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If Rochester that bad??
Crime wise- is bad but again if you stick to the subs you will be fine, but there are other issues like lack of a real downtown,lack of things to do, cruel and long winters,people are not friendly,there are segregations and racisms here and of course if you have family you will not notice it because you will be with them all the time,but as far as making lots of friends, forget it!!! this is not the city for that. People here lack social skills and I attribute that to probably being indoor for more than 6 months in a year.
Crime in downtown is terrible,no places to go but a few bars,every town has a small stripdown mall and that's about it you can do here.In the summer months you can walk to Fairport Canal but if you don't belong to that snotty crowd they look at you as an outsider.
In general, this city sucks!!!!!!1
If Rochester that bad??
Crime wise- is bad but again if you stick to the subs you will be fine, but there are other issues like lack of a real downtown,lack of things to do, cruel and long winters,people are not friendly,there are segregations and racisms here and of course if you have family you will not notice it because you will be with them all the time,but as far as making lots of friends, forget it!!! this is not the city for that. People here lack social skills and I attribute that to probably being indoor for more than 6 months in a year.
Crime in downtown is terrible,no places to go but a few bars,every town has a small stripdown mall and that's about it you can do here.In the summer months you can walk to Fairport Canal but if you don't belong to that snotty crowd they look at you as an outsider.
In general, this city sucks!!!!!!1
Wow! You are really down on Rochester!
I have lived in Rochester and a small town in Oklahoma. People think segregation and racism is bad here??!! OMG.... some just have no idea. In Oklahoma they were calling the black men "boy".... I have NEVER EVER heard that here! White kids were taken out of school lunch and brought home to eat so they wouldn't have to eat with the Black and Mexican kids.... I have NEVER seen that here. Luckily we moved from Rochester so my parents would never in a million years have done that. They found it appalling. I was too young to understand.... In Oklahoma it even came down to RELIGION- I was prayed for because I went to the Catholic Church with the Mexicans! Seriously? You REALLY think Rochester is Racist? I don't think people really have any idea of what life is like in other parts of the country!
Lack of things to do? I don't know where people are looking because I can't find enough time in the weekend to do all I want to do. With every festival we have from Spring through Fall.... with winter activities- skiing, sledding, ice skating... museums/theater.... wine tasting.... craft shops... dinner along the canal.... coffee on Park Ave.... concerts at East End....just walking the little shops in Pittsford or Park Ave or Monroe or Brockport... Fairports many hiking trails.....Jazz Festival... 10 Ugly men...take a boatride on the Erie Canal... take a walking tour of the city.... REALLY??? Can't find anything to do... WOW.... I could offer more suggestions but I'd be typing all day...
Cruel and LONG winters.... I love when people say this. So far this season it has snowed one day and was gone by mid afternoon... How cruel... might get snow today... maybe a dusting to an inch they said... The past couple of years have not been horrible. Quite mild actually... so I don't really get this CRUELTY thing. If you move to the NORTH you are going to get snow... take up skiing then. Seriously- make use of it - you know what you are getting into why complain about it? Learn to enjoy it....
Making friends... I think that is all based on the person and how friendly thay are. If they have a poor attitiude people are less likely to want to talk to them! But if you are open and willing to befriend people- work, neighbors, local bars, join meetup, join a social group.... make an effort and you will be fine. Jeepers- my brother lives in DC and said he misses the friendly nature of Rochester... Lacking social skills? Hmmmmm.... maybe they are indoors socializing! I know I do... I have my friends over on weekends....
Every town has a strip mall... LOL... that sounds like we have a CVS and three insurance companies attached with a laundromat! HAHAHA Every town has a strip mall with big box stores, restaurants, and shopping.... PLUS we have three decent sized shopping malls. Cute towns with adorable shops/restaurants/coffee shops/ hair salons and spas..... Our East End downtown is lovely AND SAFE to be in. Shops up and down Park Ave, beautiful homes, bars on Alexander, Coffee Shops.... yea- nothing to do in these towns or downtown..
