Where can you dine on nouveau French cuisine, run errands, catch a foreign flick, and practice yoga, all on the same street? In Regent Square, a small, park-like neighborhood on Pittsburgh’s eastern edge that packs a lot of punch per square block.
With a population of about 1,131, Regent Square is a neighborhood composed of parts of four municipalities—Edgewood, Pittsburgh, Swissvale and Wilkinsburg.
Bounded by
Frick Park on the west, Trenton Ave. on the east, the Parkway on the south and Forbes Ave. on the north, Regent Square is
neighbor to Point Breeze and Squirrel Hill. Represented by City Council District 5, it’s home to Pittsburghers of varied incomes.
It’s all on the Square
The pulse of Regent Square lies in its compact and attractive S. Braddock Ave. business district. Within just 3 1/2-blocks, you'll find independently owned businesses, nonprofits, boutiques, and eateries, and—truly noteworthy distinction--not a single chain. Residents can truly get it all done, from drycleaning to taxes to coffee meets, within a few walkable blocks.
For a shopping fix, try the boutiques that specialize in antiques, housewares and vintage treasures. Light up your life with chandeliers or sconces from Typhoon Lighting, which features a dazzling display of eclectic illuminations. At LeMix, an impressive array of retro jewelry and furniture awaits. Shop with a cause at
Ambiance Boutique, which resells designer fashions to support
Bethlehem Haven. Head to Katerbean for java or chai, and free Wi-Fi.
From fresh Thai cuisine at Green Mango to popular American fare at 24-year-old Dunning’s, Regent Square is a diner’s delight. A happening brunch spot is the festive
Square Café, which draws weekend crowds. Relatively new is upscale
Legume Bistro, run by Trevett and Sarah Hooper who recently relocated from San Diego. With duck confit and grass-fed beef, Legume’s intimate setting has become an instant Regent Square hit, drawing diners from all over Pittsburgh.
For those craving nightlife, Braddock Ave. makes for a great pub-crawl, boasting several neighborhood bars. The art of cartography meets casual dining at the geographically-adorned Map Room, while at Braddock’s northern end, Ryan’s Pub draws die-hard sports fans, Reuben lovers and
Karaoke-addicts. The easy and comfortable Dunning’s offers its own homespun charm.
No visit is complete without a stop at D's Six Pax & Dogz which boasts Pittsburgh's largest selection of imported and micro brews (1,000 varieties), a beer library and
Pittsburgh Beer Society tastings. Here you can customize mix-and-match six packs after downing one of those famous hot dogs. Vegetarians take note: D’s serves tofu dogs! Try the breaded fries, voted 2007’s “Best Fries in Pittsburgh” by Citysearch. In January, look for the new D’s Sweet Treats and Deli across the street.
Got a mile-long errand list? In between shopping and practicing your Downward Dog, you can run to a full-service gas station, newsstand, florist or anything from financial planning to home remodeling.
Anchoring Regent Square’s northern end is the
Center For Creative Play (CFCP), with 15,000 square-feet of parent-child play areas that draws 45,000 annual visitors. It also houses
Fitness Yoga,
Gateway to the Arts, East End Fitness, All About Dance, Interplay Child Care, and
Computer Fellows. CFCP spokesperson Heather Mediate loves the location. “You can go to the Gap anywhere, but in Regent Square you can support people who live and work here. There are so few neighborhoods left that are truly independent.”
Speaking of independence, if you can’t find a babysitter, take the
children to the center’s “Kids VIP” Saturday night sitting service.
Eat, Drink and Be HealthyRegent Square has emerged as a health hub with the new
Pittsburgh Center for Complementary Health and Healing, a new founded by Nikki Remic, a 2007 “40 Under 40” winner by
Pittsburgh Magazine as well as Fitness Yoga. Founder and native Australian Joanne Spence, who also runs the nonprofit
Yoga in the Schools, has tracked Regent Square’s transformation over the years. “I don’t think I've ever seen it so alive and hopping,” she says.
