How do you view the Syracuse area? (Clay, Manlius: how much, hotel)

[jrice]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

what you are saying about sides of town, but the East side is the nicest side of town. Syracuse as far as I known and since I've lived here, has been a city with rough inner city neighborhoods, regardless of the direction one take from Downtown. Some are rougher than others, of course. Yes, Syracuse has seen better days, but it's not as bad as many similar sized cities. I think the economic/job issues is the biggest thing that the area needs to deal with. Personally, right now, we might be going in the direction of gentrification, with vision of a big college town look due to the things SU is getting involved in.

See I can remember being a little kid (5 or 6) and being able to visit my grandfathers house on the northside and being able to play in his front yard and my parents being ok with me walking up to butternut street--now I am not even that old (33). I agree, Eastwood in general is still a nice neighborhood, but how long until that area falls? My point is that the city needs to start dealing with this issue if they want to start seeing a revitalization.

As far as Syracuse becoming a big college town, that might be for the time being the best option for Syracuse, although I heard a couple of years ago and too be honest I havent checked recently that enrollment has been steadily going down since the mid 80's, now if this is still true then that issue must be addressed. I would like to see the city become revenue independent--not relying on one industry or source but having a wide range

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by Muggy

I chose multiple:

Small college town X
Large college town
Big Ghetto X
Rust Belt Metropolitan Area X
Ugly city with an equally ugly skyline X
Sorry no image comes to mind
Nice Metropolitan Area that has a struggling economy
A city that time forget X
I avoid the area at all costs X

I love some of the surrounding areas, but Syr itself is butt. Sorry.

For some reason Syracuse leadership has rose-colored glasses on and only listens to people that think everything is fine the way it.

I on the other hand want to listen to people that hate Syracuse, dislike Syracuse, and those that have no desire to ever move here. I truly believe those are the people our city leadership needs to listen to….. in order to find out what exactly turns people off about the area. Then work on changing it so that outsiders begin having a positive image of the area again. Otherwise, Syracuse will not attract the jobs or the right people to make it a better place to live.

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by bellafinzi

For some reason Syracuse leadership has rose-colored glasses on and only listens to people that think everything is fine the way it.

I on the other hand want to listen to people that hate Syracuse, dislike Syracuse, and those that have no desire to ever move here. I truly believe those are the people our city leadership needs to listen to….. in order to find out what exactly turns people off about the area. Then work on changing it so that outsiders begin having a positive image of the area again. Otherwise, Syracuse will not attract the jobs or the right people to make it a better place to live.

The problem is that most outsiders don't even care enough about the Syracuse area to make suggestions on ways to improve the area. Most just want to slam, bash and degrade it.

That means the only people who do in fact make suggestions about how to improve the Syracuse area are people with specific agendas...or people that can't be trusted with telling the truth. They have one goal in mind and don't really care about the whole Syracuse area booming in population and job growth. For example, the environmentalists, the farmers, the anti-sprawl people, the anti-growth people, the anti-tall buildings people, the anti-gentrification people, the anti-yuppie people, and the anti-change people.

[JohnK_Bville]

Syracuse area is great. I also think the image problem you guys keep talking about is overblown. I moved here from Las Vegas in 2005 and we were looking here, around Hartford, CT and the Virgina Beach area. That was our short list and after doing some research and spending some time here and in Hartford we choose here. The schools a good the water and air quality are great. The change of seasons is fantastic. If you like Fishing, Golfing, Skiing, or just about any outdoor activity this place is great. I live in Raddison and my kids run around the neighborhood playing with other kids and we don't have to worry to much about them. The Holidays are fantastic, especially Halloween and Christmas, with tons of things to do. Shopping down in Armory is comparable to Shopping in Hartford. Skaneatles's Christmas festival is unbelievable cool. The fall festivals at all the local farms like Abbott's in Baldwinsville are great fun. This year we're looking forward to going to the "Boo at the Zoo".

I know several people who have relocated to the area from elsewhere, including my sisters family that just closed on a home in Skaneatles. They are moving from Houston.

