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Thanks for the post about positive and negative aspects of Albany. I hope to be relocating there soon to the Arbor Hill neighborhood. I will be having a phone interview where I can ask questions. I am expecting a typical city neighborhood. I lived in Minneapolis, MN for 15 years in good and bad neighborhoods. Can anyone tell me what typical utility costs are? I have never been East or to Albany, but have a cousin there.
Arbor Hill is a very rough neighborhood of Albany (arguably the "ghetto" of the city), so I advise caution when walking around and stuff. But, some of the old architecture is beautiful (I used to volunteer at the Ten Broeck Mansion a lot, that's my favorite place in the city) and hey, people are people and most are just trying to carry out their daily lives. Just as in every gritty urban setting, walk with a purpose and don't look for trouble.
On the other hand, while I've heard over and over that Albany people are "debbie downers" and tend to be negative and unfriendly, I've lived in the area my whole life and I find its the complete opposite. Sure, some people might not be warm and fuzzy on the outside, but every upstater I've ever met wouldn't hesitate to give you the shirt off their back or invite you in from the cold. I think New Yorkers in general seem to be standoffish and cold at first, but Upstaters can be extremely warm-hearted once you break through that barrier. And in the countryside, it's like "southern hospitality" is the norm. Hell, people will stop traffic and upset the right of way to let you go before them. So different from Massachusetts!
I grew up in the Albany area and I'm currently going to college in Worcester, MA (pretty similar feel to Schenectady). I've come to love Worcester and all it's roughness, and I especially love all the characters and kinds of people here. But people are so culturally different just two hours away, and I have to say I really do miss Albany. We might not cater to stranger's feelings, but when we are friendly it's genuine.
Are you sure that's a good idea? I hope you have done your research on that and are aware of the issues in that area.
I don't have specifics, but I will ask questions at my phone interview. The reason for the housing development I am applying for is to improve the neighborhood and draw new businesses in, so I assume the neighborhood is run-down, neglected, and has drug traffic. Are there sources I can check on this neighborhood like websites? There are 3 agencies involved in the apartment building/commercial space, so it isn't public housing, although Albany Housing Authority will manage it. I can give you their website if you're interested.
Arbor Hill is a very rough neighborhood of Albany (arguably the "ghetto" of the city), so I advise caution when walking around and stuff. But, some of the old architecture is beautiful (I used to volunteer at the Ten Broeck Mansion a lot, that's my favorite place in the city) and hey, people are people and most are just trying to carry out their daily lives. Just as in every gritty urban setting, walk with a purpose and don't look for trouble.
On the other hand, while I've heard over and over that Albany people are "debbie downers" and tend to be negative and unfriendly, I've lived in the area my whole life and I find its the complete opposite. Sure, some people might not be warm and fuzzy on the outside, but every upstater I've ever met wouldn't hesitate to give you the shirt off their back or invite you in from the cold. I think New Yorkers in general seem to be standoffish and cold at first, but Upstaters can be extremely warm-hearted once you break through that barrier. And in the countryside, it's like "southern hospitality" is the norm. Hell, people will stop traffic and upset the right of way to let you go before them. So different from Massachusetts!
I grew up in the Albany area and I'm currently going to college in Worcester, MA (pretty similar feel to Schenectady). I've come to love Worcester and all it's roughness, and I especially love all the characters and kinds of people here. But people are so culturally different just two hours away, and I have to say I really do miss Albany. We might not cater to stranger's feelings, but when we are friendly it's genuine.
Thanks for the info. That was kind of what I was expecting. I lived in Minneapolis for many years and people are given the same cold rep, but it isn't true. Most people there care. So I've learned how to get along in bad areas and what to avoid and to give people a chance. I like old architecture. The apartment building will have other artists, so I am hoping to network with them and support one another. I like cities.
Thanks for the great thread, everybody! I really enjoyed reading it.
However, I hope you guys never have to be surprised by the rent in NYC! I saw that people were posting that you can get a 3 bed in Bk for $1000! I've lived here virtually all my live. I haven't seen a 1-bedroom $1000 apt in many many years. Most studios in gentrifying Bk are asking $1500 and up. 1 beds are 2000 plus. 2 beds around 2500, and 3 beds around 3000.
Even in East NY, as ghetto as it gets, a 3 bed will cost you 1500.
7-Colonie. It is not a pedestrian friendly place. You feel threatened by the traffic if you are on foot there and it is not designed to be walkable. It feels like it is designed to feel threatening to pedestrians. Downtown is much better in this regard.
I fully respect all of your opinions, and I actually agree with most, and the ones I don't would just be my opinions.