Got Green?Regent Square residents cherish their proximity to Frick Park, the country’s biggest urban wilderness park. With 600 acres, it’s also Pittsburgh’s largest park. On the Regent Square side are the popular Forbes and Braddock Playground and recently restored red clay tennis courts. When the city threatened to pave them, a group of tennis
enthusiasts who live within walking distance of the courts—some born
outside of the U.S. and many affiliated with the city's universities—raised funds for their restoration and completed the work with volunteers.
The old adage “a dog is a man’s best friend” is not taken lightly in
Regent Square, where residents frequent the park’s off-leash dog run. Afterward, they might head to Paws-itively Pets on Braddock to treat their furry friends to a hydro-surge therapeutic massage bath. Or if they’re too booked to walk Fido, they find help at Regent Square’s Go Dog Go walking service.
Park stewardship is alive and well in Regent Square, where the
Nine Mile Run Watershed Association works to protect the area’s 6.5 square-mile urban watershed, home to the country’s largest aquatic ecosystem being managed by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Architecturally Worthy
From modest yet solid Hulley homes to soaring Victorians, Regent Square’s architecture is noteworthy. Gracing wide streets and tree canopies, the charming, tree-lined streets include Colonial Revivals, Arts and Crafts and bungalows. Some believe that industrialist George Westinghouse encouraged his execs to build in Regent Square, hence some of its larger homes. Simple Hulley homes, built in the 1920s by developer E.B. Hulley for families entering the middle class, feature iconic “refrigerator rooms,” attached to the backs of homes for ice and milk deliveries.
Acclaimed architect Frederick Scheibler, who designed in the Art Noveau and Arts and Crafts style, built several grand stucco homes along
Trevanion St.
A is for arts, C is for communityRegent Square is also known for its arts and community destinations. Cultural mecca
Regent Square Theater—the largest nonprofit art house in Western Pennsylvania and one of America’s last remaining single-screen theaters—was built in 1938 and is run by
Pittsburgh Filmmakers. The 300-seat theater hosts 600 screenings annually, including the region’s largest annual cinema event,
The Three Rivers Film Festival. Before showtime, peruse contemporary art at the notable
Concept Art Gallery and folk art at Brigadoon Art Salon.
Activism and arts education run deep in Regent Square, courtesy of
Susan G. Komen for the Cure,
Gateway to the Arts and
Bach Choir of Pittsburgh. In addition, many architects, attorneys and designers have located their businesses along Braddock Ave. An easy bike ride away are the
East End Food Co-op,
Construction Junction,
Homewood Cemetery, and Edgewood Towne Center.
Via a
Sprout Fund grant, Regent Square commissioned local artist Kristin Williams to paint a mural depicting a bird’s eye view of the neighborhood at 1101 S. Braddock Ave. This spring, look for streetscape improvements, including new banners and bike racks that will freshen up Regent Square.
Every May Regent Square hosts its legendary community-wide yard
sale, which lures thousands of deal-happy shoppers. For your flea market fix, visit the seasonal outdoor sale in Typhoon’s parking lot. For fast-paced fun, there’s the annual 5k “Run Around the Square” every August. Also popular are the House Tour, Easter egg hunt and Halloween party.
Residents receive a free monthly newsletter, have access to four public libraries, and attend classes such as wine appreciation and hip-hop dance at
Wilkins School Community Center, which also features a new ADA compliant playground.
Served by
Pittsburgh Public and
Woodland Hills School Districts, Regent Square is home to River Valley School, and just minutes from acclaimed
Shady Lane School and
Shadyside Academy Junior School.
And plans are afoot to bring an environmental charter school to
Regent Square. Carrie Webber, president of Regent Square’s 350-member strong Civic Association, sums up the neighborhood’s appeal: “The community is all encompassing. We have everything—the diversity of older established families who have lived here for decades and young parents moving to the area.” And once they get there? “People don’t want to leave.”
For more on Regent Square scroll down to see the Featured Neighborhood.
Jennifer Baron is the development news and Pop Filter editor for Pop City. She is happy to report that her brother Jeff just relocated from Brooklyn to Regent Square.
Captions:
Kristin Williams' "Bird's Eye View"
Le Mix
D's proprietor Cindy DeFlavio
Class at Fitness Yoga
Charlie gets a haircut at Paws-itively Pets
Victorians on East End Avenue
Regent Square Theater
All photographs copyright Brian Cohen