Just south of downtown and the Center City neighborhood, Sixth Ward is among the more urban communities in Altoona. Tightly packed single-family homes from the early 1900s, churches and businesses line the gridded streets of the neighborhood. “There were originally very few homes in Sixth Ward. It was on top of a hill with a lot of farmland around it. It’s developed more and more over the past 100 years,” says Bob Baranik, lifetime Altoona resident and board member of Amtran, Altoona’s transit authority. The neighborhood has now been built out for decades, but it has started to see some redevelopment with major projects like the Graystone residences. These independent and assisted living senior communities built in the converted Bon Secours Mercy Hospital have quickly filled up with retirees taking advantage of the neighborhood’s vicinity to medical facilities and downtown.
Greystone is a 7-story, 152-unit high rise located in the heart of Altoona,
Sixth Ward is among Altoona's more urban neighborhoods, with single-family homes.
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Early 20th-century styles on gridded streets
Much of Sixth Ward has flat terrain, though houses on the neighborhood’s southeastern end, including along 20th and 22nd streets, go down a steep hill. Many of the older homes in Sixth Ward were built between 1900 and 1940 and include Victorian, detached row house and traditional styles. Some of these properties sit vacant or need extensive repairs, while others have been renovated. Houses often have backyards with single-car, detached garages and little or no front yards. Most homes have front porches with sidewalks in front of them, though some sidewalks are overgrown. Common exterior adornments include potted flowers, American flags and practical features like satellite dishes. Gutted homes or homes otherwise requiring work range from $10,000 to $90,000. Properties built in the early 20th century that have been better maintained or recently redone cost between $100,000 and $150,000. Sixth Ward also has a handful of homes built between the 1950s and 1990s, including ranches, split levels and Colonial Revivals. These properties cost between $120,000 and $270,0000.
The Sixth Ward community is represented by all types of homes for residents to choose from.
Many different styles of single family homes make up much of the Sixth Ward community.
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6th Ward Community Center and more athletics
The 6th Ward Community Center is on Fifth Avenue. The recreation center has youth sports, including basketball and volleyball. Also nearby is Prospect Park, with its playgrounds, basketball court and ball field. For more sports facilities, Mansion Park Stadium is about 1 mile from the neighborhood. The grounds include a 10,400-person football stadium, practice football field, baseball fields and tennis courts used by the local high school for games and practices. The grounds are also open to the public. Locals can explore nearby state parks in the surrounding Allegheny Mountains, including Canoe Creek State Park, about 10 miles east. Canoe Creek has a swimming and recreation lake surrounded by mountain views and 12 miles of trails where hikers can walk along wetlands, spot the old Blair Limestone Company limekilns and look for wildlife like bluebirds and bald eagles.
The 6th Ward Community Center offers basketball, bleachers and indoor gym, and volleyball.
Canoe Creek State Park is a 911.91-acre park in Frankstown Township, Blair County
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Students attend the Altoona Area School District
The Adams building on 6th Avenue served as the neighborhood’s elementary school until the 1960s, and it's currently used as a maintenance and storage facility for Altoona’s school district. Most students in Sixth Ward now attend Pleasant Valley Elementary School, which has a C grade from Niche. Older students continue to Altoona Area Junior High School and Altoona Area High School, which earn C-pluses. The middle and high schools are laid out across several buildings near downtown. Students at the high school are also within walking distance of the Greater Altoona Career and Technology Center. Here, juniors and seniors can earn career certifications and take courses in vocational subjects such as carpentry, masonry and HVAC. Bishop Guilfoyle Catholic High School, teaching sixth through 12th grades, is just outside Sixth Ward off Pleasant Valley Boulevard and has a B-plus from Niche.
Bishop Guilfoyle Academy opened in 1922 as Altoona Catholic High School.
Pleasant Valley Elementary serves K-6th grade students in the Sixth Ward community.
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ArtsAltoona Center and Altoona Curve baseball
The ArtsAltoona Center at the Simpson-Temple United Parish on Sixth Avenue serves the community with artistic programs and events. The congregation donated the church sanctuary and education building to ArtsAltoona in 2020, and the organization has been operating out of the campus since then. The community gathers for live music, dance and comedy performances in the sanctuary pews, while the venue’s vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows elevate the experience. For more entertainment, the Altoona Curve Minor League Baseball team plays at the Peoples Natural Gas Field, about 2.5 miles southeast of Sixth Ward.
Arts/Altoona Center provides artist with a way to display and promote themselves and their art.
The Arts/Altoona Center is a blessing according to local artist in the Sixth Ward community.
