How do you view the Syracuse area? (Buffalo, Rochester: for sale, real estate)

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by proulxfamily

I really can't believe all the negative comments I see about Syracuse, especially from the first few posters. I love the Syracuse area! I was born here, raised here, and am raising our family here. I've travelled extensively across Europe and am always SO glad to come back home.

Those leaders with rose-colored glasses? They're trying to preserve the gem that is CNY. I don't want your development and your skyscrapers and build up. I want a nice place to raise my family. Syracuse is it.

Yes - the innermost parts of the city are, by FAR, the worst. I grew up in East Syracuse, then moved to the West Side at 10 and went to Sacred Heart school, then moved to Fabius-Pompey, lived in Liverpool, Clay, and Dewitt as a single adult, and am raising our family in Manlius. I told my husband, when we started seriously dating, that he would have to accept that I would never move from here. It is the IDEAL place to live, for us.

If you have any actual interests, rather than just BEING entertained, you'll find plenty to do and people to meet here. You need to be proactive, rather than blaming leadership for not entertaining you enough.

It really is a good area to raise a family, but it still has enough nightlife and culture to keep people interested.

[kmbell]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

I guess the Carrier Dome would be that iconic element considering that when you think of Syracuse, you think of the University and it's sports teams.

I agree with you here. While it may seem ugly up close because of all the concrete - like most other stadiums - it's a great anchor for the city skyline and looks great at any distance with the white roof inflated. To top it off it's easily accessible and not in a questionable neighborhood.

When people from the other cities think of Syracuse they think of, among other things, sports, which spur civic pride.

[YankeeTom]

Let me tell you something , states like New York built this country. When New York started the downward slide , The United States started the downward slide. We Americans need to make things again we need to buy our own home made things again. We need to watch out for the little guy and gal in the work place again. We need to punish those who would line their pockets at the expence of a whole nation again. New York State had it right , but the betrail of our elected leaders sold out our generation and the next to come , will continue to do so until We as a Nation , set them back on the correct path once more.

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by itowle88

Bellafinzi, I actually have to agree with you for the most part - I'm an architect that may be moving there for work... Attracting people and good jobs to a city is much like attracting a mate - intitial decisions are almost purely on appearance.... Name off quickly your favorite cities in america - and i gurantee it will have a single iconic element whether it be a monument - statue of liberty, golden gate bridge - space needle - sears tower... or some other focal point - newbury street, central park etc, pike's place market... A city needs a point of pride - look what happened to chicago after their waterfront development.... it's infectious.... create things of wonder, experience and beauty and it spreads.... it's remarkable what a fresh coat of paint can do for an old house....

Great post!

I totally agree. People will never come to like Syracuse or appreciate it without something beautiful attracting them to look into this city further. For cities, beauty in the built environment is just like a person with a beautiful face. Without a beautiful face, most people would not be interested in getting to know a potential mate.

First impressions are very, very important. A beautiful built environment in a city attracts people and lures them in first. Only then, after the outward physical beauty is admired, do people want to dig deeper and see if there is some depth behind that outward appearance.

Syracuse already has "inner beauty". What Syracuse really needs is a total make-over so that people can come to know that inner beauty. Otherwise, the ugly built environment will turn off most people before they can see what Syracuse really has to offer.

[jrice]

Originally Posted by bellafinzi

Great post!

I totally agree. People will never come to like Syracuse or appreciate it without something beautiful attracting them to look into this city further. For cities, beauty in the built environment is just like a person with a beautiful face. Without a beautiful face, most people would not be interested in getting to know a potential mate.

First impressions are very, very important. A beautiful built environment in a city attracts people and lures them in first. Only then, after the outward physical beauty is admired, do people want to dig deeper and see if there is some depth behind that outward appearance.

Syracuse already has "inner beauty". What Syracuse really needs is a total make-over so that people can come to know that inner beauty. Otherwise, the ugly built environment will turn off most people before they can see what Syracuse really has to offer.