The majority of this areas "problems" appear to be in the heads of it's long time residents. Often people who have never lived anywhere else. Yes this city has a ghetto, so does every other city with a population over 100,000. If you think ours is big check out Vegas's or L.A.'s. Yes there are parts of this city that are old, so are parts of Manhattan. Yes we get snow, a lot of people like snow. I happen to be one of them. Yes the economy is struggling. Just like it is struggling in 90% of the rest of the country. Yes our schools are great and we have good air and water quality. Well we are rare there .

[JohnK_Bville]

Originally Posted by bellafinzi

The problem is that most outsiders don't even care enough about the Syracuse area to make suggestions on ways to improve the area. Most just want to slam, bash and degrade it.

That means the only people who do in fact make suggestions about how to improve the Syracuse area are people with specific agendas...or people that can't be trusted with telling the truth. They have one goal in mind and don't really care about the whole Syracuse area booming in population and job growth. For example, the environmentalists, the farmers, the anti-sprawl people, the anti-growth people, the anti-tall buildings people, the anti-gentrification people, the anti-yuppie people, and the anti-change people.

One, the environment and the rural character of the outlying suburbs are two of the main reasons a lot of people like this area and is probably the main reason a lot of people come here. Agro tourism is pretty big here. Sprawl is definitely something we need to control to preserve some of the things that are already working. I don't think anyone is really planning on build Manhattan esque sky scrappers here.

Honestly as for yuppies and gentrification I think the city of Syracuse could use a little of both. Another friend of mine is moving to the area from Maryland. When he came up we went to check out some houses in Eastwood, Sedgwick and Strathmore. He likes old house and wanted a big house the he could do a little work on. Sedgwick is just plane gorgeous but the city schools are a little on the rough side, the same can be said for Strathmore. I think a little yuppification and gentrification could help those areas a lot. Eastwood just has a cool bohemian vibe.

[jrice]

Originally Posted by JohnK_Bville

Syracuse area is great. I also think the image problem you guys keep talking about is overblown. I moved here from Las Vegas in 2005 and we were looking here, around Hartford, CT and the Virgina Beach area. That was our short list and after doing some research and spending some time here and in Hartford we choose here. The schools a good the water and air quality are great. The change of seasons is fantastic. If you like Fishing, Golfing, Skiing, or just about any outdoor activity this place is great. I live in Raddison and my kids run around the neighborhood playing with other kids and we don't have to worry to much about them. The Holidays are fantastic, especially Halloween and Christmas, with tons of things to do. Shopping down in Armory is comparable to Shopping in Hartford. Skaneatles's Christmas festival is unbelievable cool. The fall festivals at all the local farms like Abbott's in Baldwinsville are great fun. This year we're looking forward to going to the "Boo at the Zoo".

I know several people who have relocated to the area from elsewhere, including my sisters family that just closed on a home in Skaneatles. They are moving from Houston.

The majority of this areas "problems" appear to be in the heads of it's long time residents. Often people who have never lived anywhere else. Yes this city has a ghetto, so does every other city with a population over 100,000. If you think ours is big check out Vegas's or L.A.'s. Yes there are parts of this city that are old, so are parts of Manhattan. Yes we get snow, a lot of people like snow. I happen to be one of them. Yes the economy is struggling. Just like it is struggling in 90% of the rest of the country. Yes our schools are great and we have good air and water quality. Well we are rare there .

As a person who moved from Syracuse to Vegas and now moving back I know exactly where you are coming from, compared to Vegas the city of Syracuse is Utopia. You nailed all of the reasons we are moving back for--weather, schools, and general quality of life. And nothing is worse than Vegas water

[acknight]

Originally Posted by jrice

See I can remember being a little kid (5 or 6) and being able to visit my grandfathers house on the northside and being able to play in his front yard and my parents being ok with me walking up to butternut street--now I am not even that old (33). I agree, Eastwood in general is still a nice neighborhood, but how long until that area falls? My point is that the city needs to start dealing with this issue if they want to start seeing a revitalization.