Snotty Crowd in Fairport huh.... ROFLMAO!!!! Yes, those Fairportonians walk down the street so busy worried about all those NON In CROWD folks like middle school! They stop their indepth conversations to take notice of the outsiders.... Give me a break... Fairport is one of the most family friendly towns in Rochester. That is just such a generalization! Fairport was on the America's Best Place to live lists just a couple of years ago.... yes, there has to be SOMETHING wrong with it! LOL
Just a thought.... if you don't like where you live then make a change. But this is a wonderful city with amazing suburbs and it has been ranked in several BEST PLACES lists....All American City Awards... Friendliest City Award three years in a row....
Anyway... Rochester has a lot to offer... if you actually care to take advantage of it.....
Bravo skbs. Could not agree more with your entire post. I also found the fairport comment funny- I dont live there, but have never felt anything but welcome.
Rochester may not be great for everyone, but people that dislike Rochester enough to think the area is awful, sucks, etc must have other internal demons they need to overcome.
I always hear people say that Rochester is bad but how bad is it. When I saw bad, are we talking about Newark, New Jersey bad or Detroit bad?
Like any City, it depends on how you look at it, which will determine whether it's "bad" or not. It depends on whether you have a positive outlook or a negative outlook, and that will ultimately determine whether you like the city or not (or anything for that matter). I live in Greece, and i love it here! The only problem is that the winters can be brutal (my opinion, i know others will differ), so if you don't have a car (especially during the winter), you are screwed (depending on where you live also), because most places are not in walking distance.
Also, there is not much to do, unless you are creative and can come up with fun things to do, which i am not, so it tends to be pretty monotonous for me in Rochester, but i do have my whole Family here so that changes things a bit for me
All in all, Rochester is a great City and it has a lot to offer!
Side note: In comparison to Detroit, i would say that Buffalo is similar.
Last edited by CityGal07; 12-11-2009 at 10:28 PM..
Bravo skbs. Could not agree more with your entire post. I also found the fairport comment funny- I dont live there, but have never felt anything but welcome.
Rochester may not be great for everyone, but people that dislike Rochester enough to think the area is awful, sucks, etc must have other internal demons they need to overcome.
Exactly Rochacha. I have ventured into the "bad" areas occasionally to make my way through to other areas and I have never had a problem. I have even pulled over and asked directions quite a few times and I have found EVERYONE to be helpful and courteous. Granted, it is not 3AM and I am not on a drug hunt so I feel as long as your are doing your own thing and not looking for any trouble, you wont find any.
We are thinking of moving to Rochester if hubby can get a job there. I would appreciate it if you could tell me of safe, decent area's to rent an apartment. No kids, just the two of us. Walking distance to shopping would be great.
Park ave, South ave. Depending on your taste, one of those should do the trick. Park ave is safer, I've lived here for about 10 years and have never had a problem. South ave is hipper, IMHO. There are a few drawbacks, though. The neighborhood, although going through gentrification, can be iffy in parts. Don't get me wrong, I've never been worried there while out and about, but there have been a few instances I've seen something on the news or read about a break in, robbery, or something like that there. Not often, though, but just a heads up. Rent is a bit cheaper near south ave as well. Couldn't hurt to look in Pittsford, either.
I think the Park Ave area would definitely be a better fit for them than pittsford. Sure Pittsford village is beautiful and walkable but there really aren't many rentals or apartments at all there. Considering they are looking for an apartment for now (most park avenue apartments are actually units in old turn of the century mansions) have no kids to be concerned about schools, and want more walkable shopping options; I think Park Ave would definitely be their best option.
i've been living in downtown rochester since january, so far i think prices are cheap here, people are very nice and like "bad people and bad areas" are minimal comparing to big cities like where im from. the only downside of living in downtown is in the weekend gets pretty noisy but i dnt really care cuz i live on the 27th floor and im a sound sleeper lol but still i hear sirens all the time. btw u do get that at NYC too lol
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OMG.... some just have no idea. In Oklahoma they were calling the black men "boy".... I have NEVER EVER heard that here! White kids were taken out of school lunch and brought home to eat so they wouldn't have to eat with the Black and Mexican kids.... I have NEVER seen that here. Luckily we moved from Rochester so my parents would never in a million years have done that. They found it appalling. I was too young to understand.... In Oklahoma it even came down to RELIGION- I was prayed for because I went to the Catholic Church with the Mexicans! 
Seriously? You REALLY think Rochester is Racist?
I don't think people really have any idea of what life is like in other parts of the country!
Rochester is great!
