Stroudsburg? (Allentown, Scranton, Wilkes-Barre: buying a home, neighborhood, buying)

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by greentown

I heard the news report hyped by WNEP about the "elderly senior citizen" that was stabbed in Stroudsburg also. The only part I wonder about is why he was out walking the deserted streets at 1 a.m.

Any city has crime. Scranton certainly has it's share. It may have a low homicide rate, but I've seen plenty of graffiti, smashed windows and abandoned buildings in Scranton as well. I've also walked at night to get my car from one of the parking garages on Adams Ave. and felt extremely vulnerable on the deserted streets with my two daughters. It wouldn't be a place I would recommend to anyone either.

I'm not saying Scranton is necessarily any "better" as I know it has its fair share of crime as well, but the issues you mentioned could be expected from any city of that size after dark. I also had to run to my car at night once from a rowdy-looking gang of hoodlums during my Freshman year at King's in Wilkes-Barre, a city which is only about 65% the size of Scranton. A homicide occurred right around the corner from our campus last year, and many of my friends were victims of vandalism last year. Campus security sent out a mass e-mail last semester urging students not to walk alone in Wilkes-Barre and to call their office if they'd like an escort to walk them to their vehicles. Stroudsburg turns me off because it only has 6,000 or so residents---it's even smaller than puny Pittston, yet you don't hear about random street crimes occurring in Tomato Town very often, do you? The Back Mountain area is home to 30,000 residents and doesn't have the crime rate that Stroudsburg, which is 1/5 the size, apparently has. If Stroudsburg were a larger borough and still had these crime issues, I'd be more lenient, but I'm still not giving it any leeway to be as miniscule as it is and to still have a problem with gangs and muggings. I knew I was in for bad news the day I did my photo tour when I was saying "Good morning" to people I passed along Main Street and didn't get that greeting returned to me---it was like walking into a mini-Bronx. In other towns I've photographed people would aggressively try to be the first to greet me as I passed them on the sidewalks, and while motorists in towns like Honesdale and Lewisburg would stop to motion people across busy streets, I was nearly run-down by an SUV driver who made a right-turn on red in Stroudsburg.

The architecture on Main Street is astounding to me, but I'm still not going to hype up a town of 6,000 (the same size as Honesdale) that has such big-city issues. Where are the Stroud Regional Police? Dunkin' Donuts?

[greentown]

SWB: I think the difference between all the towns you mentioned and Stroudsburg is that they don't have all the NJ/NY transplants/transients. Everyone wants us to believe that the rise in crime is not the NY'ers faults and I'm sure most of them come here to escape the city and are not to blame, but the crime statistics speak for themselves.

[izzymare]

S-WB, Although I do agree that there is crime is S-Burg as well as Scranton, Wilkesbarre and anywhere else in this universe, I really don't understand how you can base a photo shoot and tell someone where a better place to live. FYI, there are absolutely phenomenal places to live in SBurg, try getting off Main Street, etc. In addition, E-Burg is definitely not a better place to live. Is this because the rude people in Stroudsburg made it more appealing in East Stroudsburg. Stroudsburg actually has a better school district. Have you driven past East Stroudsburg High School. There are more temporary buildings than you can imagine. In my opinion, Stroudsburg (certain areas) are much nicer and a heck of a lot better than E. Stroudsburg. Can you tell me something now that you trashed these areas, why is everyone moving out of Scranton and Wilkesbarre?

[PoconoNurse]

Izzymare I'm with you..........Having moved 3 years ago from NJ, I have found Stroudsburg a great town. My children went to private school in NJ, and the first week here, my youngest was diagnosed with a speech impediment, attended speech class and did great! It was not something she would grow out of, but needed the instruction. As far as crime, its everywhere. As a 2 wage earner family, I'm tired of taking the rap for children being left alone, and joining gangs, crime,etc..., Its a matter of being raised right. I chose to move to PA and got a job in PA to work closer to home. My husband still enjoys the commute to NJ. Ther'e not many places I can think of where I would walk alone at night, especially 1 a.m.........its a matter of the way things are now, not like years ago. I enjoy the Sherman Theater and my daughter and I have seen 4 plays there. My 2 oldest go to ESU, the 2 youngest in the H.S. and Jr. High. People are friendly, and I like my neighbors too, most are from NY and NJ, like us. Again any town is what you make of it, good or bad.

