Corning NY -- need scoop from insiders (Rochester, Elmira: property taxes, housing)

[mml]

We may be looking at a move to the Corning area from Rochester. Rochester is home to us, but an excellent job opportunity at Corning Inc may make the decision for us.

Here's what we know... Corning has a Wegmans (a definite PLUS for Rochesterians!), it looks like the schools are decent, and there's a nice YMCA.

Any insiders out there who can tell me what the atmosphere is like in the area? I see the stats on crime, etc. But what's the vibe like? Do you like it? Why would you want to live there if you didn't already?

How about the other towns & cities in the area? (Elmira and others) Any to stay away from for housing?

Is Corning Inc. on an upswing?

[edee]

There is a maxi, maxi-prison in Elmira, so there are issues in that area...

[mml]

Hello,

Can anyone else give me some feedback on this topic? We'd sure appreciate it... Thanks much!

[JWilliams]

[link] for some vital stats

[ecs66]

We lived in Corning (Painted Post) for a year -- worked for "the company". Our property/school taxes were $12,000/year! The school taxes are breathtakingly exhorbitant. One winter heating bill was $600 for the month! It is still a company town, which has its good and bad points. The good stuff: Absolutely gorgeous countryside. The local people are salt of the earth; we still keep in touch with the people we met there church. (Conversely, many of the high tech people brought in by Corning leave a lot to be desired when it comes to attitude, etc. A visible clash of cultures comparing the long-time, down-home residents and the yuppie twits.) People are quite self-sufficient, keeping gardens, having woodpiles, etc., in the event of a company layoff.

It's safe. We took a vacation for a week, not realizing we'd left the door unlocked. No problem. One police blotter in the newspaper wrote that they'd answered a call from a lady who reported young people stealing rocks from her garden. She was so upset that she wanted the police to tell the young people "to behave". Too funny!

We're ready to retire, and would love to go back - and we'd do it if wasn't for the taxes. Reasonable home prices draw you in, then the taxes zap you. Too bad; it's so beautiful and we love the local people.

Great shopping relatively close in Big Flats, which also has an airport serving a couple of the major airlines. In Painted Post, there's a Super WalMart. The hospital in Corning is small but good.

(We never heard a word about Elmira prison; Elmira is really far enough from Corning that it probably isn't an issue.)

[KENLUDE97]

I have lived in the Corning/Elmira Area for the last 8 years. I orginally moved to Corning for schooling (from Allegany Ny), and i have stayed here ever since. I moved to Elmira for a few short years (YUCK!) and i know own a house in Painted Post (little corning) And i really love it here.

we find it to be very safe and low crime. It is somewhere where i would raise a family (still a few years out)

The people are generally very friendly and willing to help out.

The shopping is really pretty good for such a small area, there is "Market Street" which is a Historic District. Which my wife LOVES and infact was the deciding factor for us to live here or in Plymouth Mass. Lots of fun little trinkets and artsy stuff. And there is the "mall" area in "Bigflats" and is about 10 minutes down Rt17. They have all the name brand stores down there

Sams Club
Tops markets
Dicks Sporting goods
Wal-Mart
Best buy
Target
Mall and typical stores
Applebys
Olive Garden
Outback Steak house
Red lobster

And there is actually 2 Prisions in the area... But they are BOTH in Elmira area and far enough that we don't get the undesired traffic.

The Property taxes are pretty high for the area. Mine are nowhere near (ecs66's) The heating is average to a little above average priced for the state. Could it be lower SURE COULD. Up until now it has been a Localy owned company and shot itself in the foot last winter and is in the process of being bought out.

I could go on for days. If there is any other question let me know.

Good luck
ken

[mstauth]

For a better tax rate check out the Campbell area. Along state route 415 there are some decent houses and it's one of the lowest tax areas in the area. It's still nice though, just as nice as the rest of Corning anyway. It's the second exit on 17 west of Corning.

I think the person who paid 12K in taxes was mistaken or had a really huge house. I have heard Painted Post has the highest taxes but that seems too high. My brother has a 6000 SF house just over the city limit line of Corning and his taxes are 6K.

As far as the price of gas. Well you live in Rochester so it will be less than the heating bill you paid there. Weather is quite mild compared to Rochester. Way less snow. It's a nice town. Nice to raise kids. Mostly blue collar.

[Pidgett]

Edee:

Just because there is a "maxi maxi prison" (your words) in Elmira, how does this make Elmira bad in some way? Are the prisoners running around loose in the streets as opposed to being locked up? Seriously, is Elmira a bad choice to consider moving to because there is a major prison?

I work for a maxi maxi prison in West Virginia and am consdiering a job move to the Adirondacks or Vermont some time during this year. Where I come from, prisons employ many people paying excellent wages and benefits (for rural, economically depressed areas, that is.) Therefore, I would say that Elmira may in fact be a GREAT place because there is a "maxi maxi prison" there.

[bryantjw]

Proposed New Construction In Desired Big Flats Location. This Home Offers Spectacular Open Floor Plan W/two-story Foyer, Family Rm W/gas Fire Place And First Fl Bdrm & Ba. Second Floor Includes Mstr Suite & Bath W/whirlpool Tub. Estimated Tax Rate $33.00 Per $1000. Listing Agent Related To Seller.

[Lauri_25ny]

Originally Posted by edee

There is a maxi, maxi-prison in Elmira, so there are issues in that area...

No there aren't issues in that area because of the prison. Actually to a majority of the people that live in 'that area', the prison is an afterthought.