Living in West View, PA: A Local Guide

Name: Mike Pastor
Address: 5310 Perrysville Rd, Pittsburgh, PA, 15229, US
Telephone: 412-214-9494
Price range: $$
Rating: 5.0

Overview & Orientation

West View is a borough in Allegheny County, in Pittsburgh’s North Hills along Perry Highway (U.S. Route 19). It covers about 1 square mile. West View is known as the former home of West View Park, an amusement park that operated from 1906 to 1977, and is served by the North Hills School District.

Where West View Is

County: Allegheny County
Municipality type: Borough, incorporated on March 20, 1905, from part of Ross Township
Size: About 1 square mile
ZIP code: 15229. West View addresses use “Pittsburgh, PA” as the mailing city, even though West View is an independent borough.
Main street: Perry Highway (U.S. Route 19) runs through the borough and holds its borough offices, fire station, and business district.
Nearby communities: Ross Township, from which the borough was formed, surrounds much of West View. Bellevue, Avalon, and Ben Avon are a short drive south.

Typical Drive Times

Times are approximate. Traffic varies by time of day.

Destination	About
Downtown Pittsburgh	15–25 minutes
Oakland	20–30 minutes
Ross Park Mall and McKnight Road	10–15 minutes
Cranberry Township	20–30 minutes
Pittsburgh International Airport	30–40 minutes

A Brief History

Casper Reel, a German immigrant who settled here around 1761, is recorded as the area’s earliest European settler. He later became the first tax collector north of Pittsburgh. The name is said to come from the view to the west that travelers saw heading north from Pittsburgh.

The Allegheny-Bellevue Land Company and developer Frederick Christian Martsolf assembled 640 acres to form the borough, which incorporated on March 20, 1905. Martsolf became the first council president that May. West View sat at the end of the Bellevue-West View trolley line, which brought steady traffic from Pittsburgh.

Notable Landmarks

West View Park site: The amusement park opened on May 23, 1906, and was known for roller coasters like the Dips and the Racing Whippet. Its Danceland ballroom hosted the Rolling Stones’ first Pittsburgh show in 1964 and burned in 1973. The park closed after the 1977 season.
West View Park Shopping Center: Opened in 1981 on the former park site along Route 19. A carousel horse on the shopping center sign recalls the park.
Perry Highway business district: Borough Hall, the volunteer fire station, shops, and restaurants along Route 19

Housing & Real Estate

Housing Stock

Layout: A compact, 1-square-mile borough with residential streets on both sides of Perry Highway
Development era: West View was laid out after 1905, when the land company assembled the borough’s 640 acres along the trolley line.

Types of Homes

Homes in West View sit on residential side streets off Perry Highway, within a short walk or drive of the business district. Styles and lot sizes vary from street to street.

Prices and availability change daily. That means the live feed is the place to check. See current homes for sale in West View.

Schools

Public Schools

West View is served by the North Hills School District, which also serves Ross Township.

West View Elementary School (K–5), located in the borough
Highcliff, McIntyre, and Ross Elementary Schools (K–5)
North Hills Middle School (6–8)
North Hills High School (9–12)

Elementary assignment depends on address. Confirm with the district.

Nearby Colleges & Universities

La Roche University and Community College of Allegheny County North Campus (McCandless)
Community College of Allegheny County Allegheny Campus (North Side)
University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, and other Oakland campuses

For school performance data, visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Future Ready PA Index and the district’s own website. School assignments can change. Confirm directly with the district.

Getting Around

Major Roads

Perry Highway (U.S. Route 19): The borough’s main road, running south toward the North Side and Downtown and north toward Ross, McCandless, and Wexford
McKnight Road: The North Hills’ main commercial corridor, a short drive east
Interstate 279 (Parkway North): The highway route to Downtown, reached through neighboring Ross Township

Public Transit

Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) buses serve West View, including the 8 Perrysville and 13 Bellevue routes. PRT has been redesigning its bus network, so check the PRT trip planner for current routes and schedules.

