Schenectady City neighborhoods (Union, Rotterdam, Oneida: where to stay, city hall, rentals)

[ckhthankgod]

In your honest opinion, what would you consider to be the good, so-so and rough neighborhoods of Schenectady? How would you describe each neighborhood?



Schenectady 2020

[piperspal]

Downtown - worked there for about 2 years, a little over 3 years ago. Still drive through and/or conduct business in the downtown area. Depressing. Kudos to the determined business owners who are not giving up. There was a "business improvement district" initiative started a few years ago. I don't remember the exact name of it, but it's having a hard time taking off; the city either can't or won't spend the needed $$$ to make it a success. I DO NOT feel safe there after dark.

Stockade - Historic. Pretty streets & homes. Residents for the most part take pride in the historic value of their neighborhood. They have home & garden tours several times a year; an art show outside by the Indian. Some great restaurants & cafés.

Vale & Hamilton Hill - Have been eroding slowly over the past decade. There was a time back around 2000-2004 when you could be guaranteed to attend a city hall meeting & see a neighborhood watchdog show up. They would do their best to describe the plight of the area to the city fathers. This was televised on local cable access channel & was really sad to watch. Here are concerned citizens with a solid investment in their neighborhoods & being basically ignored. Vale Cemetery is a prime example. Historically significant; yet filled with vandalism, graffiti, drugs, gang activity, etc. How can anyone pay respects in an environment like that?

Central State Street - Also been on a downhill slide for years. Another place you won't find me after dark.

Union Street & Eastern Ave. - For the most part, both are safe & nice neighborhoods. Beautiful homes; many have been converted into multi-dwelling structures. Parts of the neighborhood are very walkable, esp. Upper Union Street. Nice shops & eateries.

Northside - Don't know too much about this area. Sorry. Some good Italian restaurants though!!!

Bellevue & Mont Pleasant - Some of the streets are starting to get a little tired as more of the houses turn to rentals; but for the most part, IMO, these are nice neighborhoods where family roots run deep. Mostly working class, proud folk. Heavily settled with Italian & Polish families - nice people who aren't afraid of hard work. Great bakeries & such. Some sections getting unsafe the closer to the downtown/State Street drag.

Woodlawn - Some very nice parts of Schenectady can be found in Woodlawn. Again, sketchier as you get closer to downtown...but go back off Consaul Roads & there are some truly sweet areas. Friend of mine is fixing up a little cottage in Woodlawn. Huge yard, safe street, nice neighbors. The house is relatively small, but he won't lose any $ by adding on. Paid less than 65G just 3 years ago.

[HomerBrink]

I once lived in the Union Street neighborhood and liked it very much. Walkable and leafy (in the summer that is). Lots of good housing stock, too.

[HockeyFanMA]

I will tell you exactly where to stay away from and nice neighborhoods. Bellevue is very nice and borders Rotterdam. Upper Union St. is nice as well and includes many shops along with restaurants. Downtown consits of several bars and shops along with a newly redone movie theatre. Places to stay away from are sections behind Union College (including lower goose hill neighborhood which includes hattie st and foster ave.) Yates Village (avenue A and B.) Upper Mont Pleasant (Crane st, bridge st, Penn Ave.) Southern part of vale and all of Hamilton Hill. Oh, and stockade has some lovely homes. There is much history there. Otherwise, have yourself a blast.

[j12308]

I agree w/ a lot of what pipersal said.

I'll add my 2 cents, also try searching for some of my previous descriptions of Sch'dy neighborhoods. Or email me directly if you want something more specific.

Northside - I live here and it's difficult to give you a review for the entire area because some of it isn't nice. Lots of it is nice. I'd say in general beyond Lenox towards the river isn't as nice. VanVranken and towards the river- I wouldn't live there. I shop on VanVranken but I wouldn't walk there at night.
Near Oneida Middle School and Ellis Hosipital is nice. I've really enjoyed my neighborhood, very friendly neighbors, nice old colonials, sidewalks.

Downtown - right along State St. I feel safe, there is usually something going on at Proctors or folks going to the MovieLand that there are people walking around. Art Night can bring lots of people downtown.

[margiem3]

I actually live on the Northside near the Ge plot and Ellis hospital and I really like it. I love walking the Ge plot it is beautiful. My kids play outside with kids from the neighborhood and we have great neighbors. It's very close to everything and the city recently repaved our streets and sidewalks so everything looks realy nice as well.

[Puru]

The Union Street neighborhood is mostly a college community and some businesses from what I gather, and it's pretty nice from what I've seen.

Vale and Hamilton Hill areas are to be avoided, especially at night, especially alone.

The Stockade and Downtown areas have some really cool history and usually isn't too bad, and State Street is pretty cool.

[piperspal]

Originally Posted by margiem3

I actually live on the Northside near the Ge plot and Ellis hospital and I really like it. I love walking the Ge plot it is beautiful. My kids play outside with kids from the neighborhood and we have great neighbors. It's very close to everything and the city recently repaved our streets and sidewalks so everything looks realy nice as well.

Yes! That is a very pretty area. My friends & I take a "detour through that area when we go to Mari's for sushi. Or Ferrari's for Italian. ( don't get me started - not enough time to plug all the great eateries in Schenectady.) The GE Plot is so pretty during the holidays; as are many Schenectady neighborhoods.

I also like a lot of the streets there and off Union that have median green space. I always see folks out there tending to them,
planting flowers, etc. It seems so friendly.