Syracuse Suburban Sprawl, good or bad? (New York, Buffalo: gated, living, garden)

[justflow1983]

I think city leadership is pretty retarded. But the only way to have a growing city is through a vibrant urban community, otherwise you just have exurbs. There's also no real reason to go through the city goverment to promote it, real lasting revitalization is a grassroots effort anyway. Otherwise its just cosmetic.

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by justflow1983

It doesn't mean you should just push against it instead. I don't see how that helps the cause of city or suburb.

I don't push against the city in City Data. All I do on this forum give advice to people looking to relocate to CNY. I do not suggest living in the city for two basic reasons.

1) I would not live in the city in it's current condition, so I'd feel guilty for suggesting others to do so.

2) I have yet to hear of one person that moved the city of Syracuse in the last 10 years from outside of Upstate NY and loves it there. I have heard many people that moved to the suburbs of Syracuse and do love it here.

[justflow1983]

on point 2, my friend M did just that, he's from north Jersey, went to college with a friend of mine at RIT, and works at Syracuse Research corp. Also, my friend A went to Cornell with me, teaches at SU now, and loves living in Armory Square. He's originally from Madrid, so he has a pretty good sense of what a big city is like. There have also been many posters on here who have given their own positive experience with the city.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by justflow1983

on point 2, my friend M did just that, he's from north Jersey, went to college with a friend of mine at RIT, and works at Syracuse Research corp. Also, my friend A went to Cornell with me, teaches at SU now, and loves living in Armory Square. He's originally from Madrid, so he has a pretty good sense of what a big city is like. There have also been many posters on here who have given their own positive experience with the city.

True....I don't know where this people that move into the city of Syracuse from other places and not liking it thing is coming from.

[justflow1983]

I think it would be much healthier to instead make sure people moving to the city are given good options of where to move in BOTH city and suburb in order to make sure they don't have a bad experience. I know if I moved somewhere new, and ended up in a place like Baldwinsville because people told me the city is horrible, I'd end up hating my experience there. Its not that B'ville is bad; I'm just too young to enjoy living that far out from the center.

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by justflow1983

on point 2, my friend M did just that, he's from north Jersey, went to college with a friend of mine at RIT, and works at Syracuse Research corp. Also, my friend A went to Cornell with me, teaches at SU now, and loves living in Armory Square. He's originally from Madrid, so he has a pretty good sense of what a big city is like. There have also been many posters on here who have given their own positive experience with the city.

Well, where are they? Tell them to join city data and defend Syracuse!

Maybe I have a bad memory, but ckhthankgod, do you recall any member of city data that moved to the city within the last 10 years and loves it and came on city data to tell about it? I don't off the top of my head....

[justflow1983]

This didn't take long to find:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/4377718-post6.html

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by justflow1983

This didn't take long to find:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/4377718-post6.html

Good work and I'm sure there are others. I don't remember off the top of my head, but you just offered an example.

[bellafinzi]

Originally Posted by justflow1983

This didn't take long to find:
http://www.city-data.com/forum/4377718-post6.html

Thanks! Didn't recall that one....

Too bad that forum member stopped posting last September. He/she sounds like they'd have a lot to contribute to this forum.

[beckyhuggs]

Originally Posted by justflow1983

I think city leadership is pretty retarded. But the only way to have a growing city is through a vibrant urban community, otherwise you just have exurbs. There's also no real reason to go through the city goverment to promote it, real lasting revitalization is a grassroots effort anyway. Otherwise its just cosmetic.

This is one statement about changing things that I completely agree with. I have a pretty good example of it.

I grew up attending a local church that got it's start more than 150 years ago. At that time, when the church building was built it was built in a very upscale white community. Time changes and that area that was at one time very upscale and white is now the poorest area in Syracuse and is called the South side. However, the members of that church over the last 150 years have all remained white, and upper/middle class people. Most of whom drive in from the suburbs to attend the church.

When I was a child there were many members of the church who said that our church body should abandon the 150 year old building and relocate to the suburbs since we didn't seem to "fit" in on the South side. Frequently the church would get broken into, cars during Sunday services would get broken into and most of the members lived in the suburbs. So everyone felt that it made sense to join the flight to suburbia for the church.

For some reason, the move never occured. At first the church began to make itself a fortress. Alarms were installed and a parking lot patrol was initiated to keep the cars safe.

But slowly over the last five years or so members of the church have begun to change their attitude. Church members met with neighbors of the church and asked "what can we do to be a better neighbor?" Now the church members offer after-school tutoring, block parties in the summer, and other events for the church neighbors. The church members have begun to have a more invested interest in the local neighborhood. They want to see the best happen for their neighbors.

IMO, that is the kind of thing that needs to begin happening. People realizing that in order to have a better city they need to invest in every community, not just the suburban wealthy ones, but the poor one's as well.