homes in Syracuse (Rochester, Manlius, Camillus: big home, school, university)

[phaelon56]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

Thing is, I haven't really noticed any difference between homes there and homes in other areas around the city (with the exception of some in the heart of Strathmore). All of Syracuse looks like this if you ask me

"all of Syracuse "? Have you looked at Outer University, Outer East side including the Meadowbrook, Scottholm and Bradford Hills areas..... Sedgewick, significant portions of Eastwood and Salt Springs, the Valley area south of Seneca Turnpike...

I could extend the list but don't think I need to. Most of us who are Syracuse natives or have made it our adopted hometown have seen enough of the city for long enough to discount gross generalizations such as yours. I'm not slamming you - just suggesting that you get out and around far more of the city before making such assumptions - whcih I respectfully suggest are based on far too small a number of neighborhoods viewed.

I don't doubt that your statement reflects what you have seen thus far but they're not consistent with what I see int he above referenced neighborhoods. Of COURSE the houses are for the most part old. Areas such as Berkeley Park (just off the SU campus and chock full of gorgeous and very well maintained older homes) were originally well-to-do "streetcar suburbs". As the city grew and both the city limits and streetcar systems were extended thern many other areas such as the one where I live (Bradford Heights/Hills) became the "new" suburbs. Being a bit further from downtown and catering to a growing middle/upper middle class the homes were smaller and less expensive but still very nice. At this point the homes in my nieghborhood vary mostly from the early 1920's to the early 1960's era but up the hill near Christ the King Retreat House (still within the city limits) is a cluster of $300K to $500K homes built within the past 5 to 10 years.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by phaelon56

"all of Syracuse "? Have you looked at Outer University, Outer East side including the Meadowbrook, Scottholm and Bradford Hills areas..... Sedgewick, significant portions of Eastwood and Salt Springs, the Valley area south of Seneca Turnpike...

I could extend the list but don't think I need to. Most of us who are Syracuse natives or have made it our adopted hometown have seen enough of the city for long enough to discount gross generalizations such as yours. I'm not slamming you - just suggesting that you get out and around far more of the city before making such assumptions - whcih I respectfully suggest are based on far too small a number of neighborhoods viewed.

I don't doubt that your statement reflects what you have seen thsu far

I have done nothing but drive around Syracuse Monday thru Friday for 9 weeks now (On weekends we do the touristy stuff outside of Syracuse). I haven't been on every single street in the city, but I'm betting I've been on at least half of them. This is one depressed looking place, and a few nice streets scattered about doesn't change that.

Yes, the suburbs are much nicer. Yes, I'd already said I love the surrounding countryside - it is very scenic. But the city in most parts is so downtrodden and decrepit that even though I thought I was prepared, I was greatly shocked. I started this thread not to pick on the city (there are definitely good things about it) but to help anyone else not from here understand what to expect to see if they are moving here.

I honestly felt like I was in a foreign country my first two weeks here. In fact, Syracuse reminded me then of the capital city of Costa Rica - San Jose - old, dirty, forlorn, poverty-stricken with some great old architecture mixed in. It just took a bit of getting used to, especially coming from where I was coming from. I will say again, I would LOVE to have seen this city 100 years ago in its boom period - I know it must have looked awesome then.

[Cleveland Park]

It's more than a little presumptuous for someone who has been in Syracuse for nine weeks to claim that her view of Syracuse is more accurate than those of people who have spent years in the city. (And, of course, it's a little rude to call the place "dirty, forlorn, and poverty-stricken" -- not only are you dead wrong, but you're talking about people's city, and you'd better choose your words more carefully.)

As Phaelon said, there's clearly a lot you haven't seen. There's nothing wrong with that, but it behooves you not to "help anyone else not from here understand what to expect to see if they are moving here" if you choose to cling to this inaccurate claim of a "depressing" city. Here is a small handful of people who live in the city and are knowledgable about it -- instead of contradicting them, perhaps you should thank them for their suggestions and seek to experience this great slice that you've yet to see.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Park

It's more than a little presumptuous for someone who has been in Syracuse for nine weeks to claim that her view of Syracuse is more accurate than those of people who have spent years in the city. (And, of course, it's a little rude to call the place "dirty, forlorn, and poverty-stricken" -- not only are you dead wrong, but you're talking about people's city, and you'd better choose your words more carefully.)

As Phaelon said, there's clearly a lot you haven't seen. There's nothing wrong with that, but it behooves you not to "help anyone else not from here understand what to expect to see if they are moving here" if you choose to cling to this inaccurate claim of a "depressing" city. Here is a small handful of people who live in the city and are knowledgable about it -- instead of contradicting them, perhaps you should thank them for their suggestions and seek to experience this great slice that you've yet to see.

I COMPLETELY understand and appreciate the love the natives of this area have for their city - and that's as it should be. I am not presuming to know the city better than folks that have been here their whole lives at all

I am simply stating the observations of a newcomer, someone coming to Syracuse with "fresh eyes" for others who may also be planning to come here too. How this can be construed as "rude", to simply point out the obvious, is beyond me. The city IS dirty. It IS decrepit and downtrodden looking. It was a complete shock to me upon first inspection. You guys who have been here forever are used to it - a newcomer will need a little time to adjust. That is not a slam, it just is what it is.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

I COMPLETELY understand and appreciate the love the natives of this area have for their city - and that's as it should be. I am not presuming to know the city better than folks that have been here their whole lives at all

I am simply stating the observations of a newcomer, someone coming to Syracuse with "fresh eyes" for others who may also be planning to come here too. How this can be construed as "rude", to simply point out the obvious, is beyond me. The city IS dirty. It IS decrepit and downtrodden looking. It was a complete shock to me upon first inspection. You guys who have been here forever are used to it - a newcomer will need a little time to adjust. That is not a slam, it just is what it is.

