[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by goldenband

Frog Hollow is very sketchy, and that's why the rent is so cheap. A friend of mine had a terrific place on Columbia St. off Capitol, but that was in an isolated cul-de-sac -- at Babcock & Grand, you'll be right in the thick of things.

I don't want to discourage you too much, because I think people like yourself are exactly what Hartford needs -- LGBT folks have been responsible for turning around many troubled areas -- but I also don't want you to have a rough time of it, either. You should really see the area in person before you go much further.

Thank you very much for your honest feedback. I merely assumed that with a location adjacent to downtown that Frog Hollow might have been on the cusp of gentrification. Considering I'll probably be working some long evenings as an entry-level accounting grunt I should look for a place I would feel comfortable walking home to after dark. Even here in "safe" Wilkes-Barre, I've had to hover my hand over my cell phone holster to make it appear as if I might have been "packing heat" while walking downtown at night on a couple of occasions to deter groups of punks from interfering with me as I walked between campus and my parking lot.

I plan to visit Greater Hartford during my Thanksgiving break next month. Maybe I'll take some photos? Regardless I'll report back with my findings---positive and negative.

[ScranBarre]

I also just realized it's only about two hours from Hartford to Boston, Providence, or New York City! SUPERB DAY TRIPS! Hartford is winning me over more and more!

[ScranBarre]

I'm so happy right now I could pee my pants! Speaking of which I better head off to prevent that from happening right before bed! I hope for more insight tomorrow (errr...later today?!)

[goldenband]

Unfortunately, gentrification isn't really happening in Hartford, outside the West End. If downtown starts to reach critical mass, or if hipsters and LGBT folks start pushing the edges of the West End, it might happen. But downtown isn't really happening yet, and the West End is mostly just trying to maintain status quo. So unless Hartford suddenly gets a massive punk-rock or avant-garde art scene, there just aren't enough boho types -- who want to find cheap rent in "real" neighborhoods, or so the stereotype goes -- to get the process started. It seems like a city oriented towards yuppies, whereas what it really needs is hipsters!

[skytrekker]

Lots of good advice ScranBarre from all

As for Manchester, a nice small city just 10 miles from Hartford. The Main street is very nice- an impressive Gothic stone church at the southern end of Main Street- Protestant- not sure what sect.

Plus Saint James RC church atop a hill on Main street- very pretty- and the ever ubiquitous charming white steeple Congregational Church between Main St and W Middle Tpke- when driving south on Main street from the Church and town hall area, a nice view of the Glastonbury hills beyond- with the impressive Main Library on your right.

The Cheney Mansions On Hartford road with their expansive lawns are historic and beautiful- and are near the Mills- now mostly apartments in this historic district. A great French & Northern Italian restaurant near downtown on E Middle Tpke 'Cavey's- one of the best in the state.

Also do not overlook Manchester Community College- an impressive campus- offering much to the community in culture. Manchester also has some fine Theater and Chorale groups. It also has the famous Lutz Junior Museum. In the late 1990's Main st was home to a gay club.

The cities north end- known as Retail Paradise or Big Box Heaven is best avoided on weekends and holidays- though the Evergreen Walk just over the town line in South Windsor is pleasant.

The highland Park area and Porter street are the towns most upscale areas, as is the south end near the Glastonbury town line. Manchester with over 55,000 people manages to squeeze allot in - and does, offering an array of culture, historic buildings and churches, fine restaurants, coffee houses, pubs and a thriving economy.

Hartford remember has under 130,000 people- a small footprint in the entire regions population of 1.2 million- Manchester with over 55,000 inhabitants has nearly 40% of Hartford's population- perhaps that puts things into a different perspective- you can have urban amenities in Manchester or West Hartford without being in Hartford- yet be close to all the culture the entire region has.

For me, one of my favorite haunts in southern New England is Providence RI- lots of fun over there- and less then 1.5 hours away from Manchester or Vernon. I also enjoy New Haven. For beaches the CT state parks are clean and pleasant, but I do like the Rhode Island beaches on the Atlantic better. If you drink wine Connecticut has some award winning wineries. Sharpe Hill Vineyards and Winery in Pomfret (eastern CT) is the largest- it also has a fine restaurant on the premises.

http://www.ctwine.com/

[Uconn97]

Chiming in late here, but Frog Hollow is where I moved out of in 1988. I really wouldn't recommend it, but by all means drive around and get a feel for the area. In the course of the 8 years we lived there our home was broken into 3 times, 2 attempts to break in and 1 car break in. Not to mention things that were stolen off our porches. Our neighborhood was mostly older Polish folks when we moved in in 1980, but that changed dramatically in 8 years and lets just say being one of the few white families left in the area at the time wasn't the easiest. I still drive through the area once in a while and not much has changed as far as I can tell, but be your own judge and good luck!