[ScranBarre]

The majority on this forum like to slam Scranton into the ground, much to my chagrin, but I allow them to make their disparaging remarks about the city because I realize we're all entitled to our own opinions. Similarly, I'm entitled to my opinion that elderly people shouldn't be getting stabbed multiple times on the streets of a town of only 6,000 residents. A town of only 6,000 residents should not have gang-related graffiti tags just off the main drag, broken windows, etc. There were a lot of bright spots to Stroudsburg, but I truly don't understand what the "allure" is for new transplants when you have much, much friendlier, cleaner, more well-kept towns nearby such as Honesdale, Jim Thorpe, and Milford.

I'll concur that the Stroudsburg School District is above-average. As a recent high school graduate myself, we'd often be beaten in Science Olympiad competitions by their team. I never said "all" teenagers in the Poconos become hellions due to a lack of parental supervision---although you can't argue that the Hell's Angels came to Monroe County to battle the increasing gang presence for a reason. My ex-boyfriend, a transplant from Brooklyn, lives in Pocono Farms, and he made comments about known gang members living in A Pocono Country Place, not far at all from his own planned community. Considering my ex was an ex-gang member himself when he lived in NYC, I'd value HIS judgments about the level of gang activity in Monroe County over the biased tourism bureau or a bunch of 45-year-old soccer moms on an internet forum with an "it can't happen here" mentality.

I still have yet to hear a logical reason as to why a community of 6,000 residents has such issues with criminal acts. I can rattle of dozens of communities in NEPA that are even larger than that and seem to have a fraction of the crime issues that plague Stroudsburg. I'm not at all surprised that this man was stabbed multiple times for turning down panhandlers---I likewise felt threatened on Main Street when I also turned down panhandlers during my photo tour.

First impressions are everything, folks. Most people come to Scranton for the first time and think "Ick" due to its blue-collar nitty-gritty feel. Then again, I know of many who feel the same way about Stroudsburg when they have to dodge panhandlers, graffiti, and arson scenes, as I did. Not everyone is "cut out" for every community. I found the rudeness expressed by many drivers in Stroudsburg to be enough to make me want to get out. Likewise, I have yet to find a fellow forum member who has one kind thing to say about Scranton without harping on about politics, taxes, corruption, etc. You're all not going to convince me to like Stroudsburg after the very negative experience I had there, and I won't be able to convince any of you to like Scranton either. Let's just leave it at that.

[NYRangers 2008]

Paul, I would have to say Stroudsburg is the way it is because of the influx of lower to middle class people from NJ and NY. Stroudsburg's close proximity to NY and NJ makes it easy for them to move there. I remember when we first moved to PA from NY and we used to stop and go to Stroudsburg a lot. It wasn't as bad there 20 years ago as it is now. We used to eat at the Perkins right off of I-80 and I don't remember the town looking like it does now. It has become like a "mini Bronx". As for Scranton, it hasn't gotten to the level of Stroudsburg at all in terms of crime.

[karen_s]

Paul, I completely agree with you -- this is after my own brother was assaulted up there while taking a walk. (He had no money on him and got beaten as a result) He walks all the time around NYC and Philly and Easton and Bethlehem and ends up getting beaten up by guys with a pit bull on Main Street in Stroudsburg.

My elderly viola instructor lives up in the hill section and is afraid to go out after dark anymore (and his house is in the good part of Stroudsburg).

