homes in Syracuse (New York, Manlius, Camillus: lease, house, neighborhoods)

[lovesMountains]

For anyone (like me) coming from another area of the country the homes of Syracuse can be a source of surprise and curiousity. I actually have a real appreciation for historical architecture, so I find it a shame so many older homes in the city aren't being well maintained. Makes me wish I had seen the city in its glory days back in the early 1900's. Here are a few homes (all ready for Halloween!) just to give someone not from here an idea of what the homes are like:










I post this one as an example of two of the few homes I've seen that are actually being well maintained.

[proulxfamily]

You're on Tipp Hill, right?

There's a reason people aren't steered that way. Like a pimply faced teen compared to a beauty queen... those pics look like the west side, esp. Solvay. Reasonably safe? Sure. Not pretty. It reminds me of a hilly, lower working-class neighborhood in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by proulxfamily

You're on Tipp Hill, right?

There's a reason people aren't steered that way. Like a pimply faced teen compared to a beauty queen... those pics look like the west side, esp. Solvay. Reasonably safe? Sure. Not pretty. It reminds me of a hilly, lower working-class neighborhood in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Correct, these were taken around Solvay and Tipp Hill

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 (and I didn't include the really bad ones, just more middle of the road homes to be fair). Like I said, in it's hey day the homes must have been really something to see.

[proulxfamily]

It sounds creepy but I wish I could just take you on a drive around the city... it's not all like this. A lot of people don't see the nice parts because you often have to drive *through* these crummy areas to get to them and after seeing this blight 24/7, the last thing they want to do is drive around it in any more.

Go up to SU Hill and fan out, south and east or east and south. It's the only side of the city I like. If my grandmother didn't live in Strathmore, grandfather didn't live in Camillus and best friend didn't live on Onondaga Hill, I'd have ZERO reason to drive through any of the south or west sides at all. Even my friend on Onondaga Hill will be moving here to Manlius once their lease is up in August. Her husband is about to finish grad school at SU and they had no idea this side of Syracuse even existed, much less that it was... so much better. I'm sorry to say it that way but the feel is completely different. *My* preference is strongly the eastern half of central NY, divided at I-81. Even more specifically, also south of the Thruway (90.)

Perhaps a good place to start would be to go up to SU hill, wonder around, then head east on East Genesee Street. You'll see beautiful homes in the city if you head south of "East Genny"... pretty much everywhere. As is true for the city of Syracuse, in general, the greater the elevation, the more beautiful the homes. From E. Genesee, continue heading east and bear right onto 92 (stay in the right lane all the time and you'll get to it) and head into Manlius. At the T in the village, turn left and stay in the right lane. This will take you out to Cazenovia... the entire drive is through beautiful scenery. Wander back through Pompey/Manlius/Fabius/LaFayette. You'll hit 81 eventually as both of the main corridors heading west run straight to it.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by proulxfamily

It sounds creepy but I wish I could just take you on a drive around the city... it's not all like this. A lot of people don't see the nice parts because you often have to drive *through* these crummy areas to get to them and after seeing this blight 24/7, the last thing they want to do is drive around it in any more.

Go up to SU Hill and fan out, south and east or east and south. It's the only side of the city I like. If my grandmother didn't live in Strathmore, grandfather didn't live in Camillus and best friend didn't live on Onondaga Hill, I'd have ZERO reason to drive through any of the south or west sides at all. Even my friend on Onondaga Hill will be moving here to Manlius once their lease is up in August. Her husband is about to finish grad school at SU and they had no idea this side of Syracuse even existed, much less that it was... so much better. I'm sorry to say it that way but the feel is completely different. *My* preference is strongly the eastern half of central NY, divided at I-81. Even more specifically, also south of the Thruway (90.)

Perhaps a good place to start would be to go up to SU hill, wonder around, then head east on East Genesee Street. You'll see beautiful homes in the city if you head south of "East Genny"... pretty much everywhere. As is true for the city of Syracuse, in general, the greater the elevation, the more beautiful the homes. From E. Genesee, continue heading east and bear right onto 92 (stay in the right lane all the time and you'll get to it) and head into Manlius. At the T in the village, turn left and stay in the right lane. This will take you out to Cazenovia... the entire drive is through beautiful scenery. Wander back through Pompey/Manlius/Fabius/LaFayette. You'll hit 81 eventually as both of the main corridors heading west run straight to it.

I have to say, I have done those drives you recommend (and a lot more, lol). Yes, things do get nicer looking the further east you go on East Genesee (just like things get nicer the further west you go on West Genesee). I LIKE Camillus, especially once you get off of W. Genesee into other parts of the community. And Fayette/Manlius is nice too. But I was actually meaning to address just the homes in the Syracuse city limits with this thread. Although the homes in the outer areas are better maintained, it is still somewhat of a shock when you get here to find everything is so old! I've finally managed to spot a bit of new (or at least newer construction) around, but the traditional, older homes do dominate and it takes a bit of getting used to

Hey, and wanting to drive me around is not creepy at all, lol - maybe we should do that sometime

[proulxfamily]

Ahhh- restricting you to the city of Syracuse *does* put a crimp in the drive, for sure. lol - hopefully, the next few mayors will actually do something for the CITY of Syracuse, rather than trying to squeeze all the personal benefit they can out of it before their term is over. You can find great neighborhoods all over but if I have to give you specific directions to where they're hidden, we, as a city, have completely failed. :/ I realized that as I was directing you... OUT of the city. heh.

