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And that's what I'm saying... it IS about finding what they'd most prefer. That's why they're HERE. That's why I'M saying that both villages have similar activities but x, y, and z are WHY Manlius is preferable, by far, to Fayetteville... for what.they.want.
The worst thing to happen would be for them to come up here and find life merely tolerable and somewhat disappointing, instead of enjoying themselves as much as possible. Life is tolerable and somewhat disappointing where they already are. They're not coming up here for tolerable and somewhat disappointing; they're coming up here with hope. I think they deserve the BEST advice we can give them, if we choose to give any at all.
That's fine, but then we might as well suggest only a few places on here literally instead showing areas that fit the three important things they mentioned.
And that's what I'm saying... it IS about finding what they'd most prefer. That's why they're HERE. That's why I'M saying that both villages have similar activities but x, y, and z are WHY Manlius is preferable, by far, to Fayetteville... for what.they.want.
The worst thing to happen would be for them to come up here and find life merely tolerable and somewhat disappointing, instead of enjoying themselves as much as possible. Life is tolerable and somewhat disappointing where they already are. They're not coming up here for tolerable and somewhat disappointing; they're coming up here with hope. I think they deserve the BEST advice we can give them, if we choose to give any at all.
I love this. So on point. That's why I'm so into giving people opinions, rather than statistics. Stats are so cold and impersonal, and often wrong or skewed to meet an agenda. Anyone can look up stats. It tells nothing about what its actually like to live there. Like Buffalo might be cheaper than Rochester, overall, but lets face it, you can buy basically the same house and median home price means very little in this scenario, but the feeling of living there can be like night and day between the two cities. Its a point I've been trying to get across for years on here.
Call me emotional, maybe I am. I prefer to refer to it as descriptive writing!
You once described Manlius really nicely and when I visited, it was exactly as you described it. It invoked really good feelings for me, so much so that I really, really wanted to buy a house there. Nothing you said was embellished, overly optimistic, or just statistical. So, keep it up!
I just did one of those walkability things for my own house. The score was pretty high but the distances were all way off and everything that's walkable closes at 5pm. So the innernet shows one thing but normal living shows something completely different.
I'll also second her opinion on Fayetteville and Manlius. Fayetteville is traffic hell. Being on foot there is to be feared not looked forward to. The few times I've been to Manlius it seems very nice.
And that's what I'm saying... it IS about finding what they'd most prefer. That's why they're HERE. That's why I'M saying that both villages have similar activities but x, y, and z are WHY Manlius is preferable, by far, to Fayetteville... for what.they.want.
The worst thing to happen would be for them to come up here and find life merely tolerable and somewhat disappointing, instead of enjoying themselves as much as possible. Life is tolerable and somewhat disappointing where they already are. They're not coming up here for tolerable and somewhat disappointing; they're coming up here with hope. I think they deserve the BEST advice we can give them, if we choose to give any at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean®
I just did one of those walkability things for my own house. The score was pretty high but the distances were all way off and everything that's walkable closes at 5pm. So the innernet shows one thing but normal living shows something completely different.
I'll also second her opinion on Fayetteville and Manlius. Fayetteville is traffic hell. Being on foot there is to be feared not looked forward to. The few times I've been to Manlius it seems very nice.
I'm still trying to figure out the difference between Route 5 in Fayetteville and Route 92 in Manlius.
This has never been about stats, but they can be used to illustrate a point. So, it doesn't make them moot.
I also don't know what was embellished in this thread either, but OK.
To the OP, I have some questions. Where did you live in the Houston area? Where did you live in Brooklyn? What is considered too far to drive? Is school and community size a factor?
I'm still trying to figure out the difference between Route 5 in Fayetteville and Route 92 in Manlius.
My sister lives in the village of Fayetteville and walks to Towne Center, and hates the walk, even though on paper it's under a half mile from her. It's well sidewalked, but the signals are poorly timed for pedestrian traffic. It's not as bad if you don't need to cross 5 any further west than the top of the hill. Otherwise, 5 is barely more pedestrian-oriented than West Street or Adams downtown. Very car-centric with some small pedestrian afterthoughts.
