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I posted this in another thread, but surprisingly didn't in this thread from what I saw, but here is some information about the village of Waterloo's Main Street, which was awarded a Great Place by the American Planning Association in 2017: https://www.planning.org/greatplaces/streets/2017/main/
Given that it is in between Seneca Falls and Geneva, it offers flexibility in terms of being in a community with a recognized Main Street, but also near a couple of solid Downtown options within minutes: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Wate...!3e0?entry=ttu
Auburn, NY should see some housing demand spillover from the housing demand in the Syracuse, New York metropolitan area. Might be a good investment now while no one knows about it yet.
"I am writing this month to share my immense pride in the thriving Downtown Business Improvement District of Auburn. For those of us who remember Auburn's downtown as a place that appeared to have seen better days, the transformation has been remarkable.
When I became the BID director, our downtown included several abandoned buildings, and some businesses had to downsize considerably for one reason or another. However, since then, we have taken one step forward and never looked back. Our progress would not have been possible without the support of our local city and state officials, along with the assistance of grants from the city of Auburn and our community.
We seized every opportunity that these grants offered, and I personally escorted potential clients to demonstrate why and how they could revitalize our downtown. As the grant funds near depletion, it's heartening to note that our downtown continues to flourish with a diverse range of businesses. From an array of restaurants and entertainment venues to bodegas, women-focused workplaces to barbershops, the variety is now a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit that defines our community.
In recent weeks, Muldrow Properties has partnered with the Straus family to renovate the former Key Bank building, which is 25,000 square feet of space. The goal is to not have major buildings vacant downtown and to generate tax dollars and more jobs in our community. In addition to downtown revitalization, the BID added two events this year to join the Memorial Day parade and Food Truck Rodeo, Founder's Day, CNY TomatoFest and the Holiday Parade. This year we added the Chicken Wing Festival, which was well-attended with 2,000 people and a Juneteenth celebration that ranked 12th in the country.
Economic development is thriving in the Auburn Downtown Business Improvement District, as BID consulted with numerous business and property owners to create business plans, secure spaces downtown, make transitions and relocations. As always, we focus our efforts on attracting retail. Recent downtown business additions include Atelier Creative Studio, Bambino’s Pizza, The Browtique, Crystal Clear Health & Wellness, Lake Life Laser Studio, Literacy Volunteers of Cayuga County, Mane and Wigs, Combgrown Mead, Melody’s and Reuse Refuge’s relocation to Metcalf Plaza.
More recently, we welcomed another four new businesses into the downtown district: Hot Corner 315, Netti’s Barber Co., Steve Shannon Tire & Auto Centers and Activate Nutrition. These businesses tell the story of the success of the downtown BID and the attraction our community has for folks choosing Auburn as their business destination, as well as to live, work and play in!
Moreover, the beautification efforts in downtown Auburn have made it a more inviting place to watch a show or enjoy your stay a little longer. While it's true that parking can sometimes be a struggle, we are fortunate to have a 420-space parking garage in the heart of downtown, with free two-hour parking in the upper levels of the garage as well as several parking lots scattered throughout downtown where you can park and navigate the entire district by foot.
We are also committed to addressing the issue of homelessness with community partners, a challenge that many cities face. We are actively working on programs and initiatives to provide support and assistance to our homeless population, in the hope of not only revitalizing our downtown but also improving the lives of those who call it home. This holistic approach reflects our dedication to making Auburn a more inclusive and compassionate community.
As a matter of fact, one may say you are safest downtown. This is a testament to the dedication of our Auburn Police Department and the city of Auburn’s due diligence to keep our community safe. The citizens of Auburn and tourists are proud of our Downtown BID, and not only do we shine locally, we are recognized at a state level as a thriving BID rich in community, economic development, historical and cultural sites, events and entertainment, and retail and restaurant venues. The positive momentum that is felt in the community and the BID is an attraction for incoming businesses who choose to do business in Auburn.
Auburn may be one of the lower-income areas in the state, but the transformation in our downtown is undeniable and we are extremely proud of that! Many businesses have rented spaces and taken the initiative to maintain a clean and vibrant downtown area, and that is truly a testament to the growth and resurgence that we have seen in our downtown.
I want to extend my gratitude to everyone who has been a part of this revitalization journey. Together, we have brought new life and energy to downtown Auburn, and we look forward to even greater growth in the future. I consider myself fortunate to be the executive director of the BID, who works with an incredible staff and supportive board and works with all of you to create a future full of hope and growth for the next generation to enjoy!"
