family of 5 looking for a great place to live in and around Buffalo New York (Amherst: ski resorts)

[chanamiryam]

OK here is my story......Originally we were offered a job in NYC. We were going to try to find the best place for us to live in and around Manhattan within a 2 hour radius thereof. After all that hard work searching, the company tells us that now they would prefer us to live and work in the Buffalo area. OY VEY!! so now, we are shifting our attention to western ny.

With that said, can anyone advise us on which part of this area is best for the following must have's?

*Orthodox Jewish Day School (elementary age)
*Great Shopping
*Up to 1 hour commute to Buffalo via car or train
*Low Crime
* Great NIght Life close by
* Things to do with the kids -ice skating, bowling, entertainment complexes like big movie theaters etc., museums, water parks, zoo etc.
* Nature - forests, camping, trails, conservation parks, beaches, lakes, fishing
* Close to ski resorts
* Close to Lakes
* Newer construction homes and strip malls and supermarkets


ok I know Iam asking alot.....but I heard that there are beautiful places around Buffalo....I just need to know where the growth is and where the best place to live is.

thankyou in advance

Chana Miryam

[Ham Sandwich]

Lowest crime neighborhood in the area is Amherst. (It's nationally a low crime area--A few years ago it was the #1 safest neighborhood in the US. )

Ski Resorts? Well, the place is pretty much like a pancake, so it wil be a drive.

Nightlife: they cleaned up Chippawa Street (downtown Buff.) in the 80's and it's got some good places.

Lakes? Try NOT running into them! they're everywhere!

Not sure on the school.

Hope that helps.

[aka_mouse]

The way you are asking these questions its as if you were still moving to NYC.

Buffalo is a much smaller city so its no problem to get anywhere from anywhere... so unless you are planning on living way way way out in the middle of nowhere you are pretty much going to be a half hour drive from everything. (You DO need a car though) It doesnt even matter if you live in the city downtown, or in any one of the dozens of towns/suburbs around the city. There is no 'train' unless you are talking the little metro rail thing downtown which isnt that useful for most people.

We don't have ski 'resorts' but there is lots of skiing areas around the city mainly south in the hills. One of the main places everyone goes to is Kissing Bridge but there are other places around too.

Shopping? Elmwood Ave, Hertel, main st in the city. Other than that its going to be spread around and you go to wherever you want. Its not centralized. The Suburbs and surrounding areas are just going to be your regular big box stores and chains. Theres a mall in Hamburg, one in Cheektowaga and an outlet mall in Niagara Falls.

[chanamiryam]

so am I going to like it there if I have lived in places like Chicago, Houston, Miami, Toronto and was going to move to NYC? or am I going to hate it ya think?

[aka_mouse]

Its just smaller... Actually Ive heard people say Buffalo is like a much smaller version of Chicago. If you've lived in Toronto you know we are only like an hour and a half away from Toronto.

As to whether you'll like it, it depends on if you go out and find things to like. Even being a small city I think Buffalo has a lot of the same amenities as larger cities just not a lot of people take advantage of it.


Although really, even trying to compare world class cities with smaller ones is not correct, cause its apples and oranges. Personally I would never live in the cities you mentioned other than maybe Toronto. Buffalo is more like Cleveland.

[Genghis]

Originally Posted by aka_mouse

Although really, even trying to compare world class cities with smaller ones is not correct, cause its apples and oranges. Personally I would never live in the cities you mentioned other than maybe Toronto. Buffalo is more like Cleveland.

And everyone wants to live in a place like Cleveland.

[aka_mouse]

Originally Posted by Genghis

And everyone wants to live in a place like Cleveland.

Who the hell would want to live in Miami? Or Houston? (or for that matter anywhere in those states?)

I like rust belt cities way more than that boring ones in the sun belt.. and Id be fine visiting the major cities in the US but I wouldnt want the hassle of actually living in one. A lot of people get caught up in the fantasy of what living in say NYC or L.A. or SF would be like and in reality its like everywhere else.. you are going to have a lousy job and live in a boring part of town.

[FedupWNY]

chanamiryam, first I wanted to let you know Western New York covers 8 Counties. If looking into the Buffalo area, that would be Erie County.

*Orthodox Jewish Day School (elementary age)
*Great Shopping
*Up to 1 hour commute to Buffalo via car or train
*Low Crime
* Great NIght Life close by
* Things to do with the kids -ice skating, bowling, entertainment complexes like big movie theaters etc., museums, water parks, zoo etc.
* Nature - forests, camping, trails, conservation parks, beaches, lakes, fishing
* Close to ski resorts
* Close to Lakes
* Newer construction homes and strip malls and supermarkets

Not all of these you'll be able to find all in one place... for example, the zoo, the art & science museums are in Buffalo but the bigger movie theaters are primarily suburban (not a long travel though).

Many of the new constructed neighborhoods are being built in the 2nd-3rd ring suburbs, but the only commuter train is Main St. downtown Buffalo to Amherst (a somewhat older neighborhood around UB).

Loft apartment living is becoming the "in thing" in Buffalo, close to downtown, but shopping downtown has been (pretty much) erased.

City/public schools are "under construction" right now both structurally & academically, better schools are found more in the suburbs, but buying a home in Buffalo is basically more affordable than 1st & 2nd ring suburbs.

As per the night life close by, that would be more the downtown area, but also an area a little higher in crimes/trouble/riff-raff (comes with the territory of college aged kids partying all weekend, IMO).

Click here to see the Why Buffalo? thread I created for more information about choosing Buffalo as a place to live.

[BuffaloTransplant]

I guess no one bothered to address your religious concerns. I checked some sites that I thought might help you... from your post, I think you want kids going to a private Jewish day school?

www.kadimah.org Kadimah is a local private Jewish school and it is in Amherst ( 14226 zip is Amherst and the school is just outside Buffalo). There is also a school on Colvin in the city, about 2 blocks in from the Kenmore line. I think it is Torah Teminah, but I can only find a seminary in NYC with that name. If you look up the synagogues, I would think you can find out. I taught near the school on Colvin and I know it is there; I think it is orthodox. I know Kadimah has a very good reputation. This is a link to the big synagogue here; some of of my kids' friends went here. I know it is reform, but maybe they can point you the right way. Home Note: I have no idea why this comes up "home"; it is for temple Beth Zion, Buffalo. The link works. Try this as well: Young Israel of Greater Buffalo I put in Orthodoc schools and got one orthodox congregation with a useable site with links.

If your primary concern is the school, look to Amherst/Clarence if you want to be near one.
Best of luck.