I'd argue though that the bigger difference between Fayetteville and Manlius has to do with terrain. Manlius's walkable district is generally flatter (pre-connection with 173, anyways), while there's a steep and lengthy hill between the walkable village center of Fayetteville and the Towne Center end. (Also, much of the stuff-to-do in the village of Manlius is clustered on the same side of the street)
And for all of 92's traffic, the merge of lanes on 5 in Fayetteville in rush hour and subsequent split at Salt Springs is way worse for cars, much less pedestrians, than 92.
My sister lives in the village of Fayetteville and walks to Towne Center, and hates the walk, even though on paper it's under a half mile from her. It's well sidewalked, but the signals are poorly timed for pedestrian traffic. It's not as bad if you don't need to cross 5 any further west than the top of the hill. Otherwise, 5 is barely more pedestrian-oriented than West Street or Adams downtown. Very car-centric with some small pedestrian afterthoughts.
I'd argue though that the bigger difference between Fayetteville and Manlius has to do with terrain. Manlius's walkable district is generally flatter (pre-connection with 173, anyways), while there's a steep and lengthy hill between the walkable village center of Fayetteville and the Towne Center end. (Also, much of the stuff-to-do in the village of Manlius is clustered on the same side of the street)
And for all of 92's traffic, the merge of lanes on 5 in Fayetteville in rush hour and subsequent split at Salt Springs is way worse for cars, much less pedestrians, than 92.
Thank you stating this, as this is a great explanation and I can see how the terrain makes a difference, as well as most of the things in Manlius being along Seneca. Would it be better to bypass the bridge by walking by Limestone Plaza in Fayetteville?
With this, it appears that it is essentially Manlius, Skaneateles, Baldwinsville and maybes for Liverpool, Marcellus and Cazenovia? Nos for Homer, Tully, Chittenango, Minoa, Jordan, Elbridge and Weedsport? Where does the Orvilton/DeWittshire area fall in all of this? North Syracuse? These are just general questions.
Last edited by ckhthankgod; 08-26-2014 at 07:53 PM..
Thank you stating this, as this is a great explanation and I can see how the terrain makes a difference, as well as most of the things in Manlius being along Seneca.
With this, it appears that it is essentially Manlius, Skaneateles, Baldwinsville and maybes for Liverpool, Marcellus and Cazenovia? Nos for Homer, Tully, Chittenango, Minoa, Jordan, Elbridge and Weedsport? Where does the Orvilton/DeWittshire area fall in all of this? North Syracuse? These are just general questions.
I'd say parts of Orvilton/DeWittshire can work (there's a conservative Jewish synagogue over there and many of their congregants live nearby so as not to have to drive on Saturdays) depending on what you're looking for walkability-wise. It's high traffic volume but they have good pedestrian controls except at Erie Blvd. Caz is pretty good too.
Honestly I was having more trouble with the initial query, because I generally have trouble putting together missing suburbia and wanting walkability, since suburbia tends to be more car-centric than pedestrian friendly. The list around here (and in most of the northeast) has more to do with suburbs growing around/out of existing older villages than in other parts of the country.
I'd say parts of Orvilton/DeWittshire can work (there's a conservative Jewish synagogue over there and many of their congregants live nearby so as not to have to drive on Saturdays) depending on what you're looking for walkability-wise. It's high traffic volume but they have good pedestrian controls except at Erie Blvd. Caz is pretty good too.
Honestly I was having more trouble with the initial query, because I generally have trouble putting together missing suburbia and wanting walkability, since suburbia tends to be more car-centric than pedestrian friendly. The list around here (and in most of the northeast) has more to do with suburbs growing around/out of existing older villages than in other parts of the country.
I agree and it will help once or if the OP responds back to answers some of the questions. Once more is established, it will help in terms of offering proper suggestions.
