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In keeping with my roots as an italian american, I am in search of close-knit italian communities for possible residence. Tradition and close ties to my roots are important to me which I will not sacrifice for ethnic dilution. Been living in florida but am deciding to move to upstate NY which I've fallen in love with after a couple of trips there.
I visited an italian community there which embraced me with open arms and great italian food I must say. I would like to know which communities in upstate NY are best for those of my italian background. Looking forward to your replies and recommendations.
Seems to me like you should just move to the community that embraced you with open arms, but who am I to say. I know (or think I know) that the Rochester area overall has the highest share of Italians within their metro area as compared to Buffalo, Syracuse, etc, but I can't really elaborate more than that. Here in BUF, North Buffalo and part of West Buffalo used to be known its Italian influence but I think that's waned a bit over the years as people have dispersed to various suburbs (or out of the area). Good luck and I hope you get responses that have the specific suggestions that I don't have.
Location: Appalachian New York, Formerly Louisiana
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I second Rochester, but as I attempted to say prior, Watkins Glen is also highly Italian. So much so that every summer they throw the Italianfest in a local park on Seneca lake.
That said, you can really live anywhere and nobody will care that you are of Italian descent. Likewise, while there are heritage groups and proud families (I'm sure) you aren't going to find any town or city that isn't "ethnically diluted". This is, after all, the USA, and New York state is among the most culturally diverse in our modern day.
Other than perhaps in NYC, you won't find any whole communities that are culturally and ethnically monogamous. It's all going to be average America regardless of genetic origins.
Places such as Frankfort east of Utica(which itself has a strong Italian influence-especially outer East Utica), Lyncourt and Solvay north and west of Syracuse, East Rochester, Mount Morris(south of Rochester in Livingston County), Canastota(east of Syracuse in Madison County), Mechanicville in Saratoga County and the town of Gates in the western suburbs of Rochester have some of the highest Italian percentages in the country.
You also still have some say on Syracuse’s North Side(not as many as the past, but still quite a few in its Court-Woodlawn neighborhood adjacent to Lyncourt), Watertown’s Breen Street area, Auburn’s West Side sandwiching the Arterial Road, Rome’s Little Italy around West Dominick Street, the Pine Avenue area of Niagara Falls(again, not like years past, but still quite a few), Seneca Falls, Herkimer’s South Side, Endicott’s Little Italy, Clyde in Wayne County, Troy’s Little Italy, Schenectady’s Mont Pleasant(again, not like it use to, some are still in the area or moved to Rotterdam) and parts of some other cities/places are also potential options as well.
I believe out of all of these places mentioned, Frankfort has the highest percentage in the state and viewing another source’s 2000 census data, the village of Frankfort was 3rd in the country in terms of percentage at 44.7%. On the same list, the town of Frankfort was 8th at 38.5%. This makes sense, as it is just east of that outer East Utica area I mentioned earlier. Of course, it is in the Frankfort-Schuyler SD in western Herkimer County. Another source’s 2010-2014 census data shows that Frankfort-Schuyler has the highest Italian percentage for a school district in Upstate NY at 43.4% and it is 7th in the state in that regard for NYS SD’s.
Lyncourt is 2nd for Upstate NY SD’s on that list at 41.5%. Since it is a K-8th grade SD, they have an agreement with Solvay to attend their HS. Solvay is 9th for Upstate NY SD’s in this regard at 30.7%. If you go with either one of these areas, with Lyncourt, I’d say to look south of Court Street/west of Teall Avenue. There is a small business district on Court. For Solvay, in the village, I’d say in the Piercefield area just north of West Genesee Street/west of Westvale Plaza/south of the HS. Solvay is more blue collar(Lyncourt is as well, but to a little lesser degree), but that general area has some nice homes. Solvay also has very low electric rate due to being a NYPA community. I can’t forget that the Lakeland portion of the Solvay UFSD/town of Geddes also has some nice streets.
