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I think Canandaigua fits the description well too. It has two grocery stores downtown and 2 on the outer skirts of the city, a shoe store, clothes store downtown, restaurants, library, YMCA, music stores, furniture store, 3 museums with Sonnenberg Gardens, The Ontarion County Historical Society, Granger Homestead and Carriage Museuem, walkable to the lake area, many downtown events such as wine walks. And it has good public transportation around the city.
I'm interested in something similar. I'm looking to move my parents closer to me. I'm in NYC and we're looking for a town that's not that far (I liked some of your suggestions, but way too far) and that they won't need to drive to do every single thing.
I wonder if you have any suggestions for towns that have that walkability = that if you're willing to walk a bit you can do your groceries, eat out, do some shopping and such, that have good access to medical services, are not to expensive (for purchasing an apt or condo and cost of living), are kept well and are relatively safe?
I know, I'm asking too much---but your help will be appreciated!!
I'm interested in something similar. I'm looking to move my parents closer to me. I'm in NYC and we're looking for a town that's not that far (I liked some of your suggestions, but way too far) and that they won't need to drive to do every single thing.
I wonder if you have any suggestions for towns that have that walkability = that if you're willing to walk a bit you can do your groceries, eat out, do some shopping and such, that have good access to medical services, are not to expensive (for purchasing an apt or condo and cost of living), are kept well and are relatively safe?
I know, I'm asking too much---but your help will be appreciated!!
How far Upstate are you/they willing to go? What is the budget?
How far Upstate are you/they willing to go? What is the budget?
That's the million-dollar question
The budget is yet to be determined... I'd say that a town were cost of living is fair for middle/lower income couple. The cheapest the better, but safety and services are important, so I know it'll be a matter of balance.
I was thinking nothing more than a 4 hour drive, like Albany in distance.
I've lived in Albany, Elmira, the Southern Tier/Western NY, the western edge of the Adirondack Park, and Erie (PA), and I honestly can't imagine being without a car of my own in any of those places. If the area even has public transportation, it is usually limited either in terms of locations served or times available. And even if I could walk to various amenities, finding suitable employment within walking distance AND having a school nearby for my child would be an incredible coincidence.
I've lived in Albany, Elmira, the Southern Tier/Western NY, the western edge of the Adirondack Park, and Erie (PA), and I honestly can't imagine being without a car of my own in any of those places. If the area even has public transportation, it is usually limited either in terms of locations served or times available. And even if I could walk to various amenities, finding suitable employment within walking distance AND having a school nearby for my child would be an incredible coincidence.
True, but there could be some neighborhoods/communities where that could be possible. It may be a matter of the type of work and the kind of schools you are open to enrolling your child in. For instance, in the Eastwood neighborhood of Syracuse, you may work at this place: http://www.pomcogroup.com/ and walk your child down the street to this school: http://www.pomcogroup.com/
Some of the smaller communities with a college may be good in that regard. Brockport seems to fit in terms of elementary schools near the SUNY campus. Oswego may be another one, from what I recall.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 09-30-2015 at 01:45 PM..
The budget is yet to be determined... I'd say that a town were cost of living is fair for middle/lower income couple. The cheapest the better, but safety and services are important, so I know it'll be a matter of balance.
I was thinking nothing more than a 4 hour drive, like Albany in distance.
Thanks!
4 hours would put you up to or to about Syracuse or so from NYC.
I must say I had been looking at larger cities (I'm from Manhattan, I need to convince myself - and DH - that Syracuse isn't "small"...) but thanks - that does give me more options. How easy is it to walk across the river? I definitely see a college town as an advantage, as we have both always had friends in academia. I'm not sure, though, that I'd be able to convince him to winter on the shore of Lake Ontario!
I did look at Ithaca - my parents lived in the area briefly, and I have some familiarity, and liked what I saw - but the rents run higher than we ideally want. The reason for moving is to drastically cut living expenses - we're self employed, the economy is precarious, and we're not young - and if we're going to go to the trouble and expense of a move, we want a very significant saving. Which is one of the several reasons we don't want a car, at least to begin with. We know that a car would be a convenience anywhere we go, and aren't ruling out getting one eventually, but we don't want to start with that expense.
I've looked a bit at Syracuse, because I used to have family there and know the area a little, and at the Capitol Region, because he used to have people in Schenectady. I haven't really looked at Rochester or Buffalo, yet, because we'd rather not get that far from NYC - we will still have people here and want to be able to get back easily. (Syracuse is pushing the limit.) And I haven't a clue where to start with smaller cities... though I would probably want ones from which one could easily get into a larger city. (I know the Capitol District is essentially a cluster of cities of all sizes and characters.)
We won't be moving for another year or more, so we have time to look around and evaluate...
Quote:
Originally Posted by ckhthankgod
Do you have a limit is terms of city/town size? Just to use Oswego as an example, what could appeal to some is that it has a SUNY campus on the western edge of the city, into the town of Oswego, that offers some events. Its Downtown has a bookstore, a farmers market, a movie theater, a grocery store(Big M), a hospital and even some apartments nearby. CENTRO of Oswego actually runs until 11 PM or so and there is some shopping in the eastern end of town. Size(only has about 18-19,000 people), winter weather and location may be an issue, though it is only 40-45 minutes from Syracuse.
Perhaps Cortland is another one, as it does have public transportation, but I believe after 7 PM the system shuts down.
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I don't drive