To be honest, we could even throw out Skaneateles and Cazenovia due to being nice villages surrounded by a rural landscape. With that said, those villages/communities fulfill the most important criteria. So, even some of the most "desirable" communities around here wouldn't fit.
If we look at this in the strictest of terms, we may be able to only mention the Northern suburban villages, Manlius and Orvilton/DeWittshire. Baldwinsville may even be borderline.
Well I did have a long reply typed up and ready to hit send but then Time Warner decided to stop working. Figures. So here it goes on my phone instead.
Thanks you ck for the links, they did help instead of all the random street views I was looking for that weren't giving me a very good idea. To answer your questions we lived near Houston in a planned community called The Woodlands (rather snobby area but I did enjoy the amenities) We currently live in Park Slope in Brooklyn (diverse very granola family area)
I'm not really wanting a sleeper or super small town. Something midsize or slightly smaller. As far as too far to drive I don't want a town where you absolutely HAVE to get in your car to go to the grocery store. I don't mind driving but if I can walk I will. I know walkability and suburbia don't usually go together but a girl can dream. When I say missing suburbia I think more having a house/yard/space.
These busy streets you and proulx mention, do they have crosswalks or is it more of a run and hope no one hits you kinda thing?
Proulxfamily I definitely love the local advice as well! With a move as big as this for us I'll take everything I can get. It stills seems like Manlius and bville are the best bets. I need to lookinto Liverpool and a few others more to get a better read on them. Skaneateles seems like a no mostly bc of the higher housing costs and I'm not sure if we'd fit in there.
Any opinionon Manlius and Bville schools? They look good on paper but that doesn't necessarily add up to what the locals know about them. I'm mostly interested in the elementary schools.
Also what kind of vibe do those towns have? Are they pretty open and accepting or more in the conservative side?
Thank you all so much for the input and please excuse any typos, it was quite a feat retyping this on my tiny iPhone screen...
Thanks for replying. Given what you stated, this time in my personal opinion, I'd consider Liverpool and the Orvilton/DeWittshire area of DeWitt. Both are in arguably the most racially/culturally diverse suburban school districts in the area, while having at least solid/good(L'pool) to very good(J-D) schools.
With Orvilton/DeWittshire, it is set up where your child can walk to Moses DeWitt Elementary, which is a diverse suburban elementary school relative to the area with good results. There's also shops and a Tops grocery store along East Genesee Street. What's left of Shoppingtown Mall and big box stores are a quick drive down Erie Boulevard East. Shoppingtown does house the DeWitt branch of the Onondaga County Library. There's also shopping further east on East Genesee Street in the Lyndon/Lyndon Corners area of the school district (eventhough that area has a Fayetteville zip code). Again, like the village of Liverpool, while the immediate population may not look "diverse", you will see people of different backgrounds out and about due to nearby areas in the school district and the nearby neighborhoods in the city's East Side having a diverse range of people. Jamesville-DeWitt also is known for its Jewish population and for being an area where people affiliated with Syracuse University and other colleges/universities/hospitals live due to the proximity to those institutions. There is greenspace nearby at Moses DeWitt Elementary, Manlius-Pebble Hill School and Holy Cross Elementary School. This area also puts you in between the Fayetteville-Manlius area/SD and the East Side which has the Westcott neighborhood, which has a hippy/quirky/hipster(lately) type of vibe. So, you can enjoy those areas easily as well. J-D, while it has its share of relatively upscale areas, it does have more middle class and even lower/working class areas with Springfield Gardens and to a lesser degree Swiss Village Apartments. So, there is some economic diversity, but the area is definitely stable.
With this said, don't rule places like Baldwinsville or Manlius out, but personally I think these areas would be a better fit in terms of a more relaxed vibe, while still having good schools. This area(Syracuse) in general isn't really pretentious, but when looking at things in relative terms, I think these areas in my personal opinion, would be good fits.
I may add more later and if you have more questions, just ask. I hope this helps.
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Figures. So here it goes on my phone instead.
