An established community connected to Altoona's railroading history
When the Pennsylvania Railroad Company established Altoona as a railroading town in the mid-19th century, neighborhoods like East End were developed next to the rail yard so employees could walk to work. Altoona’s railroading industry, which focused on building and repairing steam engines, hit its peak in the mid-1900s, but the introduction of diesel engines caused economic decline. “You still wake up to train whistles every morning, and the train has an active presence in town, but there are only a few hundred employees there now,” says Scott Reilly, who was born and raised in Altoona. He adds that families and investors end up looking to the area for investment opportunities or inexpensive homes, as East End is convenient to the core of the city, which is experiencing new development. “We’re kind of inching our way back onto the map. We just had Miranda Lambert come for a concert, and I don’t think we’ve had a name like that come into town in years, so it’s an encouraging sign,” Reilly says.
Gridded streets of Foursquares and bungalows
Century-old homes are concentrated on gridded streets, many of which do not have front yards. When the rail yard scaled back on jobs in the mid-to-late 20th century, some houses fell into disrepair, so homebuyers would buy a property to renovate. “That area has cost-effective property values, so it’s an inexpensive place to fix up a home and retire,” says Mark Ickes, Executive Director of Explore Altoona. Many of the houses are from the early 20th century and include American Foursquares and bungalows. Prices fluctuate between $45,000 and $180,000, as some homes require major renovations. Traditional homes from the late 1800s and early 1900s are usually duplexes or multifamily homes, which supported the housing needs of railroad workers. These usually cost between $60,000 and $100,000, depending on condition. Some ranch-style properties were added in the northern section of the neighborhood in the 1970s; these are priced between $250,000 and $300,000.
Traditional homes line the straight streets of the East End neighborhood.
A bungalow in the East End neighborhood is not common but makes a nice statement.
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Astronomy classes at the planetarium at Altoona Area High
Kids might begin at Mowrie A. Ebner Elementary School, which has a C rating from Niche. Older students can advance to Altoona Area Junior High School and finish at Altoona Area High School. The high school hosts the Neil Armstrong Planetarium and adjoining Space Race Museum, which has been educating students and the public about outer space and the Space Race since 1972. High school students can enroll in astronomy classes held at the planetarium, while all residents may attend public sky shows. The largest Penn State satellite campus is about 4 miles northwest of East End, but the Sheetz Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence is about a mile from the neighborhood. “There’s an emphasis on supporting young entrepreneurs to get them to stay in the area. Sheetz had the opportunity to set up their building in partnership with Penn State at the main campus, but they wanted to keep it local,” Reilly says. The center has programs like Altoona LaunchBox, which offers co-working space and free resources to support startups.
The Altoona Area High School is one of the state's best-equipped high schools.
The Mowrie A. Ebner Elementary School in Altoona serves children in grades K-6.
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Little League games and disc golf near East End
Baseball is popular in Altoona, and there are a couple of fields in the neighborhood. Kids play baseball or softball through East End Little League, which has team options for children between the ages of 4 and 12. Geesey Park has another baseball diamond for practices and Little League games. There aren’t any large public green spaces directly in East End, but Valley View County Park is less than a mile east. Locals challenge themselves to games of disc golf, kick soccer balls around the large grass fields, watch their kids run around the playground, or take nature walks at the park. The Allegheny Mountains frame Altoona, and community members often take advantage of their proximity to the rolling, forested peaks. Canoe Creek State Park is about 13 miles southeast; hikers explore trails that wind through meadows, wetlands and forests, and fishermen can fish at the lake year-round. The lake allows boating, and locals may swim at a sand beach in the summer.
Disk Golf is very popular at Valley View County Park.
Fishing is a popular pastime for East End residents, at Canoe Creek State Park where trout and other fish are caught.
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Local eateries throughout the neighborhood
Casual local restaurants and chain restaurants are scattered across East End. Luigetta's Restaurant is a sandwich and salad spot that’s been known for its house-made salad dressing. Taps on 2nd Tavern and Grill is a classic sports bar serving beer on tap and pub fare, like burgers and wings. After work, locals grab drinks and play pool at Kettle Inn, a cash-only bar. Small convenience grocery stores like FeFi’s allow residents to stop in for grab-and-go essentials, but larger supermarkets that stock fresh produce are nearby. Martin’s and Weis Market are both under 2 miles from East End. Since the streets are more concentrated in older, established neighborhoods like East End, residents must travel toward the outskirts of Altoona for larger shopping centers. Big box retailers like Walmart Supercenter, Target, Sportsman’s Warehouse and Barnes and Noble are all about 6 miles southeast.
Taps on 2nd is an East End neighborhood institution with great food and drinks.
For groceries, the closest supermarket to the East End neighborhood is Martins'.
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Minor league baseball games and activities at the Railroaders Memorial Museum
Parents often find themselves at their kids’ baseball games through East End Little League, but residents also enjoy ball games at People Natural Gas Field. “We have our own minor league baseball team called the Altoona Curve, which is named after the Horseshoe Curve train track. It’s a sign of the summer to go to a Curve game, and they’ll have fireworks after most of the home games,” Reilly says. Residents can also learn about the people who shaped the city at the Railroaders Memorial Museum, which is about a mile from the neighborhood. “It’s the only interactive railroad museum in America. It’s not a train museum; it centers the story of the ‘railroader’ and their families,” Ickes says. Along with regular visiting hours, the museum organizes events like movie nights and seasonal activities, like pictures with Santa and a scavenger hunt in December.
Altoona Curves Baseball is a nearby attraction to the East End neighborhood.
Shaffer's Full Steam Ahead Hobby Shop offers train buffs from the East End a great resource.
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Bus stops and convenient thoroughfares
Though some are cracked or overgrown with weeds, there are sidewalks throughout the neighborhood for residents to walk to convenience stores or restaurants. The Amtran bus system also operates bus stops throughout East End; the Greenwood route connects residents to Martin’s, the Valley View Shopping Center and the Transit Center. Drivers only have to travel a mile southwest to go downtown or merge onto U.S. Route 220 to the east. The route connects residents to Interstate 99, which runs north-south through central Pennsylvania. For longer trips, an Amtrak train located downtown goes to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and the Altoona-Blair County Airport is a small, rural airport located about 20 miles south.
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On average, homes in East End, Altoona sell after 28 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in East End, Altoona over the last 12 months is $130,450, up 27% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
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