Relocation advice (New York, Syracuse, Ithaca: 2010, crime, hotels)

[LouiseY]

My husband and I are living in Park Slope Brooklyn, with an adopted son (2y) from Guatemala (a darling). We love the diversity here, but are being slowly crushed by finances and space issues. We are highly considering moving to the Syracuse area, or surrounding towns like Homer, Cortland, Ithica etc. Any thoughts on divirsity, acceptance of multicultural familiies in these areas?
Thanks so much.
Best, Louise

[ckhthankgod]

I would go with Ithaca or Syracuse's East side neighborhoods like Westcott(especially), Meadowbrook, Scottholm, Bradford Hills, Outer Comstock and Salt Springs. Ithaca is a cosmopolitan city of about 32,000 with Cornell University and Ithaca College. Known for being progressive and having a "hippy" vibe to it. Out of the East side neighborhoods of Syracuse, I like Westcott due to it's proximity to Syracuse University and for having a nice, little business area with a very diverse community there. Here is some information on both areas: Complete guide to Ithaca, NY hotels, attractions, dining, shopping and recreation with maps and driving directions. The official web site of Ithaca, New York and Tompkins County Convention and Visitors Bureau in the Finger Lakes.

Ithaca

Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY

theithacajournal.com | The Ithaca Journal | Ithaca news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Ithaca, NY

Cornell University

Sciencenter, Ithaca NY

Ithaca Farmer's Market

Ithaca Hours - Local Currency - Ithaca, New York

IthacaNet

Welcome to the Ithaca Ballet

USATODAY.com - Ithaca, N.Y., is No. 1 'emerging' city

Museum of the Earth

The State Theatre of Ithaca, NY

#8 Ithaca, N.Y. - Kiplinger.com

Ithaca Board of REALTORS® - Home


Syracuse:City of Syracuse

The Post-Standard | Syracuse NY Newspaper - syracuse.com

Syracuse, New York - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Syracuse Hancock International Airport

Syracuse, New York - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce: Chamber Information

Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau

Le Moyne. Spirit. Inquiry. Leadership. Jesuit

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Syracuse Stage - The Professional Theatre of Central New York

Rosamond Gifford Zoo

armorysquare.com Armory Square Syracuse New York

Welcome to the Everson Museum of Art

100 best places to live and launch - 59. Syracuse, N.Y. (59) - FORTUNE Small Business

Syracuse University

SUNY-ESF, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Museum Information - Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science &amp Technology

Museum

Westcott Community Center

Syracuse New Times - The Central New York Alternative, Local Bands & Events Calendar - Scenic View

Westcott, Syracuse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Westcott Street Cultural Fair

Image:Syracuse Neighborhoods Labeled.gif - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Category:Syracuse streets and neighborhoods - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

UNPA - University Neighborhood Preservation Association

Syracuse Housing Organizations | CNYREALTOR.COM

Greater University HillÂ* — Syracuse, New York

School districts for both cities with more information as well:http://www.syracusecityschools.com/

Ithaca City School District - Home

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Co...ounty=Onondaga

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Co...ounty=Tompkins

To look for jobs:Central New York Jobs

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If you need anything, just let me know......

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by LouiseY

My husband and I are living in Park Slope Brooklyn, with an adopted son (2y) from Guatemala (a darling). We love the diversity here, but are being slowly crushed by finances and space issues. We are highly considering moving to the Syracuse area, or surrounding towns like Homer, Cortland, Ithica etc. Any thoughts on divirsity, acceptance of multicultural familiies in these areas?
Thanks so much.
Best, Louise

Ithaca is not that close to Syracuse. Cortland and Ithaca are isolated small towns compared to the Syracuse area IMO.

-Without the college student population, the Cortland and Ithaca areas combined are only about 95,000 people.

-Without the college student population, the Syracuse urbanized area is about 500,000. That doesn't even include much of Oswego or Madison Counties....which are officially included in Syracuse's MSA.

[ckhthankgod]

Can't forget that if you want suburbs that are "diverse", I would go with the Jamesville-DeWitt and Liverpool school districts because they are the most diverse of the suburban school districts, in comparison to the other suburban school districts.

[Jeromeville]

I really can't think of any suburban Syracuse areas that wouldn't accept multicultural families.

I think some neighborhoods (Westcott, etc) are a little bit overrecommended sometimes. Westcott has a casual hippy vibe, but it's also got its share of crime and especially with the student population, some of the housing stock there is not kept up well. Frankly I don't feel tremendously safe walking the side streets alone in Westcott. Granted, it's not the South Side or the Near West Side, but unless you absolutely must be in a granola area, there are other places to consider.

(Just playing devil's advocate, because usually "Westcott" is what everyone says when someone is looking for a "multicultural progressive neighborhood.")

[LouiseY]

Thanks so much to everyone for all of the advice and information!

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by ckhthankgod

Can't forget that if you want suburbs that are "diverse", I would go with the Jamesville-DeWitt and Liverpool school districts because they are the most diverse of the suburban school districts, in comparison to the other suburban school districts.

Yes, but I'd say North Syracuse schools are also "diverse".

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by bellafinzi

Yes, but I'd say North Syracuse schools are also "diverse".

As a person that lives in the district like yourself, it depends on which schools you are talking about more than others. Bear Road and Roxboro Road Elementary schools are the most diverse schools in the district. Smith Road elementary is OK. Both of the Middle Schools, the Jr. High and the HS are decent too, but Liverpool is more diverse than North Syracuse in terms of the Northern suburbs. Check it out:https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Di...t=420303060000 (North Syracuse)

https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Di...t=421501060000 (Liverpool)

Onondaga is another relatively diverse school district with it's decent amounts of Native Americans and Blacks due to Nedrow with it's decent diversity:https://www.nystart.gov/publicweb/Di...t=421201040000

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Jeromeville

I really can't think of any suburban Syracuse areas that wouldn't accept multicultural families.

I think some neighborhoods (Westcott, etc) are a little bit overrecommended sometimes. Westcott has a casual hippy vibe, but it's also got its share of crime and especially with the student population, some of the housing stock there is not kept up well. Frankly I don't feel tremendously safe walking the side streets alone in Westcott. Granted, it's not the South Side or the Near West Side, but unless you absolutely must be in a granola area, there are other places to consider.

(Just playing devil's advocate, because usually "Westcott" is what everyone says when someone is looking for a "multicultural progressive neighborhood.")

Again, it depends where you are in the Westcott/University neighborhood. If you live in the more residential part around Barry Park, it is very diverse and safe. You could go down Meadowbrook and that area is still very nice and safe too, with "diversity". You can also go down Euclid, going away from the campus and that also is nice. So, I would go with the Barry Park/Meadowbrook/Euclid(east of Westcott) part of that neighborhood and over going East.