THe problem with beautifying the skyline, which I am all for, is that even though you build the new buildings--skyscrapers, etc you need businesses to fill them--an unused building becomes an eyesore in a short amount of time--theres plenty of buildings around Syracuse that are testament to that. We (central NY in general) need to offer tax breaks and incentives for these businesses to come here. Considering we are the crossroads of NY, and in easy driving distance to many major cities it really wouldnt be that hard except for taxes. I have said it before and I'll say it again, instead of pumping all this money and resourses into a reatail based (thus low paying jobs) like Monstrosity err Destiny USA they should be engaging real business, like the IT sector and sell Syracuse as an ideal sales hub. All it would take is for our elected politicans to pull their respective heads out of where the sun dont shine to do it. The location alone could sell the deal

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by jrice

THe problem with beautifying the skyline, which I am all for, is that even though you build the new buildings--skyscrapers, etc you need businesses to fill them--an unused building becomes an eyesore in a short amount of time--theres plenty of buildings around Syracuse that are testament to that. We (central NY in general) need to offer tax breaks and incentives for these businesses to come here. Considering we are the crossroads of NY, and in easy driving distance to many major cities it really wouldnt be that hard except for taxes. I have said it before and I'll say it again, instead of pumping all this money and resourses into a reatail based (thus low paying jobs) like Monstrosity err Destiny USA they should be engaging real business, like the IT sector and sell Syracuse as an ideal sales hub. All it would take is for our elected politicans to pull their respective heads out of where the sun dont shine to do it. The location alone could sell the deal

Yes, I know.

That's why we should first use our existing planned projects...like the convention center hotel....as an opportunity build tall. Why build an 8 story hotel that has very little visual impact on Syracuse, when you could build a 25 story hotel/mixed use building that will transform people's perception of the area!

[bellafinzi]

Before you can even suggest something like a tall mixed use building, you first have to convince local leadership that building tall is something that will help Syracuse. I do not believe we have even reached that point yet!

That's my whole point of why I even make suggests. If Syracuse had truly visionary leadership, I wouldn't even need to write commentaries on what is best for Syracuse. Our leadership would already realize Syracuse's poor reputation and ways to overcome it.

Sadly too many Syracuse natives believe that Syracuse's skyline is set in stone and only "those other" cities "out there" build new tall buildings. Syracusans laugh at anything that challenges the status quo. For reasons I have yet to fully comprehend, many locals believe that the Syracuse area will always be a rust belt city with no population growth and no future.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by bellafinzi

Yes, I know.

That's why we should first use our existing planned projects...like the convention center hotel....as an opportunity build tall. Why build an 8 story hotel that has very little visual impact on Syracuse, when you could build a 25 story hotel/mixed use building that will transform people's perception of the area!

How does the height of buildings changes the perception of a city? What about the job market or schools? What about quality of life or affordability?

[RollsRoyce]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

How does the height of buildings changes the perception of a city? What about the job market or schools? What about quality of life or affordability?

The taller the buildings the "bigger" the city looks. Syracuse needs to rebrand itself and cannot be viewed as the poor step child between Buffalo, Rochester and Albany. Many cities of similar population to Syracuse have taller skylines and attractive skyscrapers. Not all of these cities are in the sunbelt either. Hartford, Providence, Lexington, KY, Des Moines, Knoxville, Little Rock and even dumpy Springfield, MA which has one attractive 30 story building have dynamic skylines. Other medium sized rust belt cities like Akron, Toledo, Dayton, New Haven, and Fort Wayne even have better skylines than Syracuse. The job market, schools, quality of life and affordability are key deterimants of a successful community as well. I didn't get the impression that bella was saying those weren't important considerations.

As pathetic as this sounds, I had a dream several weeks ago that I was walking on West Fayette Street with my eyes at street level. I saw the stub of one of the older buildings and as I looked up, I noticed a huge crane and construction of what appeared to be a highrise condo and apartment structure on the base of this ugly 1950s 2 story edifice. Just as I was about to walk closer to examine this much needed addition to Syracuse's skyline, I woke up and realized it was a dream.

Grand Rapids would be an excellent model for Syracuse's skyline. Several modern high rises would send a much needed signal that Syracuse is evolving from a stodgy rustbelt city that is afraid of change to a viable medium sized city that is using its concentration of universities and cluster of green technology firms to compete in the 21st century despite being located in the oppressive, high tax state of New York. No one is saying that a couple of shiny buildings will erase the myriad of economic and social problems the city is suffering from. A community can undergo all of the positive change in the world such as a vibrant economy, growing population, and new investment; however if the skyline looks like Youngstown's bigger twin, the long held perception by outsiders of decline will never be erased.

[HomerBrink]

RollsRoyce - Hope your dream becomes a reality.