However, this statement is absolutely absurd, and anyone considering Colonie should not be swayed by the statement. You do know that Colonie is much more then Central Avenue and Wolf Road, right? I say that because you focus a lot on CDTA bus rides.
Colonie is so much more then these two roads in which the buses go down. Sure, I would not want to cross the roads at Central and Wolf, or between Colonie Center and the Northway Plaza either, but no one "lives" there, anyway. Take a drive through the back roads in Colonie: side streets off of Sand Creek. Very walkable. THAT is Colonie, the Colonie in where people live. As is the case with Upper Colonie.
I'd reckon that an equivalent intersection, like Central and Wolf, in any other city, is just as unfriendly to be crossing on foot.
I fully respect all of your opinions, and I actually agree with most, and the ones I don't would just be my opinions.
However, this statement is absolutely absurd, and anyone considering Colonie should not be swayed by the statement. You do know that Colonie is much more then Central Avenue and Wolf Road, right? I say that because you focus a lot on CDTA bus rides.
Colonie is so much more then these two roads in which the buses go down. Sure, I would not want to cross the roads at Central and Wolf, or between Colonie Center and the Northway Plaza either, but no one "lives" there, anyway. Take a drive through the back roads in Colonie: side streets off of Sand Creek. Very walkable. THAT is Colonie, the Colonie in where people live. As is the case with Upper Colonie.
I'd reckon that an equivalent intersection, like Central and Wolf, in any other city, is just as unfriendly to be crossing on foot.
Yes, but you have to understand my perspective is as a pedestrian venturing to the mall, who unfortunately, is forced to speak from the angle of having to have taken the CDTA bus.
I now live in Southern California, and as you say there are equivalents to that intersection in every city, except they aren't really equivalents.
The reason for the disparity is that there are not many people crossing that aforementioned intersection at central and wolf road. So you not only tend to feel threatened by the traffic but you also feel quite alone in that threat. Add to that the aggression of New York drivers and it makes the matter all the more worse. In most of those 'equivalent' intersections where I currently live there are other people crossing with you, because they recognize the neighborhood as being walkable and having things that they want to walk around and do. Not so there. Most of the area around Colonie center mall for several miles in either direction both up central and up wolf road, despite being a stretch of stores, is almost completely barren of walkers.
It makes you feel poorer than you already are if you're a struggling black, white or pretty much anybody in that situation.
There were times where I walked from Colonie center to the area around guitar center and felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack most of that distance. I barely if ever see any bike riders on the streets in Albany either. And the one time I saw a guy riding a bike was on central avenue, he was about 40 something years old and the poor guy crashed into a pole and after I had helped him up he mentioned how he had been forced to ride on the sidewalk because people in cars would constantly beep at him and yell at him to get the **** off the road. How else would this gentleman get back to Schenectady other than taking central ave?
So you see, there is truth to what you say, but there is also truth to what I say. I am sure the walkable areas are in developed neighborhoods far from the main streets. But for those who do not drive? They are out of luck with Colonie and walkability unless they take an uber to a walkable spot and then an uber back but for what? If the walkability is just for people considering living there then cool. But what about visitors going to the mall or any other stretch of stores in the area? They didn't make it welcoming in that regard.
There were times where I walked from Colonie center to the area around guitar center and felt like I was going to have an anxiety attack most of that distance. I barely if ever see any bike riders on the streets in Albany either. And the one time I saw a guy riding a bike was on central avenue, he was about 40 something years old and the poor guy crashed into a pole and after I had helped him up he mentioned how he had been forced to ride on the sidewalk because people in cars would constantly beep at him and yell at him to get the **** off the road. How else would this gentleman get back to Schenectady other than taking central ave?
So you see, there is truth to what you say, but there is also truth to what I say. I am sure the walkable areas are in developed neighborhoods far from the main streets. But for those who do not drive? They are out of luck with Colonie and walkability unless they take an uber to a walkable spot and then an uber back but for what? If the walkability is just for people considering living there then cool. But what about visitors going to the mall or any other stretch of stores in the area? They didn't make it welcoming in that regard.
Albany's roads are too narrow and were never designed with bikers in mind, and that trend went up Central Ave and into that part of Colonie. The city has tried to make some improvements, but it will never be enough. Main roads are simply not biker friendly, unfortunately. But to label all of Colonie negatively because of this one spot is unfair. You can live in Colonie and never go near Central Ave if you wanted too. The Colonie Center area stinks. In the past 7 days, of going past Central and Wolf, I have seen 3 accidents including a real doozy this afternoon. But Colonie is a large town, and a beautiful town when not in this area.
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Albany Arbor Hill area