Walkability & Bikeability

See Walk Score for West View, PA for walking, transit, and bike ratings.

Things to Do

Parks

West View’s five borough parks are maintained by the Public Works Department and open dawn to dusk.

Richard E. Powell Park
500 block of Perry Highway. Playground, basketball court, and gazebo.

Columbia Park
200 block of Columbia Avenue. Playground and gazebo.

Glenmore Park
Ashford and Glenmore Avenues. Playground and basketball court.

Chief John W. Farley Park
Norval Alley, between Park and Martsolf Avenues. Playground.

Barry G. Schell Field
Center Avenue, between Bronx and Columbia Avenues. Baseball field.

Recreation

North Park: Allegheny County’s largest park, with a lake, trails, a pool, and golf, a short drive north in McCandless and Hampton
Northland Public Library programs: Classes, events, and story times (see Library below)

Dining & Shopping

Perry Highway: Local restaurants, shops, and services in the borough
Mandy’s Pizza: 512 Perry Highway, a West View pizza shop since 1979
West View Park Shopping Center: On Route 19, on the former amusement park site
Ross Park Mall and McKnight Road: The North Hills’ main shopping area, 10 to 15 minutes away

Library

West View is in the service area of Northland Public Library, 300 Cumberland Road in McCandless, (412) 366-8100. Northland serves the North Hills and North Allegheny school district communities.

Local Services & Resources

West View Borough Building

441 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh, PA 15229
Phone: (412) 931-2800
Website: wvboro.com
Council meetings: Usually the second Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. at Borough Hall, 439 Perry Highway
New residents: See the borough’s welcome packet for services and contacts.

Utilities

Water: West View Water Authority, 210 Perry Highway
Electric: Duquesne Light
Trash and recycling: Waste Management. Trash is collected weekly and recycling every two weeks, in borough-provided carts.
Leaves: Collected by the borough’s Public Works Department
Snow: Property owners must clear sidewalks within 24 hours after a snowfall.

Emergency Services

Emergencies: Call 911
West View Police Department: Contact through the borough at (412) 931-2800
Fire: West View Volunteer Fire Department, 471 Perry Highway
EMS: Ross/West View Emergency Medical Services Authority

Hospitals Nearby

UPMC Passavant (McCandless)
AHN Allegheny General Hospital (North Side)

Permits & Zoning

West View uses Code.sys Code Consulting for building permits, with applications available online. Call the borough at (412) 931-2800 before starting a fence, deck, addition, or other exterior project to confirm what zoning approvals apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is West View, PA in?

West View is in Allegheny County, in Pittsburgh’s North Hills.

Is West View part of the City of Pittsburgh?

No. West View is an independent borough, incorporated in 1905 from part of Ross Township. Its addresses use “Pittsburgh, PA” as the mailing city, with ZIP code 15229.

What school district serves West View?

The North Hills School District. West View Elementary School is in the borough, and older students attend North Hills Middle School and North Hills High School.

How long is the drive from West View to Downtown Pittsburgh?

About 15 to 25 minutes. Traffic varies by time of day.

What happened to West View Park?

The amusement park operated from 1906 to 1977. A shopping center opened on the site along Route 19 in 1981.

What parks are in West View?

The borough has five parks: Richard E. Powell Park, Columbia Park, Glenmore Park, Chief John W. Farley Park, and Barry G. Schell Field. North Park is a short drive north.

Who provides water in West View?

The West View Water Authority, headquartered at 210 Perry Highway.

Who collects trash in West View?

Waste Management collects trash weekly and recycling every two weeks, using borough-provided carts.

Where is the West View borough building?

The borough building is at 441 Perry Highway, Pittsburgh, PA 15229. The phone number is (412) 931-2800.

Thinking About a Move to West View?

Whether you are buying in West View or selling a home here, we’re happy to answer questions. No pressure. Just local knowledge. Start with the current West View listings, or reach out to our team.

Mike Pastor Group | Realty ONE Group Landmark
412-214-9494 | pittsburghhometeam.com