Hall Ave Area of Solvay - Is it a safe neighborhood? (New York: rental, crime)
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I'm thinking of moving to the Solvay area--around Hall Ave. I know nothing about Solvay, other than that the utility company servicing the area is highly prized. Is this a nice area--on the decline or moving up? Can someone fill me in?
While Solvay might not have a positive rep., it is relative. It's not like it is a village where you will get serious crime and if you do see or hear about it, it is rare. It's blue collar suburb with a high Italian American community(particularly Tyrolean). It also has a pretty big Slavic population that is mainly Polish and Ukrainian. To me, it looks like a village that you would see in Western Pennsylvania or Ohio.
I grew up in Solvay. While parts of it are definitely decaying, a lot of Hall Ave are single family homes that have been maintained reasonably well. As you get further east like Caroline and Charles Ave, and certainly that eastern part of Milton Ave, that's where it's getting a bit sketchy. I have a friend who still lives on Caroline, and he doesn't feel unsafe, but he certainly has seen a bit of a drop in the character of the people who live around there. Another friend of mine is on their police force. He mentions First and Second St. as growing problem areas as well, which is a bit northwest of Hall Ave. It's certainly not a heavy drug/gang area, just a bit...rough, and getting rougher. However, unless Solvay does something soon, I'll bet in another 10 years it will NOT be a good place to live.
I've also heard that some kid was selling an AK-47 outside of the high school within the past year. I don't have any of the details, but many people are starting to call Solvay High School 'the fifth city school' because it's getting a lot of ghetto students who are bringing a city life type of mindset into the student body.
Honestly, the only way I'd live in Solvay now was if it were short term, renting a few years while I save up a down payment for a house. I wouldn't send my kids to Solvay schools (and I'm fiercely loyal...to a point, and I always wanted to send my kids to Solvay), especially since in the West suburbs you have the West Hill and West Genesee districts which are really good schools. With the multitude of rental properties and low electric, it tends to draw in lower income families. Many are good, hard-working people, but some are not.
If you have any other questions, I know a lot about Solvay, and know a lot of people who know a lot more than I, so feel free to ask away and I'll do my best to get you answers.
Solvay Electric does not have rates as insanely low as in the past because the major industries that were located there and allowed residential customers to benefit have mostly disappeared. Soem have filled their place - e.g. Solvay Paperboard - but others that survivied are now shaky (Crucible Steel to be specific).
There is one area of Slovay up on a hill towards Westvale and Camillus where there are gorgeous older homes - most of them having been built for management and execs who werte with Solvay based industries back in the day. That neighborhood is a sort of hidden gem that is very much under the radar - even for people who've been in Syracuse for their entire lives. If you can afford a house in that area (and it is not Hall Ave) AND do not have children going to public schools - then consider it - otherwise look elsewhere.
Solvay Electric does not have rates as insanely low as in the past because the major industries that were located there and allowed residential customers to benefit have mostly disappeared. Soem have filled their place - e.g. Solvay Paperboard - but others that survivied are now shaky (Crucible Steel to be specific).
There is one area of Slovay up on a hill towards Westvale and Camillus where there are gorgeous older homes - most of them having been built for management and execs who werte with Solvay based industries back in the day. That neighborhood is a sort of hidden gem that is very much under the radar - even for people who've been in Syracuse for their entire lives. If you can afford a house in that area (and it is not Hall Ave) AND do not have children going to public schools - then consider it - otherwise look elsewhere.
That neighborhood would be Piercefield which has no resemblance to the rest of the village. Piercefield is like Westchester County, NY with its windy and hilly roads featuring tudors, large colonials, and mini-estates. Most of the village and its population of aspiring nail technicians, hair stylists, bar owners, ethnic restaurant operators is like the towns/boroughs of New Jersey, Western Pennsyvlania, and many blue collar suburbs of Philadelphia (minus the row houses).
That neighborhood would be Piercefield which has no resemblance to the rest of the village. Piercefield is like Westchester County, NY with its windy and hilly roads featuring tudors, large colonials, and mini-estates. Most of the village and its population of aspiring nail technicians, hair stylists, bar owners, ethnic restaurant operators is like the towns/boroughs of New Jersey, Western Pennsyvlania, and many blue collar suburbs of Philadelphia (minus the row houses).
Interesting way of looking at it, but I totally know what you are saying.
That neighborhood would be Piercefield which has no resemblance to the rest of the village. Piercefield is like Westchester County, NY with its windy and hilly roads featuring tudors, large colonials, and mini-estates. Most of the village and its population of aspiring nail technicians, hair stylists, bar owners, ethnic restaurant operators is like the towns/boroughs of New Jersey, Western Pennsyvlania, and many blue collar suburbs of Philadelphia (minus the row houses).
I live on the outskirts of solvay, in westvale and I know solvay pretty well. hall ave may be a bit questionable - the area around there has seen some crime, but that's everywhere. if you want to live in solvay, I would recommend the areas that are closer to the piercefield area and closer to solvay high school....good luck !
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