Ask a Level-Head Man Who Lived in Albany, NY

[juppiter]

And I just have to disagree with sean sean sean sean about Colonie Center. They just renovated it and it's definitely the best shopping venue in the Capital Region now.

[sean sean sean sean]

Originally Posted by Jansu

Thanks for all the responses!
Sean Sean Sean- I definitely appreciate the Colonie description. Are there any burbs with a better vibe? Looking into Delmar, Voorheesville, Niskayuna, and maybe Alplaus (whatever that is !) Thanks

Sorry to say I couldn't tell you much about the suburbs outside the city limits. I never really explored them much or knew too many people that lived there. I grew up on Long Island so I've been surrounded by the 'burbs my whole life, I was always more interested in getting to know the urban and rural areas in the capitol region. I've never even heard of Alplaus! Voorheesville isn't bad from what I know of it, but I've only driven through maybe 5-10 times. It's also a little less dense than what I would truly consider "suburban", but that's not necessarily a bad thing!

The areas juppiter mentioned that are within the City of Albany are all great neighborhoods. They're older suburbs (like pre-WWII) and generally have much more interesting architecture and layouts, as well as being quiet relaxing areas. Buckingham Pond has two gigantic fountains in it that are turned on during the summer, it's very far away from downtown but only in appearance. You're still very close to all the action! Melrose, Heldeberg and Whitehall...all great places to live, and the entire city is very liberal. They're all mostly single family homes, although you'll sometimes find rentals that are mostly occupied by graduate students and as such don't get rowdy at night like Pine Hills. I also lived not far from Albany Academy for awhile, though it was actually in the Delaware neighborhood - parts of which aren't so hot - but my block was great, and a lot cheaper than surrounding areas. Even the outskirts of Pine Hills, near New Scotland Road, are very old timey quiet suburban living. I'm not sure if all of these areas are within the Albany School District or not....that's probably the one advantage I'd say the hamlets and villages outside of the city have, otherwise these areas always seemed much nicer to me in every regard.

juppiter - No disrespect to the Colonie Center, but I am just not a mall person or shopper in any way shape or form. I dread that I might occasionally have to stop into one once it gets near Christmas. Going into the Crossgates Mall was always a mind numbing experience for me....I guess it's not as bad as the downstate malls, but still not the kind of place I'd ever wanna spend more than 15 minutes in!!

[sean sean sean sean]

Just found this website that maps out individual neighborhoods in Albany which might be of some use if you've got a specific place you're looking at. Some of these I never even knew by their "proper" names!

Albany New York, Neighborhood Guide and Business Directory.

[rubensmoving]

Originally Posted by inpd

Hi,

Lived there for 5 years in center square. If you have any questions
fire away.

I loved the place, but can give balanced opinions.

Since you are offering...

I was offered a job in Saratoga Springs, NY. I am trying to decide between living in Saratoga Springs, or perhaps Albany, NY. I am planning on renting for my first year, and would like to be close to some nightlife. I do not have to live in the city, but am not interested in living in a rural area. Is the gay social scene in Albany vibrant enough to warrant living there and driving to Saratoga for work? Or is there a gay social scene in Saratoga?

Thanks!

[girlandpup]

[quote=sean sean sean sean;3305970]From what you've said I think you would really love the Center Square neighborhood. It's upstate (of course) but personally reminds me of old pictures I've seen of Brooklyn, and I've heard other people make this comparison as well. Think brownstone neighborhoods like Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene, etc. Some streets still even have cobblestones! It's a highly diverse neighborhood in every regard, I found people to be extremely pleasant living there, definitely has a hippie/yuppie/hipster vibe to it but it sounds like you're probably cool with that. There's no short supply of culture, there are museums, art galleries, coffee houses, bars and restaurants all within walking distance. There's free concerts in the park and down by the Hudson River in the summer time. Any necessities that aren't in walking distance can be reached on the CDTA bus lines, but having a car really helps.

I worried about the weather when I moved up there too, but it turned out to be a lot more mild than I had anticipated, and summers are fantastic. It's definitely an urban setting but if you get in your car and drive 10-20 minutes in any direction, you're in the woods. Nice and relaxing. I think Washington Park is what would really sell you....great place to walk a dog, read a book or just walk around and look at the tulips. It was designed by the same architects who designed Central Park and Prospect Park in NYC and is literally a few feet from Center Square. Some apartments even look over the park which is a stunning view from a balcony or rooftop.

I really have nothing negative to say about Albany, I loved living there. If you don't have a college degree (like me) it's hard to find work, but if you do jobs are easy to come by - especially in financial and IT fields. It's also incredibly cheap compared to NYC. I rented a 2 BR in a landmarked brownstone for $600 a month! Parking can be tough but no worse than NYC. Take the train up and check it out one day, it's a lovely area.

Thank you so much for all this!!! I have been "out of it" for these past few weeks due to various reasons, and today has been the first time I have been able to even fully check my email much less this site (which is highly atypical for me, as I am addicted to this site daily), so sorry haven't thanked you sooner. I am going to check out the center square neighborhood, as you suggested - I don't know a thing about it other than what you wrote, so will do some research and visit it as soon as I can. From all you wrote and the pics you sent, it truly sounds like EXACTLY what I am looking for!! So thank you so much, again!

[VlyRoadKid]

I grew up outside Albany (Colonie) in the 50's & 60's and am writing some memoirs. Am now living in Mass. Looking for people with similar background and/or info on where to find old photos (from the 1940's-60's), maps (I THINK we lived off Shaker Rd, near Latham), and just some feedback & observations. Any leads?

[convergent]

Originally Posted by VlyRoadKid

I grew up outside Albany (Colonie) in the 50's & 60's and am writing some memoirs. Am now living in Mass. Looking for people with similar background and/or info on where to find old photos (from the 1940's-60's), maps (I THINK we lived off Shaker Rd, near Latham), and just some feedback & observations. Any leads?

If you are looking for photos, you might try on http://northeastfoto.com/forum . This is a site that is focused on photographers in the northeast, and a lot of the members are from the Albany area.