[ScranBarre]

I was just poking around on Connecticut's state government web site and stumbled onto some very helpful community profiles, courtesy of the Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Inc. (CERC).

Here is the link from which you can access an interactive map that will permit you to bring up a very detailed profile for any community in the state:

Town Profiles – Economic Data in Connecticut - CERC

Here's what worries me most about Hartford:

• The median household income of $29,150 is much less than half the state median household income of $65,859.
• The poverty rate of 30.6% is likely amongst the highest in the nation.
• My fellow whites are the minority in Hartford. While I'm all for diversity, I'm wondering if whites are made to feel "unwelcome" in Hartford as a result of us being a minority? More specifically, what about gay whites?
• Only 12% of the city possesses a college degree. Even Scranton, PA is much higher than that. That's abysmal.
• The combined average SAT score (using the old test) is less than 800. That's less than half of a perfect score of 1600. I scored a 1300 when I took them back in 2005, and I wasn't anywhere near the top of my class. This doesn't bode well for my future plans to adopt.
• The city's unemployment rate of 8.9% is astronomically higher than the state's rate of 4.6%.
• The city's crime rate of 10,114 per 100,000 residents is amongst the highest I've ever seen.

Hartford obviously has a lot of "issues," but I'm not prepared to give up on its viability just yet. I'm still committed to coming to Hartford County---it's just becoming far less likely that I'll be choosing the city as my residence.

[ScranBarre]

Are the reasonable housing prices I'm finding in Manchester on REALTOR.com too good to be true? I'm finding a variety of seemingly well-kept homes along side streets that would make good starter homes in the mid-$100k range.

Single Family Home - 213 AUTUMN ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - 73 WALNUT ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - 20 SPRUCE ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - 32 CORNELL ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - 13 CENTERFIELD ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06042 - Realtor.com


JViello, I know you are intimately familiar with the town of Manchester. Are there any "ghetto"-like areas of this town that would warrant such affordable housing prices? I've also looked on the west side of Hartford in suburbs like Farmington and Avon and just about died when I saw the prices! These homes in Manchester are even more affordable than homes here in Scranton, and our white-collar economy is currently in dire straits.

Why are communities east of Hartford seemingly so much more affordable than those west of the city? Aren't these eastern suburbs actually MORE convenient to downtown employers?

[skytrekker]

The Spruce street area is kind of iffy-- the other properties are in decent parts of the town- and those prices currently are on target. Housing has dropped much in the recent downturn of real estate. The prices you see are for decent homes in town- and not in dumpy areas. Spruce Street as I said above I would be somewhat reticent to buy, just south of E Middle Tpke. The home shown seems to be in the good area near E Middle Tpke. Manchester does not truly have what could be called a 'ghetto' area- some areas around Main Street can be rather tough- but its not bad.

I am in Vernon the next town to the east- there are new homes for sale here for 220-250+K. Yes Avon, Farmington, Simsbury and to a less degree West Hartford demand a price premium as you saw. The only place east of the river with that kind of price 'panache' is Glastonbury. Also consider South Windsor, just north of Manchester- if you are feeling in a more rural farmhouse mood try Bolton, also east of the river, and a close commute to Hartford.

East of the river from Hartford was once considered the 'sticks' or 'second class' with less amenities then west of Hartford;
that has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. With eastern CT being the fastest growing part of the state. Reason; lower housing prices, and less congestion. However The commute on I 84 into Hartford westbound from the eastern suburbs at times can be tight, with the Bridges across the CT river acting as a bottleneck.

[JViello]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Are the reasonable housing prices I'm finding in Manchester on REALTOR.com too good to be true? I'm finding a variety of seemingly well-kept homes along side streets that would make good starter homes in the mid-$100k range.

Single Family Home - 213 AUTUMN ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - 73 WALNUT ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - 20 SPRUCE ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - 32 CORNELL ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06040 - Realtor.com

Single Family Home - 13 CENTERFIELD ST, MANCHESTER, CT, 06042 - Realtor.com


JViello, I know you are intimately familiar with the town of Manchester. Are there any "ghetto"-like areas of this town that would warrant such affordable housing prices? I've also looked on the west side of Hartford in suburbs like Farmington and Avon and just about died when I saw the prices! These homes in Manchester are even more affordable than homes here in Scranton, and our white-collar economy is currently in dire straits.

Why are communities east of Hartford seemingly so much more affordable than those west of the city? Aren't these eastern suburbs actually MORE convenient to downtown employers?

Nope, that's pretty much what you can expect over here. Lots of nice housing and a lot of variety at very good prices.

I'll go through your listings in order:

#1 Very nice area, within walking distance to Main Street. It's almost in the Highland Park area but in an older section more towards the center of town.