Another NYPA community in a SD with a high Italian percentage is Spencerport west of Rochester. Spencerport SD was 8th out of Upstate SD’s at 31.8%. A lot of that is probably in the town of Gates portion of the SD. Gates in the 2000 census source was 28.6% Italian. Spencerport village is actually in the town of Ogden.
I’ll stop there, but this will definitely give you others interested, something to run with.
Rochester has a lot of Italians. The top 3 white ethnic groups there are German, Italian, and Irish, in order.
Lots of Italian-themed businesses in the area, as in delis, meat markets, and bakeries. I haven't lived there in years, but can name off the top of my head at least a half dozen thriving businesses of those types, there. Something we're lacking in the sunny south, but some of those places deliver so we order a few times per year.
There is virtually no urban Italian "ghetto" anymore, used to be a few in the city, two large ones. Probably the only Italian restaurant left in the city is Rocky's, I'm talking old school Italian. Irondequoit, Greece, and Gates would probably have the highest populations of Italians, but quite honestly you could go to any town around there and find people with such backgrounds. It's truly staggering.
As Howard said above, definitely look at the westside Rochester suburbs of Greece, Gates, Irondequoit, and some of the other surrounding areas. Lot of Italian roots in those areas. I work right in the area of where Greece, Gates and Rochester meet and there are a bunch of different Italian deli's and restaurants right in the area. Plus I think there is an Italian American Community center and a sports club in those areas as well.
As Howard said above, definitely look at the westside Rochester suburbs of Greece, Gates, Irondequoit, and some of the other surrounding areas. Lot of Italian roots in those areas. I work right in the area of where Greece, Gates and Rochester meet and there are a bunch of different Italian deli's and restaurants right in the area. Plus I think there is an Italian American Community center and a sports club in those areas as well.
Some of the old school guys still play bocce on Saturdays at the court at the Edgerton Community Center, in the Lyell-Otis neighborhood.
As gt87 noted, where the city and Gates and Greece meet there is a hodge podge of stuff related to Italian culture. The Edgerton center is 2 miles east of there, in a rough area but people don't get bothered there. The center has a nice model railroad set open one Saturday a month, the bocce court is adjacent to the building.
Any number of local businesses around town have bocce courts, I think the BBQ joint on river street has one.
Ciacca's deli/restaurant on Lee Rd. is one of my all-time favorite Italian delis, the mothership is still on Dewey in Greece but it's small. One of the family members opened the Lee location some years ago and it's thriving, far as I know. A new place opened up on Lyell by 390, I think they owned Roncone's or the head chef owns the new place. There's also Tucci's, I know the family that owns it. So in my last post I'd forgotten about the two other places in the city open besides Rocky's, there might be one on Merchants on the east side, too. Tucci's has a huge section of one wall in the bar area with 12 flat screen TV's devoted to horse racing.
Gates has at least two of what I would consider top-tier Italian restaurants.
The Italian-American Community Center is on Karl Fuchs Drive in Gates, by a town park. Suitable for all kinds of events.
Ciacca's deli/restaurant on Lee Rd. is one of my all-time favorite Italian delis, the mothership is still on Dewey in Greece but it's small. One of the family members opened the Lee location some years ago and it's thriving, far as I know. A new place opened up on Lyell by 390, I think they owned Roncone's or the head chef owns the new place. There's also Tucci's, I know the family that owns it. So in my last post I'd forgotten about the two other places in the city open besides Rocky's, there might be one on Merchants on the east side, too. Tucci's has a huge section of one wall in the bar area with 12 flat screen TV's devoted to horse racing.
Gates has at least two of what I would consider top-tier Italian restaurants.
We go to Ciacca's at least 1-2 times a week, great food and amazing people! And if we want to do something special we'll order from Papa Joe's in Gates off Spencerport Rd. They have a great Fra Diavolo and Saltimbocca.
And speaking of Spencerport/Ogden, that may be another place the OP can look into. Its just west of Gates/Greece but a little nicer area in my opinion.
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