Around Binghamton (Syracuse, Elmira, Corning: houses, employment, neighborhoods)

[annadale]

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if there are any cities in the Broome county area that look as run-down as downtown Binghamton? I think Elmira is also in a pretty bad shape, but was wondering if there are any others in the area. Thanks!

[ki0eh]

Well, Binghamton is the only city in Broome County, so there's no competition there.

I think the general consensus is that Elmira is more run-down than Binghamton though. I'm a little too young to remember Agnes (1972) but I understand downtown Elmira never really recovered.

Corning shows much better than Elmira, both downtown and neighborhoods, probably almost wholly due to Corning Inc.'s investment in its hometown. Corning Inc. employment has its ups and downs though.

[ckhthankgod]

Elmira seemed to be more abandoned than run down, from the last time I was there about 5 years ago.

[ki0eh]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Elmira seemed to be more abandoned than run down, from the last time I was there about 5 years ago.

I think that's a good way to put it. It doesn't have the active scariness one often associates with, say, much of Detroit. It's more from a lack of money/pride to push things up more than vandalism tearing it down, and the obvious oversupply of housing and absence of commercial activity.

[cardboy2454]

my friends from canada say all of upstate ny looks like a disaster area.

[greyfox2000]

Originally Posted by cardboy2454

my friends from canada say all of upstate ny looks like a disaster area.

They haven't had all their downtowns destroyed by "diverity" yet. But they will!

BTW, most upstaters don't even use their downtowns anymore. Most of the houses and nearly all of the business and shopping are in the burbs. Judging a metro area by its downtown, when the locals never even go there, is silly.

[empress80]

it needs a good Extreme Makeover

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by greyfox2000

They haven't had all their downtowns destroyed by "diverity" yet. But they will!

BTW, most upstaters don't even use their downtowns anymore. Most of the houses and nearly all of the business and shopping are in the burbs. Judging a metro area by its downtown, when the locals never even go there, is silly.

Huh? Actually, Toronto is unofficially the most diverse city in the world. Montreal is up there too. So, that is way off.

Also, it depends on the size of the city as far as if the people shop Downtown. Here in Syracuse, it depends on what part of Downtown you are talking about too. So, that's not completely true either.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by cardboy2454

my friends from canada say all of upstate ny looks like a disaster area.

Where are these friends from and where do they go in Upstate NY?

[cardboy2454]

Originally Posted by greyfox2000

They haven't had all their downtowns destroyed by "diverity" yet. But they will!

BTW, most upstaters don't even use their downtowns anymore. Most of the houses and nearly all of the business and shopping are in the burbs. Judging a metro area by its downtown, when the locals never even go there, is silly.

silly me, i thought if you lived in rochester you lived in rochester but now you are saying that you may live in rochester but you really don't for all intents and purposes live 'in' rochester its just a mailing address or a gps number to find your way home because even though you may drive around it on the loop or thru it or be known as a rochester resident you really are not because you didn't make any stops inside the city lines as that would destroy the whole logic of not living in rochester even though its kind of near by. i get it. thanks for the enlightenment. so when you live in rochester and people ask where you live do you say buffalo because next to rochester that would be the closest city to rochester?