It is a darn shame and I hope someone tries to do something about it.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

Paul, I would have to say Stroudsburg is the way it is because of the influx of lower to middle class people from NJ and NY. Stroudsburg's close proximity to NY and NJ makes it easy for them to move there. I remember when we first moved to PA from NY and we used to stop and go to Stroudsburg a lot. It wasn't as bad there 20 years ago as it is now. We used to eat at the Perkins right off of I-80 and I don't remember the town looking like it does now. It has become like a "mini Bronx". As for Scranton, it hasn't gotten to the level of Stroudsburg at all in terms of crime.

Originally Posted by karen_s

Paul, I completely agree with you -- this is after my own brother was assaulted up there while taking a walk. (He had no money on him and got beaten as a result) He walks all the time around NYC and Philly and Easton and Bethlehem and ends up getting beaten up by guys with a pit bull on Main Street in Stroudsburg.

My elderly viola instructor lives up in the hill section and is afraid to go out after dark anymore (and his house is in the good part of Stroudsburg).

It is a darn shame and I hope someone tries to do something about it.

Thank you both for the reinforcement. Ed, it's funny that you should mention Perkins, as my ex and I ate there once for breakfast when we were still together. I remember seeing him tensing up as the occupants of a table across from us were being abrasive and were making a lot of noise. I thought he was simply as annoyed as I was about their disruption of our otherwise enjoyable breakfast, but he told me to keep to myself when I questioned him about what was wrong. When we got back out to my car, he told me that he saw a gun sticking out of the pocket of one of the occupants of the table across from us and that he overheard two of them making a comment about he and I being f*gs, and he was worried one of them might pull the gun on us. Considering he was from the city himself, I simply trusted his instincts and left it at that. All in all it left me with a sour taste in my mouth for Stroudsburg, which was reinforced the day of my photo tour when I ran into two panhandlers (one of them was rather aggressive), saw the gang-related graffiti tag on a building, saw the smashed windows on the same building, etc. Sure, they might keep the town's main drag looking inviting to tourists, but I sure as hell would be terrified to stray just one block off of Main Street after dark (with good reason as we saw with the attack on that elderly man the other day).

Stroudsburg has its brighter spots like historic architecture, a great school district, and some neat annual festivals, but the overall rudeness and abrasiveness of the townspeople and the hints of criminal activities caused me to tense up. It's sad that I can honestly say I felt safer walking around supposedly "crime-infested" Scranton than I do walking around a tiny town like Stroudsburg, which is only 1/12 the size. The Stroud Regional Police Department REALLY needs to get its act together before Stroudsburg is beyond salvation and becomes annexed by the city.

[Delray Patty]

Here's a tip, don't go into a "gated community" in the Stroudsburg area. full
of creeps, unruly kids, etc.. Look up near Marshalls Creek, Brodheadsville,
Bangor, Pen Argyl, in between Stroudsburg and Allentown. Like someone else
suggested go up on a weekend walk around and see what you like...Hopefully
things will be turning around again for the better in the "Burgs", My sons both
graduated from East Burg, played baseball, football. I didn't have a problem.
but that was 6 years ago and I can see the change that has taken place.
PCP Pocono Country Place is up past Mt. Pocono and it's definitely not a nice
place. Stroudsburg is a nice little town, walk around during the day, but not
so sure as to going there at night. bottom line Police force has not kept up
with the influx of people and greed has taken over with absentee landlords
renting to anything and anyone...But Pa. has a lot to offer so I say GO FOR
IT. Good luck

[izzymare]

Maybe I am the minority among this group with their love for Scranton and absolute hatred for Stroudsburg, but I am truly sick of the bashing that is going on here. I have walked in Stroudsburg, I'm sure alot more times than SWB and I have never, not once been approached by panhandlers. Where are you hanging out, and also for someone who is so young, you are such an authority? How could you possibly know everything by photo shoots. I really don't get it. Scranton has been going downhill for years, so much so that they even have to close the Catholic schools because people are leaving the area. I know you are entitled to your opinions, but honestly, do a little more research.