Ask a Level-Head Man Who Lived in Albany, NY (Rochester: high crime, home)

[looking9]

A few questions for the original poster:
1. Within walking distance are there grocery stores, banks, pharamcies, a post office: meaning can one live without a car?
2. How are the heating costs for those brownstones, assuming one insulates properly?
3. How are the taxes on those brownstones? What about a store with living area above - would one be taxed out of sight?

We appreciate any information.

[bela516]

I am from Albany - though I am in the military and have been living elsewhere for a few years and am currently deployed. I have to say that you will definitely need a car but if you live in the heart of Albany there is a lot within walking distance depending on where you settle. I lived outside of Albany in Schodack - a very small rural area but we went to Albany/Colonie for everything - nightlife, malls, etc.

The writer who said that she loved hiking - well the Adirondacks are not too far away from Albany (a couple hours and you are in the heart of the park) and has the most lovely hiking and camping!! You are so lucky. - I would suggest Saranac Lake for hiking and Lake Placid for quaint shopping and dining and join the ADK the Adirondack hiking club)

I am not sure of the current Real Estate Market and what is available in rentals with animals so hopefully the Thread Host can answer that but I think that if you are looking to get out of the "Big" city - Albany will fit the bill. Good luck!!

[jlowe308]

Hi,
Thinking about moving to Albany from NC.I have an interracial marraige with kids but we are not your avaerage and would like to know where would be the safest place with the most decent neighborhoods? Want quiet non-ghetto communities.Julie

[convergent]

Originally Posted by jlowe308

Hi,
Thinking about moving to Albany from NC.I have an interracial marraige with kids but we are not your avaerage and would like to know where would be the safest place with the most decent neighborhoods? Want quiet non-ghetto communities.Julie

It would be easier to identify the neighborhoods to stay away from, than to identify the quiet safe neighhborhoods. Most of the Albany area is quite nice. I am partial to the Town of Colonie which encompasses Latham, Loudonville, Newtonville, and Colonie. We are selling a house in Loudonville right now and moving to NC... so the opposite of you. I have known several interracial families over the years I've lived there and I don't think they had any problems with acceptance.

[sean sean sean sean]

Originally Posted by girlandpup

You are very kind to be helping so many of us with this thread! I was hoping maybe you could give me some insight that would be specific to my situation, too, if you wouldn't mind. I am single (divorced but a few years ago and no children) and 40 years old. I have been living in NYC for many years now, and not only am ready to get out of the big, loud (and over-congested) city, but can no longer afford to stay here. I miss being closer to nature and love being outdoors. I have a dog (medium to large sized) and finding a very dog friendly place that includes a nearby park to take him is a huge factor for me. I also LOVE hiking (with my dog) and now rent a car whenever I can to get out of the city for this. I want to move where there is more "green," and where hiking is nearby and easily accessible for my dog and me. I will buy a car when I leave NYC, but don't want to have to use it for every single thing I do IF possible (I would love to have at least some things walking distance, but the park to take my dog walking distance is more important than anything else). I also know I'm not ready for "small town" living (maybe someday, just not now in my life), simply because I am alone and don't want to be isolated. I also need "culture" around me for things to do (museums, etc.), if you know what I mean. I don't want to move too far upstate b/c do love being outdoors as much as I can, but don't want THAT much snow and for so long, as is much more typical of farther north (like Ithaca, for example, from what I know of it even though I also know how beautiful it is).
Thank you for ANYTHING that you may be able to tell me. I appreciate your (and whoever else) taking the time even just to read all of this!

From what you've said I think you would really love the Center Square neighborhood. It's upstate (of course) but personally reminds me of old pictures I've seen of Brooklyn, and I've heard other people make this comparison as well. Think brownstone neighborhoods like Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene, etc. Some streets still even have cobblestones! It's a highly diverse neighborhood in every regard, I found people to be extremely pleasant living there, definitely has a hippie/yuppie/hipster vibe to it but it sounds like you're probably cool with that. There's no short supply of culture, there are museums, art galleries, coffee houses, bars and restaurants all within walking distance. There's free concerts in the park and down by the Hudson River in the summer time. Any necessities that aren't in walking distance can be reached on the CDTA bus lines, but having a car really helps.

I worried about the weather when I moved up there too, but it turned out to be a lot more mild than I had anticipated, and summers are fantastic. It's definitely an urban setting but if you get in your car and drive 10-20 minutes in any direction, you're in the woods. Nice and relaxing. I think Washington Park is what would really sell you....great place to walk a dog, read a book or just walk around and look at the tulips. It was designed by the same architects who designed Central Park and Prospect Park in NYC and is literally a few feet from Center Square. Some apartments even look over the park which is a stunning view from a balcony or rooftop.

I really have nothing negative to say about Albany, I loved living there. If you don't have a college degree (like me) it's hard to find work, but if you do jobs are easy to come by - especially in financial and IT fields. It's also incredibly cheap compared to NYC. I rented a 2 BR in a landmarked brownstone for $600 a month! Parking can be tough but no worse than NYC. Take the train up and check it out one day, it's a lovely area.

Check out the Center Square Association's web page, lots of good info and pictures:
Center Square Association : HomePage

[Jansu]

What is the midtown neighborhood like? I see some refurbished architectural gems at good prices. Is this a neighborhood for a family? (I should add that schools would not be an issue as the kids would go to private high school if we live in the city).

[ProvGuy]

Midtown is nice around Washington Park east down to Empire State Plaza, lot's of architectural gems. Stay away from the area bounded by Partridge, Central, Madison and S Lake though, it's a lot of college students that are rowdy and will **** on your stoop, etc. West of Partridge the streets off of Western Ave it gets better, but it's more craftsman type homes.

[Jansu]

Thanks for the heads up, ProvGuy. Actually, I love craftsman-style homes!

[ryangiggs]

don't be fooled by those pictures of the park. it is 100% not safe at night. a guy was killed right by the bridge a few years ago. i have said this over and over on threads. the capital district is very nice, one of the best places to live in the country.albany itself has some nice areas but it also has some horrid parts. if i were moving to the area i would want to live near albany but not in it. all of the malls are just west of albany in colonie. try colonie, latham, east greenbush, guilderland, clifton park or even saratoga or kinderhook, but that is getting a ways away.

[ryangiggs]

the problem with lark street is that it is very close to the ghetto. and parking is very much a pain. i don't know why you want to live a 500 hundred yards from the ghetto.