As far as Syracuse becoming a big college town, that might be for the time being the best option for Syracuse, although I heard a couple of years ago and too be honest I havent checked recently that enrollment has been steadily going down since the mid 80's, now if this is still true then that issue must be addressed. I would like to see the city become revenue independent--not relying on one industry or source but having a wide range

SU and ESF enrollment, at least, are on the rise over the last few years.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by JohnK_Bville

Syracuse area is great. I also think the image problem you guys keep talking about is overblown. I moved here from Las Vegas in 2005 and we were looking here, around Hartford, CT and the Virgina Beach area. That was our short list and after doing some research and spending some time here and in Hartford we choose here. The schools a good the water and air quality are great. The change of seasons is fantastic. If you like Fishing, Golfing, Skiing, or just about any outdoor activity this place is great. I live in Raddison and my kids run around the neighborhood playing with other kids and we don't have to worry to much about them. The Holidays are fantastic, especially Halloween and Christmas, with tons of things to do. Shopping down in Armory is comparable to Shopping in Hartford. Skaneatles's Christmas festival is unbelievable cool. The fall festivals at all the local farms like Abbott's in Baldwinsville are great fun. This year we're looking forward to going to the "Boo at the Zoo".

I know several people who have relocated to the area from elsewhere, including my sisters family that just closed on a home in Skaneatles. They are moving from Houston.

The majority of this areas "problems" appear to be in the heads of it's long time residents. Often people who have never lived anywhere else. Yes this city has a ghetto, so does every other city with a population over 100,000. If you think ours is big check out Vegas's or L.A.'s. Yes there are parts of this city that are old, so are parts of Manhattan. Yes we get snow, a lot of people like snow. I happen to be one of them. Yes the economy is struggling. Just like it is struggling in 90% of the rest of the country. Yes our schools are great and we have good air and water quality. Well we are rare there .

and as much as I've wanted to leave at times, it's hard to argue about the things in the Syracuse area, especially if a person has been to other cities in this country. Even our city isn't as bad as people make it and gets exaggerated if people do not do their research. Like I've said, it's seen better days, like a lot of major cities in the NE and Midwest, but it still has the infrastructure to come back quicker than some of the other cities in those regions.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by acknight

SU and ESF enrollment, at least, are on the rise over the last few years.

Don't forget that OCC has dorms now and is expanding a bit too. I wouldn't be surprised if OCC becomes a 4 year school either and this has been discussed on local forums as well. Actually, I work at SU and it's been known that there are students from LeMoyne and OCC living in the neighborhoods East of SU's main campus. So, it seems like there is growth coming from our colleges and universities.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by JohnK_Bville

One, the environment and the rural character of the outlying suburbs are two of the main reasons a lot of people like this area and is probably the main reason a lot of people come here. Agro tourism is pretty big here. Sprawl is definitely something we need to control to preserve some of the things that are already working. I don't think anyone is really planning on build Manhattan esque sky scrappers here.

Honestly as for yuppies and gentrification I think the city of Syracuse could use a little of both. Another friend of mine is moving to the area from Maryland. When he came up we went to check out some houses in Eastwood, Sedgwick and Strathmore. He likes old house and wanted a big house the he could do a little work on. Sedgwick is just plane gorgeous but the city schools are a little on the rough side, the same can be said for Strathmore. I think a little yuppification and gentrification could help those areas a lot. Eastwood just has a cool bohemian vibe.

about the city schools. I understand that some of the city schools are "rough", but I think that a child can get a good education there. It's tough to judge a district strictly on test scores or other things, because getting an education has more to do with the support system at home. While there are some kids that are slipping in the Syracuse City SD(a shock in a school district in a major city(sarcasm)), there are also kids that are going to Ivy League and other great colleges and universities from the same school district. It also has an advantage in comparison to the other school districts in the area in terms of interaction with people from diverse backgrounds, which in today's globalized world, could actually be an advantage and a part of the education process that the other districts just can't teach on a personal interaction level. I believe there is also a program that is coming to the city school district that will allow students from the district to attend SU depending on certain criteria. This is similar to the Kalamazoo promise, from what I've heard:https://www.kalamazoopromise.com/ So, all I'm saying is to do some research and figure out what you want in terms of schooling.