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Northeastern Pennsylvania Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Pocono area
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Old 10-02-2007, 01:16 PM
 
1 posts, read 3,762 times
Reputation: 10

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Hi,

I am thinking about relocating to Wilkes-Barre from Ohio. I am African American. I have been doing some research and I am not successful in finding information in regards to Diversity in Wilkes- Barre. Is Wilkes-Barre a place for minorities to reside? What is the culture like?
Also, are there any new housing developments like condo's and ect.
I look forward to your responses.
Thanks
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Old 10-02-2007, 02:26 PM
 
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Whole LOTTA Crime in many parts of Wilkes-Barre. CAUTION
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Old 10-02-2007, 02:41 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,616 posts, read 77,586,970 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MollyMe View Post
Whole LOTTA Crime in many parts of Wilkes-Barre. CAUTION
Agreed. For what it's worth though, I foresee the crime rate declining in Wilkes-Barre in the upcoming years from where it is now. Mayor Leighton has hired 21 new police officers during his tenure, and he has reinstated the City's SWAT Team, amongst other improvements (including the new streetlights). The most notorious streets for crime issues in Wilkes-Barre are in certain parts of both South Wilkes-Barre and The Heights. The projects along Coal Street add a bit of crime to the mix there, and some streets in South Wilkes-Barre---Sambourne, Hazle, South River (higher blocks), South Franklin (higher blocks), Academy, Carey (upper blocks), South Main (middle blocks), etc. have been notorious for drug activities. The neighborhood adjacent to King's College is also rather slummy (East North, North Washington (lower blocks), Bennett, Meyers Court, North Main (lower blocks).

The Parsons and Miners Mills neighborhoods remain very tranquil, along with the historic district near Wilkes University, Riverside Park, Barney Farms, and Rolling Mill Hill. There is a new townhome community in the city's north end by the name of Pine Ridge Estates, and I believe these units are only in the mid-$100k range. There are also 60 condos expected to be completed in 2008 in the Hotel Sterling building downtown (with views overlooking the river). Loft apartments are being developed in the Northampton & Main project in the Diamond City Entertainment District. Lofts are also coming to the massive, hulking Murray Complex near downtown.

Midwest72, I go to college downtown, and my father works downtown, so we're pretty good resources to consult about the Diamond City. What Molly says is true about it having a rather high crime rate (in relation to the region), and if you're looking for a medium-sized city with lower crime, I'd recommend Scranton, which is about 18 miles to the north, to you. The immediate downtown area is rebounding by leaps and bounds with a new Barnes & Noble, Starbucks, night clubs, restaurants, movie theater, etc., but many of the neighborhoods leave a lot to be desired right now. Scranton, on the other hand, has very few "high-risk" pockets, and its downtown is likewise rebounding.

Last edited by SteelCityRising; 10-02-2007 at 02:42 PM.. Reason: Typo
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Old 10-02-2007, 02:44 PM
 
422 posts, read 2,005,183 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScrantonWilkesBarre View Post
Agreed. For what it's worth though, I foresee the crime rate declining in Wilkes-Barre in the upcoming years from where it is now.

I forsee myself winning the lottery.



What are the chances of both of them coming true???
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Old 10-02-2007, 02:45 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,616 posts, read 77,586,970 times
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Originally Posted by MollyMe View Post
I forsee myself winning the lottery.
I foresaw myself getting a boyfriend for many years with no luck, but guess what? It just finally happened! Never say never, Molly. You never know what the future holds.
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Old 10-02-2007, 09:05 PM
 
Location: Louisville, KY
1,590 posts, read 4,623,784 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Midwest 72 View Post
Hi,

I am thinking about relocating to Wilkes-Barre from Ohio. I am African American. I have been doing some research and I am not successful in finding information in regards to Diversity in Wilkes- Barre. Is Wilkes-Barre a place for minorities to reside? What is the culture like?
Also, are there any new housing developments like condo's and ect.
I look forward to your responses.
Thanks
a few years back someone transferred in to where my mother worked. he wanted to get out of wilkes-barre as soon as he could, his exact reasoning was "there is nothing here (wilkes-barre) for an educated black man to do, all the blacks i meet are drug addicts and criminals". shortly after he moved away.
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Old 10-03-2007, 03:42 AM
 
Location: PA
1,032 posts, read 4,263,394 times
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I lived outside of Wilkes-Barre from 2002-2005 and unless things have drastically changed in the two years I've been gone, there was not much diversity at all - very white - kind of weird actually.

Best of luck!
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Old 10-03-2007, 06:17 AM
 
Location: NE PA
7,931 posts, read 15,816,671 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KristyLiz View Post
I lived outside of Wilkes-Barre from 2002-2005 and unless things have drastically changed in the two years I've been gone, there was not much diversity at all - very white - kind of weird actually.

Best of luck!

Why does "diversity" have to basically mean "NON WHITE." Are you saying that all "white" people are the same? Trust me, the culture of an Italian, Irish, Russian, or German Americans are all as different from each other as a "white" person and a "black" person. And actually culture can differ greatly amongst "blacks." Not all black people are African American, many are Hispanic...Puerto Rican, Jamaican, etc.

And actually W-B has a pretty significant black community, but an above poster was right....its more Pacman Jones than Bill Cosby.
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Old 10-03-2007, 07:47 AM
 
3,756 posts, read 9,550,657 times
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Good point GoPhillies, interesting concept that you present. Good insight.

the hat
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Old 10-03-2007, 08:48 AM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,616 posts, read 77,586,970 times
Reputation: 19101
Quote:
Originally Posted by 61scout80 View Post
a few years back someone transferred in to where my mother worked. he wanted to get out of wilkes-barre as soon as he could, his exact reasoning was "there is nothing here (wilkes-barre) for an educated black man to do, all the blacks i meet are drug addicts and criminals". shortly after he moved away.
I'm generally not a racist, but unfortunately this is true. Finding a well-educated African-American male in Wilkes-Barre is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
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