With your five criteria in mind, I think CK is giving you some good recommendations regarding the Seneca Falls/Waterloo/Geneva area.
But first, Ithaca:
With ~25,000 students at Cornell and another ~5,000 at Ithaca College (IC), students comprise a huge chunk of the population. Depending on where you live, you may not see that many of them, but given that downtown is important to you, you are going to see a whole lot of them, nine months a year. I can't think of a place in Upstate NY (UNY) that would have more. The combined IC and Cornell populations are bigger than SU or any of the SUNY state schools except Buffalo (according to a list I generated with ChatGPT). Ithaca is THE educational center of gravity in the Finger Lakes (FLX) and UNY. If you well and truly considered #3 in your original post and still think it is important, you should rule out Ithaca. HOWEVER, you will not find a more liberal city than Ithaca in UNY. I can put it most succinctly by saying that the Ithaca/NY political equation is the same as the Miami/Florida equation, if you know what I mean.
I'm going to get well into opinion territory in this paragraph, so anybody feel free to disagree, but here goes. I've lived many places and and I've noted that a lot of ”liberals” (and conservatives) are just talking about it. Ithaca, on the other hand is *actualized* liberalism, and I say that as a good thing. Whether it be food banks, actual real-life communes, localized political action committees, alternative food systems, environmental education, or any number of other things, Ithaca is the most ”real” liberal place I have ever seen, and it's not close. Your student preference is higher on your list than your political preference, but wanted to put that out there anyway.
Now, moving on to non-Ithaca topics:
As background, I lived 25 years of my life in the Finger Lakes small towns like you are considering, including Ithaca, where I lived as both a resident and student in different periods of my life.
The reasons I think you should strongly consider CK's ”northern shores” recommendations are as follows:
--They are good solid towns with quaint downtowns of varying sizes. They are *very* close to multiple lakes. These are the kinds of towns that pull together for each other. That may be unexpectedly important to you at some point as a new person.
--There are few students.
--The northern FLX are closer both geographically and time-wise to a lot of things, namely the Thruway, Syracuse, Rochester, Adirondacks, Ontario Lake, and Canada. The southern tips of the lakes, while nice, are more isolated, and the effect is magnified during the long winters. I can't emphasize this point enough.
I have a question about your clean lakes preference. How clean do they have to be? What are you planning on doing with them? Are you going to drink out of them?
With your #5 in mind, you really need to take a long hard look at Auburn before further consideration. Certain people on this forum are going to give me grief on this one, which is too bad because I love Auburn, probably more than they do. They have not lived there and gone to school there like I have. Go to Auburn. Drive around, the whole town, all of it. See the rust belt blight. Stand in the abandoned industrial areas and ponder what's seeped into the ground under your feet. Take a long hard look at the prison. Think about the families and friends of the incarcerated that have moved to Auburn to be closer to them. Go to the Dead Mall. As I said, I love Auburn and wish I could recommend it.
I think Canandaigua is worth a hard look. It's a great town and growth-oriented. I feel like it is on the move and moving up. You know how people say ”I wish I would have bought there when things were cheap?” I feel like buying in Canandaigua now would be like buying in Skaneateles 40 years ago. Anybody know what I mean? Or disagree? Might just be me.
Finally, I would add that if you end up like myself and all the FLX residents I know, your life is not going to revolve around the lakes. It's just the way life is. Kind of like how people who live in Florida don't go to the beach? (: I think you're probably in the right mindset when you say you want to live within a half hour of one. Don't sacrifice other factors to get closer to a lake. FLX, IMO, is more about the vibe than the lakes.
Good luck!
BONUS ANSWER: UNYers have neutral pronunciation to my ear. You may occasionally hear some Dutch/Amish people that sound like you describe.
With your five criteria in mind, I think CK is giving you some good recommendations regarding the Seneca Falls/Waterloo/Geneva area.
But first, Ithaca:
With ~25,000 students at Cornell and another ~5,000 at Ithaca College (IC), students comprise a huge chunk of the population. Depending on where you live, you may not see that many of them, but given that downtown is important to you, you are going to see a whole lot of them, nine months a year. I can't think of a place in Upstate NY (UNY) that would have more. The combined IC and Cornell populations are bigger than SU or any of the SUNY state schools except Buffalo (according to a list I generated with ChatGPT). Ithaca is THE educational center of gravity in the Finger Lakes (FLX) and UNY. If you well and truly considered #3 in your original post and still think it is important, you should rule out Ithaca. HOWEVER, you will not find a more liberal city than Ithaca in UNY. I can put it most succinctly by saying that the Ithaca/NY political equation is the same as the Miami/Florida equation, if you know what I mean.
