The smoke cleared years ago in the city of Pittsburgh, yet its image remains hazy. Pittsburgh is no longer the history book city of steel. Sure, that’s its heritage — even its professional football team is called the Steelers. And the wealthy industrialists left behind an impressive philanthropic legacy: Four of the country’s largest charitable foundations are based in Pittsburgh. But Pittsburgh’s former smoky skies are clear and steel has not been the area’s economic engine for decades.

Today, the economy is driven by higher education, healthcare, the arts, advanced materials, financial services, homeland security and technology such as nanoscience, robotics and cybersecurity. More than 70 companies with revenues of at least $1 billion call Pittsburgh home, and six Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Pittsburgh. The Allegheny Conference and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development secured nearly $3 million to fund a marketing campaign to attract new businesses and more tourists to the area.

Once the mightiest industrial city in America, Pittsburgh’s population has been on the decline since the 1950s. Now about half the size it was in its heyday, Pittsburgh is a mid-size town with big city amenities. That’s one reason the 2007 Places Rated Almanac named Pittsburgh the “Most Livable City in America” — a distinction it earned for the first time in 1985.

Skyscrapers and parks have replaced the mines. Pittsburgh’s hilly landscape is intersected by the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. The unique confluence of rivers is a vast watershed of more than a dozen creeks and river systems extending into New York and West Virginia. The city’s redeveloped riverfront and lush landscape has caught the attention of nature enthusiasts. National Geographic Adventure magazine, said Pittsburgh is considered one of “the best adventure towns to live and play in.” The city’s unique topographic blend of steep, winding hills and flat river areas make it attractive to cycling enthusiasts. Bike magazine recently named Pittsburgh one of the “top five places to live and ride in the United States.”

Inventive, bright people live in Pittsburgh. There are 31 colleges and universities in the city and surrounding area, including Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University.

In 2005, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine ranked Pittsburgh the ninth smartest place to live in America based largely on its affordability, cultural and leisure activities, education options and quality housing. The magazine studied data that also included the quality of healthcare, crime rate, weather and commute times in an effort to determine the 50 most fiscally sensible American cities in which to live. According to Kiplinger’s, Pittsburgh is “currently undergoing a renaissance, this hidden gem has distinctive neighborhoods, tree-lined streets, glittering skyscrapers, upscale shops and a diversified economy.”

LODGING

SHERATON STATION SQUARE HOTEL

The best reason to stay at the Sheraton is access to Station Square, an entertainment and dining complex with bars, restaurants, a comedy club, theatre and more. The hotel has nearly 400 guestrooms, furnished with desks, coffeemakers and wireless Internet access. The hotel’s restaurant, Pittsburgh Rare, serves steaks along with a spectacular view of downtown. 300 W. Station Square Drive, tel 412 261 2000, http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton $$$

THE WESTIN CONVENTION CENTER PITTSBURGH

Connected by a skywalk to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, The Westin is also home to The Original Fish Market. Guest rejuvenate in the 8,000- square-foot WestinWORKOUT featuring free weights, aerobic equipment, Nautilus training, indoor lap pool, steam, sauna, massage therapy and aerobic classes. The hotel has 616 guestrooms and suites. Amenities include coffeemaker with Starbucks coffee, in-room sa fe, and fee-based Internet access. 1000 Penn Ave., tel 412 281 3700, http://www.westin.com

DINING

THE CARLTON

The menu changes daily at this woodpaneled restaurant located in a business district near the major law firms and banks. Seafood is the focus of the menu and meals are complemented by a selection of 450 wines. 500 Grant St., tel 412 391 4152, http://www.thecarltonrestaurant.com$$$

ELEVEN

Contemporary American food is served from an open kitchen at Eleven, a selfdescribed “high-energy, urban” restaurant. The menu showcases foods from Western Pennsylvania. Try the Elysian Fields Farm lamb and save room for dessert. Some of the choices include cappuccino crème brulee, walnut cake and apple crumble pie. Prices are quite reasonable, even for the chef’s table menu, and if you’re not in the mood for a full dinner there’s a “tavern” menu available from 2 p.m. until closing. 1150 Smallman St., tel 412 201 5656 $$$

PRIMANTI BROTHERS RESTAURANT

Known as Pittsburgh’s favorite sandwich shop, Primanti Brothers was featured on the Travel Channel’s “Ten Best Places To Pig Out.” Famous for piling fresh cut potatoes and slaw between two pieces of soft Italian bread. 46 18th St., tel 412 263 2142 $

INFO TO GO

Located 16 miles west of the city center, Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is easily accessible from most of western Pennsylvania’s major interstates. In addition to the usual car rental, limousine and taxi services to and from the airport, the Airport Flyer (28X) shuttle bus (http://www.ridegold.com) departs every 20 minutes and connects the airport with the city center, making stops at several locations including the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne and Carnegie Mellon. Fare is $2.50. Finding your way around town is made easier by the Wayfinder System, a network of some 1,500 color-coded signs that point out important sights and attractions, parks and universities in five districts in the city center and the surrounding areas.

