Bloomfield

Red, white and green parking meters attest to the fact that Bloomfield is "Pittsburgh's Little Italy." In fact the neighborhood's Italian roots reach back more than five generations. But the neighborhood mix also includes descendants of Germand and Poles, many of whom continue to have strong ethnic pride, customs and commitment to family and place, giving the neighborhood its character. No doubt, Bloomfield is a great place to live—and visit.

 

The Bloomfield Bridge, built in 1914, connects the neighborhood to the universities and cultural attractions in Oakland. About 38,000 people live within a mile of the heart of the neighborhood, the majority of who are employed in white collar service industries. The many row houses' unpretentious exteriors often conceal lovingly maintained interiors.

Bloomfield is located in the center of several world-class medical facilities including West Penn Hospital, UPMC Shadyside Hospital, Children's Hospital and the Hillman Cancer Center, all of which bring visitors and employees to the business district. New to the neighborhood is a planned $230 million mixed-use development. The multi-phase project will feature condos, a hotel, retail space as well as office and medical space. Plans for the "lifestyle center"—which will seek the environmentally friendly LEED certification designation—also include a cinema, grocery, outdoor pavilions and covered pedestrian walkways.

Spiritual and architectural anchors of the community include Immaculate Conception Church and Saint Joseph Parish. Pittsburgh architectural historian, Franklin Toker, has said that Bloomfield "is a feast, as rich to the eyes as the homemade tortellini and cannoli in its shop windows are to the stomach." Its colorful mix of shops and restaurants attracts thousands of visitors from throughout the Pittsburgh region.