Help with Scranton (Allentown, Wilkes-Barre, Pittston: lease, lofts, condos)

[weluvpa]

Originally Posted by go phillies

I like my neighborhood too...but I can tell, you this city is drastically changing FAST in just the 7 years I've lived here. A lot more crime around, and lots of shady characters moving in to once-safe neighborhoods. Now we're getting gang shootings.... I hope I'm wrong, but I just don't see it getting better, only worse. When these types move in, and then tell their homies and amigos back in Jersey, the Bronx, Philly, etc, how cheap it is to live here, how easy it is to get welfare, and how the police force is like Barney Fife and Andy, this city could be the ghetto really fast....

I agree, it has changed greatly in the 16 years that I have been in my neighborhood and not for the best. Hell even some of my neighbors that have moved in recently that are locals act like they just knocked the wheels off their trailer and parked it here. Trash is trash, it knows no color or ethnic bounds.

[unionjack3902]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

Generally speaking while Scranton's violent crime rate has indeed been rising exponentially with the influx of poor minorities from the BosWash Corridor in the past few years, it is very rarely random in nature. Several years ago an elderly man's throat was slit right in broad daylight in Downtown Scranton as he simply went for his daily walk. That was probably the most grotesque random violent crime in the city I can ever recall, and to this day I still don't know if there's ever been an arrest (and if there has been what the motive was for the murder---botched robbery? gang initiation?) Property crime and quality-of-life issues seem to have always been an issue in Scranton thanks to a high proportion of low-life people residing in the city who lack class and generally have no regard or concern for their neighbors, but even then if you live in any urban environment the occasional drunken idiot urinating on your front lawn or the occasional car-keying/break-in is to be expected.

Scranton's main problem is that its police force is severely understaffed because the current mayoral administration refuses to admit there are crime concerns in the city. In the 1990s the Hill Section in particular was a near-ghetto. After intensive police saturations under the Connors administration the roaches there spread over to South Side. Now that the mayor has made South Side his gentrification "pet project" with the dog park, proposed library, blight demolition, urban forestry campaign, etc. the roaches are just scattering back over to West Side, which is now suffering. Once things get to be out-of-control there they'll be scattered to North Scranton (and eventually back into the Hill Section). The low-level thugs who can't hack it in NYC/NJ/Philadelphia flock to Scranton because they feel superior to the "Barney Fife" police force prevalent in much of the region.

I have traditionally been a "booster" of the city, but more recently since I've relocated to the South for career aspirations I'm realizing as someone on the outside-looking-in that the city wasn't quite the Valhalla I thought it was. People in Scranton remain steadfastly ignorant and opposed to change or progress. Take for example the proposed commuter rail line linking Scranton to Metro NYC. I can rattle off numerous areas that have seen an economic boon as a direct result of convenient commuter access to a major employment center, and I firmly feel Scranton and NEPA in general could experience the same benefits. With easy access between NEPA and white-collar employers you would see an influx of college graduates who have fled the region's economic collapse back into NEPA. These people would work in the city, earn higher salaries, and spend that money back in local businesses, helping to spur more economic development, revitalize neighborhoods, etc. Instead of seeing the positives that could be gained from this most in Scranton staunchly oppose the rail line, claiming it will "bring drugs to Scranton." I don't know what crack people in Scranton smoke, but Scranton already has a MAJOR drug problem, along with gang issues, and more lifelong unemployed Section 8 trash than you could shake a stick at.

Increasing the proportion of educated and white-collar people in Scranton will boost property values to the point where many of these low-lives will be priced OUT of the city, scattering to other areas like roaches. This is exactly what is happening as I speak near me in Washington, DC. The District of Columbia was traditionally an urban sewer. Now much of the city has been gentrified or is in the process of being revitalized, and all of the riff-raff has been isolated to Anacostia and parts of NE DC. Even there most are being pushed into Prince George's County, Maryland, which has seen its violent crime rate skyrocket as a result of DC starting to clean itself up. Scranton should do the same. People in places like Old Forge, Carbondale, Pittston, etc. will resent having Scranton dumping its "trash" onto them, but if people in Scranton weren't morons they'd realize that is a good thing for THEM and SUPPORT efforts to bring an influx of college-educated white-collar people into their city to gentrify it. Instead everyone in the city is opposing the rail line. This is just one of many concrete examples of how Scranton is forever going to have its potential "stunted" due to the sheer idiocy of its own residents.

So evidently you're saying south side is an ok place now? Or at least tolerable, I'm moving out of a (changeing) neighborhood in Birmingham Alabama for scranton end of march and don't want to get back into an area that's the same old thing different place. ny one have any thoughts on southside locations at all? Specific locations good or bad would be appreciated.