DIVERSIONS

Ride the century-old Monongahela Incline (tel 412 442 2000, http://www.portauthority.org) to Mt. Washington. Originally opened in 1870, the Mon Incline transports passengers at a 35-degree angle to a 600-foot-high perch that offers what USA Today Weekend deemed “the second best view in America.” For a different view of the city, take a leisurely cruise on the Three Rivers, courtesy of the Gateway Clipper Fleet (Station Square, tel 412 355 7980,http://www.gatewayclipper.com).

The Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center (1212 Small-man St., tel 412 454 6000, http://www.pghhistory.org), the largest history museum in Pennsylvania, highlights Pittsburgh’s fascinating past and the “museum within a museum” Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum is a must-see for anyone who admires Pittsburgh’s great sports franchises — the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins — as well as local heroes such as Arnold Palmer. The Andy Warhol Museum (117 Sandusky St., tel 412 237 8300, http://www.carnegiemuseums.org) celebrates another Pittsburgh native. Housed in a former factory, the most comprehensive single-artist museum in the world encompasses an extensive collection of work by the pop art icon.

Just across the Allegheny River at the National Aviary (Allegheny Commons West, tel 412 323 7235, http://www.aviary.org), more than 600 birds from around the world are displayed in naturalistic exhibits. A short drive east of downtown is Oakland — home of the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. It’s also home to several great Pittsburgh attractions: The Nationality Rooms at the University of Pittsburgh are located in the inspiring Cathedral of Learning (tel 412 624 6000, http://www.pitt.edu). Each of the 24 classrooms reflects the culture and heritage of one of the area’s diverse ethnic groups. The Carnegie Museums of Art and Natural History (4400 Forbes Ave., tel 412 622 3131, http://www.carnegiemuseums.org) combine two world-renowned museums into one unforgettable visit. Discover dinosaurs, sparkling gems, ancient Egyptian treasures, and African and North A merican wildlife in the Museum of Natural History. Then, marvel at the Museum of Art’s collections of American art, Impressionist paintings, furniture, architecture and more.

Don’t leave Oakland without seeing the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Schenley Park (tel 412 622 6914, http://www.phipps.conservatory.org). Considered to be one of the largest and finest Victorian glasshouses in the country, the glass display rooms at the Phipps feature tropical, desert, regional, flowering and fruit displays.

At Home with Luke Skurman
President, CEO, and Co-founder College Prowler

Global Traveler: The concept for College Prowler guides, those recognizable orange paperbacks written by students about the “cultures” of various colleges and universities, began as a class assignment while you were attending Carnegie Mellon University. What class?

Luke Skurman: The idea first came to me during the spring of 2000. Joey Rahimi (co-founder and current business partner) and I started working on it on our own time. We enrolled in Entrepreneurship I in the fall of 2000 and began fleshing out our business plan.

GT: There are currently 200 College Prowler guides. Any plans for expanding?

LS: We have guides on more than 233 schools currently, totaling more than 40,000 pages of content. Our goal is to write a book on every four-year college in the United States.

GT: You grew up in California. What drew you to Pittsburgh?

LS: I was very certain that I wanted to go to an East Coast school and I was very passionate about business. After visiting several schools and doing a ton of personal research, I realized that Carnegie Mellon felt right. I liked the fact that Carnegie Mellon had a campus in an urban setting. I liked the fact that I could study business right away as a freshman. I liked the size — not too small, not too big.

GT: What appeals to you about the city?

LS: I love that the city has many neighborhoods that all have their own feel to them. Some of my favorites include Shadyside, Squirrel Hill, Southside and the Strip District.

GT: What surprises newcomers most about the city?

LS: I think what surprises most people about Pittsburgh is how beautiful it is and how genuine the people are. Everyone I meet is very real and down to earth with little to zero pretenses. It’s extremely refreshing.

GT: Why is your company based in Pittsburgh?

LS: Our business is based in Pittsburgh because Pittsburgh is a great place to start a company. The cost of living is reasonable, the quality of life is very high, and the busines environment is extremely supportive. Overall, College Prowler has been welcomed with big open arms in Pittsburgh. It’s been amazing.

GT: What is the business climate of the city?

LS: Truthfully, the business climate in the city is good, but it could be even better. I believe Pittsburgh is a hidden gem with tremendous opportunity. I believe that we will start to see more companies started here and more large companies open up Pittsburgh offices, like Google, Apple, Intel, Microsoft and many others have recently.

GT: What are some of your favorite places to hang?

LS: I love to hang out in Shadyside; it’s a fun area filled with tons of students and lined with numerous bars, coffee shops and restaurants. My favorite restaurants are Bona Terra and Casbah. My favorite attractions are the Andy Warhol Museum and going to Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers games. One of my favorite escapes is actually right in the city and it’s called the West End Overlook. It has the most amazing view of Pittsburgh. I love to go up there and just think. It puts a lot of things into perspective. I love playing golf to clear my mind. My favorite public golf course in the area is called Birdsfoot Golf Club — it’s beautiful and challenging.