Batavia? (Buffalo, Rochester, Cheektowaga: crime, new home, neighborhoods)

[homeward bound]

Just chatting with a friend who said he had relatives in Batavia and really loved the place. Funny, I lived near it all those years, yet never considered it as a place to move to/raise a family in. Don't know much about it except that it's near a Thruway exit.

Anyone have an opinion of the place?

How is it in terms of nice old houses and a good family, small town feeling?

Thanks.

[heathersmom]

I would not move my family to batavia but one of my 6 brothers lives there and his grandchild goes to school ect there. They love it, I do go there for BJ's shopping, sometimes Wal-Mart/KMart and That Taco Place. It is a smaller "city"- very diverse. the homes are big and old and you could probably get a good deal as not many people choose to move there just because...it is close to Buffalo. I would walk it during the daay, nights I would stay on the new main street area. There is a "mall" not really- it is a JCPenney and a few other staores. A small theatre, a nice BBQ joint on Center Street. I would sooner move to Avon and travel to Batavia but that is my own opinion. Don't forget the College- Genesee Community College. There is also a small airport and a harley store ...Home Depot, Applebees, Ponderosa, PizzaHut, McDonalds, BurgerKing, Arbys and Olivers chocolates!
Gets hit with snow! I do not travel in that area if there is a snow warning. Avon doesn't get hit near as bad as Batavia. About 30 minutes to Buffalo, Cheektowaga and Niagara Falls. We fly outta Buffalo Airport as it is cheaper than Rochester. Good luck with your search!

[homeward bound]

Thanks again, heathersmom!

Am I right that there's some real crime in Batavia? (Which would make it a not very family-friendly place, and that's what we're most interested in, especially since we're getting battered in our current Virginia "cute" college town.)

Does it have a gloomy feeling/trend like Buffalo's, or is its physical proximity to Buffalo what you mean by it being too close to Buffalo?

As with Avon, how would you compare Batavia to Canadaigua, or, say, Cortland?

By the way, Batavia's snowiness would actually be a plus for us. I know, we're nuts. But our young boys love snow, and for my 22 post-Buffalo years in Virginia, I've really really missed snowy winters. One reason I want to move us back. Plus, my wife's from Colorado and loves snow and skiing, etc., too.

Thanks again!

[gfluneedit]

Originally Posted by homeward bound

Thanks again, heathersmom!

Am I right that there's some real crime in Batavia? (Which would make it a not very family-friendly place, and that's what we're most interested in, especially since we're getting battered in our current Virginia "cute" college town.)

Does it have a gloomy feeling/trend like Buffalo's, or is its physical proximity to Buffalo what you mean by it being too close to Buffalo?

As with Avon, how would you compare Batavia to Canadaigua, or, say, Cortland?

By the way, Batavia's snowiness would actually be a plus for us. I know, we're nuts. But our young boys love snow, and for my 22 post-Buffalo years in Virginia, I've really really missed snowy winters. One reason I want to move us back. Plus, my wife's from Colorado and loves snow and skiing, etc., too.

Thanks again!

If you find the Buffalo area gloomy don't move to Batavia.

I don't see anything Batavia would have that would be preferable to the suburbs of Buffalo.

[heathersmom]

I don't know much about Cortland but Canadaigua is not comparable to Bataiva. What does Batavia have? If you recall correctly- nothing. It is a smaller/scaled down version of Buffalo. Although I would sooner be lost in Batavia then Buffalo. The crime is petty stuff...drugs, illegals, domestic cases...there is the "casino" there now- at the old race track- but it is not a "real" casino. Tops left and now there is a place called Martins (grocery) and I see a new Latino grocery sore took over the old Super Duper place. There's the Salvation Army still. An ice rink, small parks, tacoBell moved in, a bunch of dollar stores, Aldies(in the old Kmart plaza)...I think crime is less than Virginia (from what I hear-my sister-in-law lives in Norfolk) and I know its less than Buffalo or Rochester.
It is close to Buffalo...but I'm not sure that its "gloom" comes from that...Lord knows the Buffalo waterfront can be a beautiful site on a sunny May day- its the down town dirt and crime you want to avoid...Batavia has no water spots, no beautiful buildings or big football team...its just what it is- a small city trying to hold its head above water...there was a big issue with SuperWalMart coming in a few years ago- the people faught it-Geneseo has one now instead...I am probably repeating myself by now-since there is not much more to say about Batavia...they still have the Vets hospital(its like a nursing home) and they still have Alex's (prime rib)...hope all this helps! I'd still pick Avon or Canadaigua (we ride motorcycles and this is a great run)...

[Rich500]

I was in Batavia recently, March, 09, and noticed there is a lot of investment going into the town with the new Home Depot, Target, Walmart, and Lowes. All these stores are new and very modern inside. These stores don't just move into any town without doing their homework. The area must be growing, compaines this big don't just plant a store just because they feel like it. They see potential and growth and it seems to be happening close to the race track and the thruway exist.

With that said, what's going on further away from the track, specifially the south west side of Batavia near Tonowanda Creek? The area looks almost deserted especially since some of the houses look abandoned, yet some of the houses are lived in by people who appear to be middle class folks. Are people leaving or has it looked like that for awhile now? Are any of the neighborhoods in Batavia thriving apart from the are near the casino?