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by unionjack3902

So evidently you're saying south side is an ok place now? Or at least tolerable, I'm moving out of a (changeing) neighborhood in Birmingham Alabama for scranton end of march and don't want to get back into an area that's the same old thing different place. ny one have any thoughts on southside locations at all? Specific locations good or bad would be appreciated.

East Mountain and Minooka are good areas on the south side of Scranton. I'd otherwise avoid South Side.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Chris_NEPA

Southside is still generally bad, it has a huge latino population now. Drive around there in the summer and that's all you see are groups of latino's hanging around. I believe I even read that a couple of the chruches there offer masses in spanish now.

Originally Posted by go phillies

East Mountain and Minooka are good areas on the south side of Scranton. I'd otherwise avoid South Side.

To be fair, though, you both live in West Side. I think asking CHS89 or another South Sider to chime in might be better. It is my personal belief that South Side hit its peak as a slum several years ago and has started to clean up its image a bit and shift some of its riff-raff over to West Side.

[blip]

Originally Posted by blitzndd

I will be relocating to Scranton in the Spring. And I am in the process of finding an apartment. Green Ridge, Hill section, West side, South, North....

I guess what I am asking is what neighborhoods are better/nicer/safer places? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I understand there is a rise in crime up that way but I have lived in Allentown for the past year. In my previous visits to Scranton I have never even remotely compared it to Allentown. Is it that crime actually gets reported in Scranton why the stats are high?

Anyway, any help on the area is greatly appreciated.

Hi, There are good and bad blocks all over town, and the crime seems very localized. So more info on what you want would help. Is it exclusively about crime? Do you want a short commute downtown? Are you commuting by car or foot? Do you want a walkable neighborhood? Do you want something cheap, or something "luxury"? Etc.

While crime has been rising in the city, it's still not dangerous in my opinion. I still feel safe in my part of West Side (Oram/Main area) and I walk around here and to downtown most times of day or night. This is one of the more walkable parts of town, which is why we chose it, if that's any help.

Good luck with the relocation!

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by Chris_NEPA

From what I've seen in west side and the surrounding areas it's the hispanics and blacks that outnumber the whites anymore.

I might have a hard time believing that the entire city is more than 90% white at this point...but West Side is definitely still 90% white....it only looks like the minority numbers are higher because they've been becoming more common in West Side than they used to be....plus, they're more likely to be the people wandering aimlessly and hanging around Main Ave, because the rest of us are usually at work.

[blip]

Originally Posted by go phillies

it only looks like the minority numbers are higher because they've been becoming more common in West Side than they used to be....plus, they're more likely to be the people wandering aimlessly and hanging around Main Ave, because the rest of us are usually at work.

Woah, yeah brother, your white pride is showin' thru!

[toobusytoday]

Please, let's not equate skin color equaling good or bad. As per the TOS, "Hate speech, racism or bashing of ANY sort will NOT be tolerated."

[blitzndd]

Originally Posted by blip

Hi, There are good and bad blocks all over town, and the crime seems very localized. So more info on what you want would help. Is it exclusively about crime? Do you want a short commute downtown? Are you commuting by car or foot? Do you want a walkable neighborhood? Do you want something cheap, or something "luxury"? Etc.

While crime has been rising in the city, it's still not dangerous in my opinion. I still feel safe in my part of West Side (Oram/Main area) and I walk around here and to downtown most times of day or night. This is one of the more walkable parts of town, which is why we chose it, if that's any help.

Good luck with the relocation!

Hey Blip. I probably should have given more information, so apologize for that. No it's not exclusively about crime, i have never done drugs so I wouldn't be involved with those people anyway. I have a car so transportation isn't an issue for me. HOWEVER, my friend who will be with me, does not drive and will be walking or taking the bus when i can't give him rides. I would like a walkable neighborhood however because I always enjoyed walking believe it or not and much rather give my car a rest.

And yes I would like a short commute downtown. Thanks for you help man.

Oh I must say, for people complaining your neighborhood is filled with drug-dealers and always complaining about scum moving in. Why are you trying to convince two white hard-working, college educated tweny+ year olds (and one who serves our country might i add) who are drug-free to NOT move into your area??? Just something to think about....if you constantly tell everyone your area is bad, "good" people willl avoid it and more and more trash will come in. Just a thought

[Trucker7]

Originally Posted by blitzndd

Oh I must say, for people complaining your neighborhood is filled with drug-dealers and always complaining about scum moving in. Why are you trying to convince two white hard-working, college educated tweny+ year olds (and one who serves our country might i add) who are drug-free to NOT move into your area??? Just something to think about....if you constantly tell everyone your area is bad, "good" people willl avoid it and more and more trash will come in. Just a thought

^^^^^^ We have a winner!