If you have never used it, go to Google Maps and click on "Street View". It's not always 100% accurate reflection but it gives you a better idea.

#2 Still a decent section of town not very far from Main Street. Close to the Cheney district and the Mills I mentioned.

#3 A nice area as well. Across the street pretty much from the restaurant Sky mentioned (Cavey's Cavey's Restaurant ) along with Rocco's Brick Oven Pizza. VERY walkable to the main intersection of Downtown Main Street with the church, town hall, library and main street strip. However, Spruce Street can have what I would consider small issues. See more below.

#4 Not sure where that is, but one of the typical neighborhoods in Manchester.

#5 An okay section of town. What I would call a little more "worn" in pockets but still acceptable by many standards. Not really near much of the main street "stuff".

#6 Very nice area of town as well. Great access to all sides of the city, nice neighborhoods. More of what I would call a suburban "feel" though based on your comments, but very nice. Every once in a blue moon the railroad tracks behind the house are used...but we are talking like once every 6 months - maybe. And even then I do believe the trains stop at the intersection of Woodbridge and Oakland street anyway which has a grain silo there. There is a park attached to Lydall Pond as well as the town pool (well kept pool).

Of all of them I would say #1 is the best area.

What you posted is very typical to the architecture you'll find in Manchester. There was recently an article talking about the hidden "gems" here. I call it West Hartford light.

Have a look at some of these addresses in Google Maps Street View to get an idea:

61 phelps road Manchester, Connecticut 06040, United States - Google Maps

114 henry street manchester ct - Google Maps

About "ghettos". Nothing, nothing NOTHING like you would find in Hartford or many other small cities in CT. There are some low income developments in town and what some might call "white trashy" areas...but there is no real "ghetto" to speak of.

The only area I can think that gets a little dicey - but to put into perspective, my mother lives two blocks away from and regularly walks to the bakery in said area...would be between Spruce Street and Main Street East to West and Pearl Street to Oak Street North to South. But it's more "poor" than Ghetto if you know what I mean and small. There are still Italian bakeries (Ulliano's is the best! An old Italian man and his wife make fresh bread and pastries there that you can't find anymore..) and pizza shops on Spruce street.

As for housing prices...there is a reason East of the River is the fastest growing area of CT. (Not crazy sprawled out madness...don't worry.) IMHO it's a hidden gem and why I moved here almost a decade ago.

Sky described Manchester very well. Instead of a suburb, perhaps "Satellite City" of Hartford would be a better description.

But as for your links...no, that's very much real and the norm. Most neighborhoods are well kept and in good condition. Lots of families etc. I think you may enjoy it here. We are a working class town with character.

Boston is about 1 hour and 15 minutes from here. (You can hop on I-84 North of Manchester very easily and be into MA in about 20 minutes) I actually forget how easy it is to get there sometimes.

There are many faces and things to do in town or very close by as well. As mentioned Hartford center is literally 10-13 minutes away.

A couple that come to mind:

Case Mountain, a very accessable and doable hike up to a 1000' ridge overlooking the CT River Valley is a wonderful afternoon thing to do. It's about a 30-40 minute walk to the top.

Fish Family Farm is just over the border in Bolton. It's a small, family run dairy farm that sells fresh milk, fresh made ice cream, fresh made yogut, fresh laid eggs etc (All on the honor system I might add...they have a cash box and the door and freezers are never locked). You can also tour the barn and walk around the farm if you like, they encourage it.

We have a local market here also called "Highland Park". No it's not Trader Joe's or Whole Foods, but it's a real family market with lots of world foods and fresh made items. Great place to shop.

Highland Park Market

You kind of have to see it to know it.

This is their most recent location in South Windsor on the Manchester line...near the "big box" section.



Oh and speaking "big box section" of town...yes we have more retail than you can imagine here if you want it. Best Buy, Circuit City, Tweeter Etc (New England thing), Comp USA, Target, Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, Bed Bath Beyond, Linens n Things, Petsmart, Dicks, Office Max, Pier One, Lazy Boy centers, Bernies, Christmas Tree Shops (Trust me, you'll want to know about this place for fist time home doodads and such) Mens Warehouse, GNC Store and lots more I cant' bring to mind OUTSIDE of the mall and Evergreen Walk which has LL Bean and a gaggle of other places to get "stuff" when you need it.

Oh and the world famous Pepe's Pizza location they chose to put in Manchester. Welcome to The Original Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana

The retail section is based in the North end of town and easy to get too, but TOTALY avoidable if you wish and not central to life in the rest of the city.

Okay, I hope that's enough for this go round. LOL

Edit: Sky replied as I was typing...our stories coincide without collaboration. LOL