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Many of the old summer cottages are still there -- they've been cleaned up, repaired, painted, overgrowth removed. If you were so in tune with what's happening you would have known this as opposed to trying to twist what I've written.
How about citing things you've actually witnessed as opposed to passing off "my friends said this and my friends said that"? You had written the spiel about transvestites, prostitutes, et al in a different Ronkonkoma thread...I believe you've repeated your tall tale enough that you've come to believe it.
Agreed, I remember him saying he saw bad things going down behind the shopping centers at night. Not sure how many of us frequent those areas, but whose to say if it did that it doesn't happen behind all shopping centers?
The heroin epidemic is island wide unfortunately. Those hypodermic needles are on the north shore as well. It's a scary time we are raising kids in now. You really shouldn't be walking alone after 10pm anywhere...
Very true. It's just that Ronkonkoma seemed to stay exceptionally nice, as pertains to such things, longer than many other places. Now it's caught up to all the other places.
Oh, and I didn't walk alone- I walked with my pitbull [Who just passed away this February, at the age of 16]. (I wouldn't do so today, as I'd be concerned for her safety). Walking the [then] quiet streets at night with my bow-wow was one of my greatest pleasures...and had the added benefit of keeping me fit [Now I have to ride a bicycle to achieve that!]
I just lost my 12 year old American Bulldog. 16 is as amazing lifespan for a bully breed!!
Awwww....
Yeah, I still miss her like crazy, but I can't complain- she had a very long and happy life, and was healthy even in her old age [All my dogs have always lived to around that age- I don't vaccinate them]. 16 really is an amazing age for any 75 lb. dog- and she was never incontinent or anything. I really thought she'd make it to 17, at least...but a stroke got her.
Bully breeds are the BEST! They're not only geniuses; but they have so much love and emotion; and can communicate on an amazing level!
This thread is long and has been going strong for a few years. It was an interesting read.
I presently live in the suburbs of Nashville, Tennessee. I just moved here 6 months ago.
Before that, I lived in Lake Grove for 22 years, one block off of Hudson. So for those who really do know the area you know we are neighbors with Lake Ronkonkoma and Ronkonkoma.
It is most definitely a working class, blue collar neighborhood. There are sporadic nice homes mixed in with neglected houses.
On the whole, if someone did their due diligence and shopped surrounding areas, you would know to choose a smaller home in either Nesconset or Lake Grove. Your investment is secure versus purchasing more home in Lake Ronkonkoma.
I certainly don't mean to insult anyone but I don't think anyone can dispute if they had the money to live elsewhere, they would.
With that being said, my son has had friends that lived in both Lake Ronkonkoma and Ronkonkoma. There are decent, hard working people and some real crap people who don't respect anything, including themselves. Unfortunately living in a better neighborhood does not guarantee a great neighbor. It might give the outward appearance of a beautiful area and you might have great neighbors with shared interests, children, and morals....but once again, no guarantee.
If someone were interested in the area and concerned with the appearance, you could always visit local precinct to find stats on crime and the such. Also visiting the local Sachem schools is important.
Good luck. Don't forget t check out Nesconset and Lake Grove in your search.
Just to add, I am soooooo happy I left Long Island. You don't know how crappy it is ther until you actually live someplace else. Quality of life in Tennessee is so much better than anything in NY.
Had a 2300 sq ft home and paid $12,000 a year in taxes. I am building a new home in a very nice area, just under 4000 sq feet and taxes will be $3500 a year. That is just one example. I could go on and on. Anyone thinking of getting out, check out Tennessee (Franklin, Brentwood, Hendersonville, and Gallatin)
Instead of focusing so much on what has changed about LI, you have to look at what remains the same... especially in context to this discussion. "White trash" is completely subjective - for me you can fall into that category whether you live in a trailer in Bohemia or razed a bungalow and built a sparkling center hall colonial in Commack.
In 40+ years of growing up on LI and watching it change, one thing remained constant - Suffolk county has not and will not gentrify like one sees in a more urban setting. The general reputation of a town tends to remain the same. You can clean up a downtown and implement operation illegal housing sweep, but you are not changing anything at the core of what drives the suburban home value there.
So it is a logical fallacy to say that "young families are moving in and the area is turning around" because I've heard that about many Suffolk towns for decades. That semi gentrification does not happen in the almost exburbs that middle Suffolk is... This is not to say that a town cannot improve at all - a good example would be Miller Place. However, that was more about discovering a hidden gem long ago than young families moving in and turning it around - it was never really "bad". There's nothing left to discover at this point about Ronkonkoma. Long term residents of LI know it well and many think train station easier access to NYC.
If you're looking to the future of Ronkonkoma, I'd be more inclined to look at the transportation hub ideas that have been floating around. That coming to fruition may have a long term positive impact on the surrounding areas, but not necessarily for those living in the town itself.
So in Sleepytown, USA you're seeing Ronkonkoma in the news 'practically every day'? Please, do tell us what you see in the news 'practically every day'.
Again, your POV is from when you left 13 years ago and appears to be dug into that time frame. Your mindset, (1) your affirmation to convince yourself leaving was the right thing appears to revolve around your 13 year old belief that Ronkonkoma was spiraling downhill. You've failed to take into account that Ronkonkoma is bordered by other decent areas such as Lake Grove, Lake Ronkonkoma, Bohemia, Islandia, Hauppauge & Holbrook, which has helped prevent it from going down the tubes. After the housing bubble burst, homes in the area became more affordable for young couples and families. Plenty of investors have gone in and overhauled the old summer cottages which, 13 years ago, were decrepit and added to the downtrodden look.
If you were here, especially when school lets out, you would see young mothers waiting for their children at bus stops. You can speculate all you wish from your location far away, but as someone who is in the area two or three times a week, what I see and what you purport are two very different things.
(2)Seeing as you're living in another state, far away from LI, how is it that you can make these proclamations without a stitch of hard current evidence?
OBH, remember:
(1) Some people simply live for this. If they convince other people that LI sucks and wherever they ended up is "so much better," it affirms their entire existence in life and thus they convince themselves.
(2) If you talk to people on the phone, you magically see and know EVERYTHING there is to about LI. If you visit once in awhile you know so much it's like you've never left!
I swear I will NEVER come back on LI CD and post the way some of these people do if I were to move elsewhere!
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