You have to keep in mind that you are close to some blue collar and even poorer areas. I honestly suggest driving east of I-81 through the city. Yes, there are some impoverished areas, but there are some neighborhoods that rival any suburban community in this area, trust me.

[beckyhuggs]

First of all, I grew up in the city and lived nowhere near homes that were in that level of disrepair and rundown as the three you took pics of so I do disagree that the majority of homes look like that in Syracuse. Yes there are certain sections that are more rundown than others but the three pics you took do not represent homes in Syracuse.

I could have done the same exact thing with this area when I moved here. I seemed to see countless rundown trailers EVERYWHERE in East TN. But I didn't take pics of them even though coming from Upstate NY I rarely saw trailers much less rundown ones. And I wouldn't assume to post those pics as a warning to others that this is what they would end up with if they moved here.

Another place I recently visited was Durham NC when I went to Duke for work. I've never seen so many slum property's surrounding a major university. But I didn't persume to believe that that was all there was to Durham. Another example of this would be pre-Katrina New Orleans. I could go on and on with city and rural areas that have run on hard times but those areas don't represent an entire city or region.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by beckyhuggs

First of all, I grew up in the city and lived nowhere near homes that were in that level of disrepair and rundown as the three you took pics of so I do disagree that the majority of homes look like that in Syracuse. Yes there are certain sections that are more rundown than others but the three pics you took do not represent homes in Syracuse.

I could have done the same exact thing with this area when I moved here. I seemed to see countless rundown trailers EVERYWHERE in East TN. But I didn't take pics of them even though coming from Upstate NY I rarely saw trailers much less rundown ones. And I wouldn't assume to post those pics as a warning to others that this is what they would end up with if they moved here.

Another place I recently visited was Durham NC when I went to Duke for work. I've never seen so many slum property's surrounding a major university. But I didn't persume to believe that that was all there was to Durham. Another example of this would be pre-Katrina New Orleans. I could go on and on with city and rural areas that have run on hard times but those areas don't represent an entire city.

Even with the prestige of it's universities, Durham is known as a rundown little city - no surprise you found it that way too. Parts of New Orleans pre and post Katrina actually reminds me of Syracuse, especially in the lower 9th ward. The thing is, New Orleans also has the French Quarter and its uptown district with magnificant homes and historical buildings - and don't even get me started on the food - oh my God. Even with it's poverty and crime, convention after convention is scheduled there year after year because its a city with a lot to offer that people LOVE to visit.

But this thread is not about old decrepit cities - this thread is about Syracuse. There are actually some cities a lot worse in this country, so don't think I'm trying to pick on Syracuse.

My point is that within the city limits of Syracuse the majority of homes appear to me to look just like the ones I posted above. The style and age are so different from what I am accustomed to that it was all a bit despressing when I first arrived. And believe me, I thought I was prepared for what I was going to see. I wasn't. It didn't help that the city was so dirty and poor looking either.

I'm simply hoping to help others thinking of moving here who have not ever lived in the northeast in a declining area, to know what to expect. Now that I have been here a while I am less shocked/surprised by the things I see. Just like I'm sure you've gotten more accustomed to seeing so many trailer homes and the poverty certain parts of Tennessee has - but admit it, wasn't it hard to take at first?

[beckyhuggs]

Were probably going to have to agree to disagree about what Syracuse looks like and I don't think it looks anything like the 9th ward of New Orleans. But I can see how it would be difficult at first for someone moving to the North East who has never lived in the area. I think many on this forum are protective of Syracuse because it has been trod on for far too long.

Something that I have done with each place I moved to is to become friends with a native who loves the area and have them tell me what they love about their home town and then take me to places that I would never have found on my own. It's a great way to fall in love with a place your living and aren't used to.

I think its great that Syracuse is finally making a comeback and starting to thrive again, the place that I think Syracuse most resembles in Belfast N. Ireland about 15 years ago. Belfast was a pitful site do to economic issues but about 15 years ago it started to turn around and is now very different. I really think Syracuse is going to be a thriving city in about 15 years if it continues in the right direction.

What I think is going to be interesting is to see what happens to all those areas of the country that boomed over the last 15 years and are now starting to head into economic depression. All of those new homes are soon going to look like the homes you took pics of in Syracuse.

[boomvang]

Lovesmountains, have you been to the neighborhoods mentioned above, IE Sedgwick and Strathmore, and have you explored the area around the university? It does not sound like it. I do acknowledge there are some really tattered looking areas in the city. A drive down South Salina is enough to make you cry. Those houses were magnificent in their heyday. You seem like a reasonable person, do yourself and the rest of us a favor and drive though the nice areas listed.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by boomvang

Lovesmountains, have you been to the neighborhoods mentioned above, IE Sedgwick and Strathmore, and have you explored the area around the university? It does not sound like it. I do acknowledge there are some really tattered looking areas in the city. A drive down South Salina is enough to make you cry. Those houses were magnificent in their heyday. You seem like a reasonable person, do yourself and the rest of us a favor and drive though the nice areas listed.

Thanks boomvang, I do think I am a reasonable person YES, I have been to Sedgewick, Strathmore and all others listed by the helpful folks above. I've been to the University area at least 3 times since I discovered my favorite sandwich chain is located just off campus - Jimmy John's and I do like walking the campus.

I WILL continue to explore and get to know the city. With the lack of bad traffic (something I really appreciate) it is easy to do And I think I should mention, I've met nothing but very nice folks in every corner I've explored so far.