Hills and valleys of homes above the Allegheny River
Hanging off hillsides crowned with aged industrial-era homes, time-worn cemeteries and midcentury suburbs further north of Pittsburgh’s city limits, Reserve Township is a long-established gateway to the North Hills. “It's a very small community where people are keyed into what’s going on in their neighborhoods,” says Jan Kowalski, manager of Reserve Township. “We have fantastic views of the city skyline.” Within 5 miles of downtown Pittsburgh, Reserve Township balances suburban schools and shopping centers with connection to the green spaces and local businesses enriching post-industrial communities along the Allegheny River.
Well-kept homes line the streets of Reserve Township.
Reserve Township offers cozy living amid prewar charm along the Allegheny River.
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Prewar homes and hilly midcentury suburbs
Jutting over hillsides above Troy Hill and Millvale on the southern edge of the township and standing along the Spring Garden Avenue valley, a mix of late 19th-century and prewar single-family homes sell for $100,000 to $300,000 depending on square footage and renovation levels. Further north, side streets and subdivisions on rolling hills become wider and more suburban, lined by small ranch-style, Minimal Traditional and simple two-story homes built in the 1940s through 1970s which sell for $170,000 to $300,000. Townhouses built in pairs on grassy subdivisions in the 1990s sell for $230,000 to $290,000. A few churches pop up between homes throughout the township.
You can find many bungalow style houses in Reserve Township.
Some streets in Reserve Township feature prewar brick paving.
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Downtown Pittsburgh commutes and Pittsburgh Regional Transit
To get downtown, residents have a 5-mile commute heading west to merge onto Interstate 279 or braving the infamously steep and narrow Rialto Street, also called Pig Hill, to merge onto Route 28. PRT buses run along Mt. Troy Road and Spring Garden Road.
If you need a fast way to travel to downtown from Reserve Township you can take Route 28.
Bus stops are scattered throughout Reserve Township, about 20 minutes from downtown.
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Small businesses and North Hills commercial hubs
While Reserve Township does not have much commercial life, a few locally owned businesses sit off Mount Troy Road and Spring Garden Avenue. One mainstay for bar food and a drink is Hog’s Head Bar & Grill, also called The Pig Bar after the area’s historic role in Pittsburgh’s pork and tanning industries. “It’s a neighborhood watering hole. Our fire chief is the owner,” Kowalski says. Gardeners take their green thumbs to Brenckle’s Greenhouses to peruse fragrant rows of flowers, vegetables and hanging baskets accompanied by the operating family’s greenhouse cat and dog. For groceries, locals can head down to the Shop ‘n Save off Babcock Boulevard. Big box retailers like Target and Best Buy line McKnight Road all the way to Ross Park Mall 5 miles north of the township.
Hog's Head Bar and Grill is the only popular food spot in Reserve Township.
Spring time means buying flowers at Brenckles Greenhouses in Reserve Township.
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Girty’s Woods, community parks and nearby river trails
From an access point down Irwin Lane, hikers venture through deep woods extending down into Millvale on steep, narrow trails through Girty’s Woods. Locals can find an unnamed pocket playground and basketball court fenced between houses on Spring Garden Avenue or shoot some hoops below the tiny, grassy baseball field at William R. Prom Memorial Park. Outside the township, residents have access to even more green spaces. “People can piggyback off a lot of the city of Pittsburgh’s parks. Right down Rialto Street you can bike on Herr's Island and the river trails that connect all the way to Washington D.C.,” Kowalski says.
Residents walk their dogs at Girty's Woods in central Reserve Township.
Girty's Woods is a large plot of green space in Reserve Township.
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Attending Shaler Area School District
Kids attend kindergarten through third grade at Reserve Primary School which earns a B from Niche, followed by fourth through sixth grade at Shaler Area Elementary School which earns a B-minus. Students finish up at Shaler Area Middle School which earns a B and Shaler Area High School which earns a B and provides areas of concentration to help students choose courses that align with specific interests in STEAM careers.
Shaler Area Middle School is on Mt Royal Blvd in Shaler Township.
Shaler Area High School is a public school for grades 9-12 and is rated B by Niche.
See dreams take flight and knowledge find its roots within Reserve Primary School.
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Annual Reserve Township Light Up Night
Among holiday celebrations throughout the year, Light Up Night on the Thursday after Thanksgiving is one of the Reserve Township’s best loved and attended. “We get a few hundred people which is a big deal for our small community. We try to do a pretty spectacular event,” Kowalski says. Festivities include rides around the Reserve Township Office’s parking lot, which is decked out in Christmas lights, in horse-drawn carriages, visits from Santa, tree lighting and performances by carolers.
Rialto Street a.k.a. "Pig Hill" takes you up a 24% grade from Pittsburgh to Reserve Township.
Reserve Township is only 15 minutes outside downtown Pittsburgh.
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Photography Contributed By
Nick Conti
Video By
Bridgette Cyr
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Bertie Verbanac,
an experienced agent in this area.
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