We central New Yorkers tend to think of ourselves as Syracusans, even though we don't actually live in the city... even some who probably wouldn't ever *consider* living in the city. lol

[schayban88]

A lot of the house designs in Syracuse, New York are arts and crafts style homes which was started by the famous Gustav Stickley.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by schayban88

A lot of the house designs in Syracuse, New York are arts and crafts style homes which was started by the famous Gustav Stickley.

Like I said, I would LOVE to have seen these homes in their hay day back in early 1900 It's really sad the city isn't able to do more to preserve these old homes. I guess it would just be too big of a job since the entire city is made up of them though.



Gustav Stickley and the Arts and Crafts Movement

[beckyhuggs]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

For anyone (like me) coming from another area of the country the homes of Syracuse can be a source of surprise and curiousity. I actually have a real appreciation for historical architecture, so I find it a shame so many older homes in the city aren't being well maintained. Makes me wish I had seen the city in its glory days back in the early 1900's. Here are a few homes (all ready for Halloween!) just to give someone not from here an idea of what the homes are like.

I can understand what your thinking with the older homes. Syracuse was a very large blue collar city at one point and when blue collar industry was the way of life in America it allowed Syracuse to become a very wealthy city. For obvious reasons when industry left, so did the wealthy people. Syracuse is making a comeback but it is a slow process. The pics you took do look like a lot of the city by life Proulxfamily said there are a number of neighborhoods that don't look like that at all but rather have beautiful old homes that have been well maintained. I've discovered from personal experience that you really cant know an area until you've lived there for awhile.
For example, for me it was the opposite, when I first moved towards the south all I seemed to see were cookie cutter homes everywhere and the homes didn't seem to have any character. But I found that most parts of the country have their old sections that are run down, old sections that are well maintained and then newer developments.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by beckyhuggs

I can understand what your thinking with the older homes. Syracuse was a very large blue collar city at one point and when blue collar industry was the way of life in America it allowed Syracuse to become a very wealthy city. For obvious reasons when industry left, so did the wealthy people. Syracuse is making a comeback but it is a slow process. The pics you took do look like a lot of the city by life Proulxfamily said there are a number of neighborhoods that don't look like that at all but rather have beautiful old homes that have been well maintained. I've discovered from personal experience that you really cant know an area until you've lived there for awhile.
For example, for me it was the opposite, when I first moved towards the south all I seemed to see were cookie cutter homes everywhere and the homes didn't seem to have any character. But I found that most parts of the country have their old sections that are run down, old sections that are well maintained and then newer developments.

Also, you have to remember that there are still some "old rich" neighborhoods that are still nice besides Strathmore and you don't have to go through "crummy" areas to get to them. For instance, just stay on Genesee Street to get to Scottholm on the East Side.

On the West Side, check out the homes on Park Ave., east of Geddes and behind Automobile Row. You will find some well kept historical homes there. Also, by Burnet Park on Burnet Park Drive, Coleridge, Whittier, Tennyson, Lowell and Tompkins, you will find homes that are kept up in a better condition. it looks like the homes that the pictures are of West End homes(north of West Genesee and west of Erie Boulevard West), which is more blue collar and continues into that part of Solvay. It is safe, but the appearance is hit or miss. Remember, the neighborhood is called the Far West Side, which includes Tipp Hill and the West End.

To get to Sedgwick, take James Street. You can continue on James into Eastwood and check out streets like Shotwell Park, Nichols, Rigi, Homecroft, Mosley Drive, Plymouth Drive and Forest Hill Drive, among others.

If you go to Strathmore down Glenwood Ave., take that down Valley Drive. Look at Valley Drive south of Seneca Turnpike and the streets off of it in that stretch. Then, go to Dorwin and take a left. Take another left down South Salina Street and check out the side streets off of South Salina south of Seneca Turnpike. Even north of Seneca Turnpike and south of Ballantyne, check out the homes behind the Valley Plaza(Fillmore, East Florence, Stevens and the area around Loretto Nursing Home). If you take Fillmore and go through the Loretto area, take the bridge that goes over I-81 to the University area down Ainsley Road to Comstock(Outer Comstock, University, Westcott and Meadowbrook neighborhoods).

On the Northside, look at homes north of Grant Boulevard, especially around Ross Park and McChesney Park. On the East Side, check out homes along Meadowbrook, East Genesee Street, Salt Springs Rd., Fayette Boulevard, East Genesee Parkway and many more streets.

You can find plenty of nice older homes. You just have to know where to look.

Like others said, Syracuse is a city in transition and has a strong blue collar history. So, you are going to find some formerly nice older homes, that are looking rough, because some of the people with money have left.

Here's a good website that shows some areas with some nice older homes that are being kept up at a high level (and some that aren't): Neighborhoods