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I was thinking, but why isn't Scotia brought up as much when it comes to suggestions for area suburban communities? It is a bigger village that has walkability, good schools, you can also walk or bike over to Downtown Schenectady over the Mohawk River for events(Proctor's Theater, festivals, etc.) and it is close to major employers such as General Electric, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and Price Chopper HQ's. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sc...!4d-73.9642915
Yeah it's a pretty underrated area I think. I do know a few couples in their late 20s and early 30s who have moved there because they want to start a family and raise them in that school district. It is a good spot if you work in Albany or Schenectady and don't want to deal with all the BS in those areas. But I think the biggest thing is the "perception" in terms of its location. It just kind of seems a bit out of the way, especially if you are from any area east of 87. There are plenty of nice suburban areas along 87 and 787 that are just as, if not more, convenient. Latham, Niskayuna, Clifton Park, Malta, East Greenbush, etc.
Other reason too could be that it's in Schenectady County which is known to have some of the highest property taxes in the region.
^Good point about Schenectady County taxes and in the case of villages, they may have another layer of services.
I’m thinking that if you work in one of the nearby bigger or smaller employers and don’t want to drive(far), while being close to a bigger Downtown/city for more activity, it would be a great choice. Especially given that there aren’t really that many walkable communities outside of area cities like the other bigger Upstate metros. I’d say that Delmar is the only other one with good schools, its own walkability and proximity to a bigger city. Even it doesn’t have its own walkability and the ability to walk to a bigger city Downtown. In fact, I don’t think but a few places with all of those things in the state has that option.
^Good point about Schenectady County taxes and in the case of villages, they may have another layer of services.
I’m thinking that if you work in one of the nearby bigger or smaller employers and don’t want to drive(far), while being close to a bigger Downtown/city for more activity, it would be a great choice. Especially given that there aren’t really that many walkable communities outside of area cities like the other bigger Upstate metros. I’d say that Delmar is the only other one with good schools, its own walkability and proximity to a bigger city. Even it doesn’t have its own walkability and the ability to walk to a bigger city Downtown. In fact, I don’t think but a few places with all of those things in the state has that option.
Delmar's a great spot it's just that properties are a lot more expensive. Whereas in Scotia you can get a fixer upper VERY cheap (in comparison to surrounding areas), you'll just end up with higher property taxes. It's all in what you value and prioritize I suppose.
The other good thing about Scotia is a lot of the older homes are smaller. I think as millennials and the next generation grows up, there's going to be more demand for these types of smaller houses for people who want less maintenance headaches and who have smaller families.
I lived in Scotia for over 13 years grew up there went to all three schools Sacandga, Jr. High ( now a middle school) and HS. I will say in my opinion one of the worst problems is Scotia does not have an very good diverse population I was one of 4 black people and there was very few asians and latinos as well. There is not a lot of a downtown because when they were voting they would often vote against building it up because they were worried about a lot of young people going and ruining things they had brought up skate parks etc, the tattoo parlor was a big deal when it opened when i was a senior in hs. They enlarged the CVS and Cumbys but there not much else to do if you remove the few restaurants downtown ( mohawk taproom aka olearys from back in the day turf tavern and glen sanders for example) your are left with out anything else to do which is the same issue I feel schenectady is suffering from downtown. After you go out to eat what else you doing in downtown besides proctors and movie theater? I know jumpin jacks popular in the summer but i feel its mostly for nostalgia( did i spell that correctly? lol) and atmosphere because the food is sysco. But i can get ice cream and walk around but even my best friend and i go ok after this what next? We have been doing this for over 20 years it gets old. I think scotia gets left out because there is nothing there that you have to go there for like there many places like JJ in this area so what else would make you come into the village? Plus you have to separate glenville because that is a different town hence why some go to Burnt Hills School and some Scotia. I always wonder why they never had a public pool they used to let us swim in disgusting collins lake as a child and now they have a small splash pads. As an 35 year old woman i would not live there again because there is nothing there for people my age its a struggle even for things for children besides the summer and going to the park. I think it would make more sense to be in clifton park more to do local stores plus better school system even though it is huge. Plus the Schdy county has the highest taxes in this area with not much gain from it unless you live in Nisky.
^This is where I would think having a bigger Downtown to walk or bike to would come into play for more to do. I’m just thinking if I grew up or lived there, I’d go over the Mohawk to Downtown Schenectady for more to do like Jay Street as well.
I know that Scotia isn’t the most diverse community/SD, though I guess it is slowly increasing there. Clifton Park isn’t really much more diverse and doesn’t offer walkability, but is a growing area.
If there is more than 20 more people of color in their school district than there more diverse no exaggeration. When you do not have diversity its reflected with how people interact and think of other people . I know CP isnt super walkable but most of our cities the capital region arent anyways. I mean we rave about Saratoga but such a small part of it is walkable. Well thats thing about saying going to schenectady, when your raised in scotia ,schenectady is seen as negative like there was the running joke of anytime you saw anyone different that they came over the bridge. Atleast growing up for me you didnt go over there often because schenectady was not doing well ( remeber all the grates on the sidewalks downtown and DK and family dollar etc) and you rarely went. But when i was a teenager and preteen we still had mohawk mall and rotterdam mall so you didnt go very far. I will say as adult i feel like most of us end leaving scotia unless you inherit your parents house because we could not afford it and the apartments now are so expensive.
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