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Have you ever experienced anything yourself, or heard any first hand accounts? Can you walk around at night in: Pine hills, center square, ...or arbor hills...? Thanks!
Have you ever experienced anything yourself, or heard any first hand accounts? Can you walk around at night in: Pine hills, center square, ...or arbor hills...? Thanks!
pine hills neighborhood is good I lived there for 8 years.
Center Square neighborhood is beautiful- all 19th century historic brownstones- I'm sure the heart of this area is pricey, but you may be able to find something on the borders of it. Pine Hills is also nice, both of these areas border Washington Park which is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the city. Ironically, Center Square is not that far from Arbor Hill, but seems worlds away.
As for first hand reports- I drive thru Arbor Hill every day on my way home, local news reports of crime there on a weekly basis, and it's the first place mentioned when one asks which area is the absolute pits of Albany, though parts of South Albany may be even worse.
P.S. This might be a controversial topic, but the Capital Region also has a rapidly-growing LGBT community. I've noticed that usually an influx of gays/lesbians into a city tends to foreshadow urban revitalization efforts, so Albany might just be on the cusp of a great breakthrough.
This may also be contriversial and you can admit or deny your association but it seems you may be G,B,L,T yourself. If so, than it seems to follow that such a person thinks that they are surrounded with explosive gains in their numbers wherever they go or are interested in going. I dont have to slam any particular people groups to admit the fact that this group has more a positive outlook on their gains than perhaps any other. This may not be a bad thing for themselves but you are a bit over zealous in your predictions. While it is a fact that the GLBT crowd is very vocal and out of the closet, it merely "appears" that you are taking over or gaining. This is not a fact. There are no indications that Albany is becoming a GLBT hot spot. They only have more open activites than before and are more vocal.
Just another note while I'm at it. If its true that people are born that way than the Percentages will change ONLY with the overall population figures. The average percentage is universally understood by most professional researchers to be a mere 10%. or is it 2%, but neither can be substantiated. If in fact, Albany ever becomes a gay mecca that will only mean that there are less somewhere else...... Whatever!!
So I started a thread 2 days ago on "Bad Neighborhoods in Albany Why so Bad?" No replies to my question, even after 40 views. Why can't anyone give a straight answer on why Arbor Hill is so "bad" Can you explain what it is. Since I have never been to albany I am clueless. When you say bad, I think in all fairness you should at least give a reason, like "too loud" "run down". I too am thinking of relocating.
Ok, Arbor hill would probably have one of the highest percentages of welfare recipients. Does that make it a bad neighborhood? not necissarily, but decide for yourself. It would indicate that there are many of the problems that are usually associated with such statistics and it has been a fact that while the "hill" statistics fluctuate, it has had its fluctuating problems with drugs and crime, perhaps more than any other section of Albany. If you are used to those "potential" problems and they dont intimidate you, I would say please investigate living there. It may be just the neighborhood for you to be involved with. I think anyone would agree that if you have the "moxie" than go there and be the positive influence that you are and take your stand and be a "lighthouse" of good citizen. That type of person is needed wherever you choose to go and not just Arbor Hill. Godspeed.
Just another note while I'm at it. If its true that people are born that way than the Percentages will change ONLY with the overall population figures. The average percentage is universally understood by most professional researchers to be a mere 10%. or is it 2%, but neither can be substantiated. If in fact, Albany ever becomes a gay mecca that will only mean that there are less somewhere else...... Whatever!!
Show me this research. I'd be very interested in it. Where were these figures derived from? Did some government think-tank just walk up to random people and ask "Are you gay?" Naturally, most LGBT people are going to deny their orientation in situations like that for fear of retaliation in the workplace or within their own families should their results become public.
A great example of this would be my high school here in Northeastern PA. I was the only openly-gay male in a school of 1,200 students when I graduated. Since then more and more are "coming out of the closet," and I've had my suspicions about a few more who I caught glancing at me in the locker room on occasion. There's no definitive way to accurately "count" those in the LGBT community, so I'd be highly-skeptical of ANY study you could show to me that had attempted to do just that. Given the homophobic nature of the residents in Metro Scranton, I'd be the first to deny my sexuality if asked about it in a survey for fear I could become the next Matthew Shepard.
By the way, I'm basing my judgments about Albany having a "growing" LGBT community by when I used to be single and had personal ads out online. Out of curiosity I'd view the number of ads in the entire Tri-State Area, and usually the Capital District would have a tremendous number of personal ads. This could be flawed as well---perhaps more households in Greater Albany have PCs than here in Scranton (where a pathetic 65% of the population owns a computer!)
If people want to move into Albany or other older towns and help fix up the stately old homes ..and bring these areas back, then I could care less what their sexual orientation is. These areas have such great potential.
I was walking around older Albany yesterday, having some business at the new Surrogate's Court facility on Clinton Ave..very close the the base of Arbor Hill. What a pretty view it is from there looking up the hill at the back of the impressive Capitol Building. During the day at least that spot seems ok and they have really made it look nice around where Clinton meets North Pearl, adjacent to the historic Palace Theater.
i would say to stay away from the downtown area in general. although areas like arbor hill and areas south of the pepsi arena are the worst all areas of albany experience crime. you would be better off looking for a place a little bit west of the downtown area up washington or western avenues there are some really nice quiet areas. but if you want to live downtown arbor hill and south albany on pearl st. after the pepsi are not the best areas a lot of gang activity, drugs, people hanging out hasslings people that walk by, just basically high crime area lots of fights and violence in those areas. also anything around central ave near quail st. and south is not really good either.
I am excited to visit, and see all these neighborhoods you are talking about. I will post my thoughts when I return from my weekend getaway. When we tell people we are going to albany for the weekend we get a weird look from most of our city friends..they look very puzzled. But we are very private so we don't want to tell the world we are interested in it as a possible relocation spot. So I guess Albany is a weird place to visit for a Romantic Fall weekend getaway. Any ideas on how to make the most of it, and see the neighborhoods. We are planning on taking Amtrak and will be getting around by bus. How is the bus system (CDTA) by the way. And also, is the style of dressing in albany more relaxed in Albany? Do people dress up to go out at night? Thanks for your insight. It was helpful to read all your thoughts on the neighborhoods, and yes we are city people but we want a smaller town feel at the same time so we are interested in possibly relocating to the downtown area..I'm thinking Pine Hills right now. I really do need to visit first though. Of course. Just trying to figure out if it is even worth considering. From the sound of it, it is. Although some people did have very negative things to say about Albany, I don't think they really probably get urban life. it sounds like Albany is a city that is trying to make something of itself.
Arbor Hill and the South End are considered bad neighborhoods because they have the reputation of competing for the drug business, because they are geographically divided but school system merged (rivalries), because there's lots of poverty/minorities/vacant buildings. Check the city's crime reports. These may be "bad" neighborhoods and areas where I wouldn't go for a walk in the evening, but compared to many cities the number of violent crimes/deaths is extremely low: to-date this year-one fatality.
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An honest answer
