and quicker) to Pittsburgh than much of the Pittsburgh metro. It was its own city at one time , but may function as more of a suburb (though it's not considered PGH metro) than an independent city today. It would be interesting to see figures for Steubenville/Weirton.

[urbanophile]

On the other hand, I think "suburb" is to some extent a way of thinking. I am pretty sure Steubenville considers itself a suburb of Pittsburgh (for some purposes anyway), and I doubt a lot of people make that commute. So in some ways Pt. Marrion could be a suburb or Pgh. Not that it matters much, I am just glad to see any struggling town get help.

Steubenville? I doubt it. For one thing, they have their own NBC station and so aren't even considered part of the same TV market as Pgh.

I think it would be stretching it to consider anything outside of Allegheny County, with the exception of a few fringe townships like Cranberry, Peters, Franklin (Murrysville), as a suburb of Pittsburgh. When you get to places like Latrobe, Eighty-four, Ligoneer, Mars, and Irwin, you're really hitting exurb territory, not suburb. Steubenville, I wouldn't even characterize as exurb. They're pretty much their own entity. They may have links to Pgh because it is the closest major city but that's the type of link Caton/Akron has to Cleveland and Reading has to Philadelphia.

[Evergrey]

Steubenville? I doubt it. For one thing, they have their own NBC station and so aren't even considered part of the same TV market as Pgh.

I think it would be stretching it to consider anything outside of Allegheny County, with the exception of a few fringe townships like Cranberry, Peters, Franklin (Murrysville), as a suburb of Pittsburgh. When you get to places like Latrobe, Eighty-four, Ligoneer, Mars, and Irwin, you're really hitting exurb territory, not suburb. Steubenville, I wouldn't even characterize as exurb. They're pretty much their own entity. They may have links to Pgh because it is the closest major city but that's the type of link Caton/Akron has to Cleveland and Reading has to Philadelphia.

I remember about 6 years ago Steubenville was marketing itself as a suburb of Pittsburgh. There were billboards on 22 West proclaiming: "Steubenville: Pittsburgh's newest suburb".

[TheGerbil]

I remember about 6 years ago Steubenville was marketing itself as a suburb of Pittsburgh. There were billboards on 22 West proclaiming: "Steubenville: Pittsburgh's newest suburb".

That's what I was thinking of. I specified "for some purposes" because I know that in most ways it is its own market.

[PghUSA]

^^you took the words right out of my mouth, though I do agree I would like to see the actual #s, something though tells me that the "Upper Ohio Valley" area--as it is referred to is much more closely aligned with downtown Pittsburgh then is let on.

You pointed out the NBC affilate being independent, the last time I checked that WV/Ohio area was dependent on Pittsburgh for 3 of the majors (including Fox and WB), add to that the story of the "missing girlfriend" that made international headlines about a year ago, she lived in Ohio and commutted to Pittsburgh to work at the Pennsylvania State office building, and other news stories that link up with Pittsburgh, nevermind the fact that Nutting who made his fortune in Wheeling and Stuebenville went to buy his "hometown baseball team" of the Pirates.

I realize the census and Neilsen have yet to incorporate that area into the Pittsburgh metroplex, but I believe in the next 20 years or so we will see that happen to an extent.