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Old radio towers and facilities near Sixth Ward
The wooded area in the southern corner of Sixth Ward has cell towers and old radio towers. “The radio station came in 100 years ago and put up large towers because it was on top of the hill. As kids we would sneak in there,” Baranik says. “It’s not a radio station anymore, but the towers are still there, and I think they’ll be there forever. They’ve attached cell towers to the radio towers.” For medical care, residents can visit the UPMC Altoona hospital, about 1.5 miles northeast. Eligible veterans can also receive free or discounted care at the James E. Van Zandt VA Medical Center, about 1.5 miles southeast. Altoona-Blair County Airport is 19 miles southeast. Altoona’s Amtran buses stop throughout the neighborhood along streets including 17th Street and 22nd Street. Interstate 99 runs along the eastern edge of Altoona and takes drivers 40 miles northeast to State College, home of Penn State University.
UPMC Altoona provides exceptional health care to Blair County and surrounding areas.
Interstate 99 takes Sixth Ward residents in and out of the Altoona.
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Locals walk to restaurants and churches
Residents can walk to several favorite restaurants in the neighborhood. Jack & Georges is a classic on Fourth Avenue. The restaurant, which operates out of an old house on a residential street, serves sandwiches, burgers and salads. For a treat, patrons can order a decadently layered cake from the restaurant’s dessert case. Also in the neighborhood is 33 on Mac Bar and Grill, where diners can customize the toppings on their macaroni and cheese bowl. This casual spot takes a modern spin on a diner-style eating space, with classic red leather booths, murals on the bright blue walls and patterned black and white flooring. For groceries, Aldi is a mile away off McMahon Drive. Sixth Ward also has several churches, including Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Sacred Heart Rectory and Grace United Church of Christ. The churches’ steeples and stained glass windows set them apart from the homes surrounding them.
According to Sixth Ward residents 33 on Mac is a great place, with great food and great people.
Jack & Georges has amazing food served up by even better people.
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Independent and assisted living at Graystone
The Graystone Grande Palazzo and Graystone Manor Altoona are 55+ communities converted into apartments by developer Jeff Long. The main building used to be Bon Secours Mercy Hospital on Eighth Avenue. “He took the old hospital that was this big dinosaur that needed extensive renovation and redeveloped them,” says Sue Kuhn, resident of Altoona since 1989. “He got a high-grade, excellent contractor. He went through himself and redeveloped the adjacent neighborhood, so it looked better next to his development.” Another apartment complex developed by Long is just across the street; completion is expected by the end of 2024.
Greystone is a 7-story, 152-unit high rise located in the heart of Altoona,
Sixth Ward is among Altoona's more urban neighborhoods, with single-family homes.
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood?
Reach out to
Trish Gesswein,
an experienced agent in this area.
Parks in this Area
Canoe Creek State Park
Prospect Park
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Sixth Ward
US
Homicide
6
4
Sexual Assault
4
4
Assault with Weapon
4
4
Robbery
5
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
4
4
Larceny
4
4
Crime Score
4
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Sixth Ward Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Sixth Ward, Altoona sell after 46 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Sixth Ward, Altoona over the last 12 months is $96,500, down 12% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Welcome to this lovely 3 bedroom, 1 bath home in Altoona. Convenient, first floor laundry. Covered front and back porches. Off street parking with fenced in back yard. Bonus room on second floor and finished walkup attic. Matterport virtual walkthrough available. Schedule your showing today!
This house is located on 2 parcels of land with plenty of room to update it both inside and out. The home has 6 possible bedrooms (4 on the 2nd floor and 2 on the third floor), 2 full baths, covered closed in back porch, large fenced in yard, first floor laundry, and plenty of living space. Put your own personal touches to bring out the beauty of the stain glass window and beautiful staircase.
Beautifully renovated 3 bedroom, 1 Bath home with a spacious finished attic-perfect for an additional bedroom, playroom or office. All brand-new, stainless appliances, along with a new hot water tank and windows. Beautiful new flooring throughout this lovely home. Granite counter tops and tile backsplash in the kitchen. And a new metal roof. Don't miss out on this one!
Crystal BerardiColdwell Banker Town & Country R.E.
Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood?
Reach out to
Trish Gesswein,
an experienced agent in this area.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Owners
Demographics
Total Population
2,796
Median Age
39
Population under 18
25.6%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
17.4%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$49,056
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$56,489
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
91.3%
College Graduates
17.3%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
4.9%
Below the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
67.3%
Area Factors
Somewhat Bikeable
Bike Score®
32/ 100
Somewhat Walkable
Walk Score®
67/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