I'm going to get well into opinion territory in this paragraph, so anybody feel free to disagree, but here goes. I've lived many places and and I've noted that a lot of ”liberals” (and conservatives) are just talking about it. Ithaca, on the other hand is *actualized* liberalism, and I say that as a good thing. Whether it be food banks, actual real-life communes, localized political action committees, alternative food systems, environmental education, or any number of other things, Ithaca is the most ”real” liberal place I have ever seen, and it's not close. Your student preference is higher on your list than your political preference, but wanted to put that out there anyway.
Now, moving on to non-Ithaca topics:
As background, I lived 25 years of my life in the Finger Lakes small towns like you are considering, including Ithaca, where I lived as both a resident and student in different periods of my life.
The reasons I think you should strongly consider CK's ”northern shores” recommendations are as follows:
--They are good solid towns with quaint downtowns of varying sizes. They are *very* close to multiple lakes. These are the kinds of towns that pull together for each other. That may be unexpectedly important to you at some point as a new person.
--There are few students.
--The northern FLX are closer both geographically and time-wise to a lot of things, namely the Thruway, Syracuse, Rochester, Adirondacks, Ontario Lake, and Canada. The southern tips of the lakes, while nice, are more isolated, and the effect is magnified during the long winters. I can't emphasize this point enough.
I have a question about your clean lakes preference. How clean do they have to be? What are you planning on doing with them? Are you going to drink out of them?
With your #5 in mind, you really need to take a long hard look at Auburn before further consideration. Certain people on this forum are going to give me grief on this one, which is too bad because I love Auburn, probably more than they do. They have not lived there and gone to school there like I have. Go to Auburn. Drive around, the whole town, all of it. See the rust belt blight. Stand in the abandoned industrial areas and ponder what's seeped into the ground under your feet. Take a long hard look at the prison. Think about the families and friends of the incarcerated that have moved to Auburn to be closer to them. Go to the Dead Mall. As I said, I love Auburn and wish I could recommend it.
I think Canandaigua is worth a hard look. It's a great town and growth-oriented. I feel like it is on the move and moving up. You know how people say ”I wish I would have bought there when things were cheap?” I feel like buying in Canandaigua now would be like buying in Skaneateles 40 years ago. Anybody know what I mean? Or disagree? Might just be me.
Finally, I would add that if you end up like myself and all the FLX residents I know, your life is not going to revolve around the lakes. It's just the way life is. Kind of like how people who live in Florida don't go to the beach? (: I think you're probably in the right mindset when you say you want to live within a half hour of one. Don't sacrifice other factors to get closer to a lake. FLX, IMO, is more about the vibe than the lakes.
Good luck!
BONUS ANSWER: UNYers have neutral pronunciation to my ear. You may occasionally hear some Dutch/Amish people that sound like you describe.
Good info...To be fair to Auburn, it does have a mix of neighborhoods like the vast majority of the eastern half of the city(especially around East Genesee/Hoopes Park and Lake Avenue), but also around the Ukrainian and Polish Clubs/Falcon Park in the NW Quadrant of city and even some of the outer SW Quadrant neighborhoods. It also has a Downtown that is coming along and it is a close second to Ithaca in terms of city population in the Finger Lakes. It is also in the eastern end of the sweet spot in between itself and Geneva to the west. A lot of the shopping there is in the Grant Avenue corridor in the eastern end of the city towards Syracuse, with some to a lesser degree on its western end at/across the street from the mall/Bass Pro Shops. If one is into history, it also has some nice museums(Seward, Tubman, Cayuga Museum, etc.) and in terms of the arts, it does have professional theater at the Merry Go Round Theater in Emerson Park on Owasco Lake and the Auburn Public Theater Downtown, along with the Schweinfurth Art Center.
Canandaigua already has some relatively upper middle class areas of the city and town/school district to the NW and SW by the lake. It is different from Skaneateles in terms of being a city, while Skaneateles is more about being a quaint village that get rural pretty quick. It is also a little bit more culturally diverse than Skaneateles to where it is somewhat visible in comparison(like on sports teams, etc.).
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