seeking affordable LGBT-friendly area of Capitol area! (Albany, Ithaca: apartment, rentals)

[exithacans]

We are a young lesbian couple moving from Ithaca to the Capital area so one of us can attend Albany law. Having lived in Ithaca, which is very liberal, we would like to find a similar area of the Capital area to live in. Preferably a walkable area with off-street parking. We're looking to either rent for under $900 a month (something like a half of a house) or buy a house for under $110K. We own a house now, so going back to a small apartment within the city would be difficult for us. I know finding a house within Albany for that price in a nice area would be pretty impossible, so we wouldn't mind living in a small liberal town similar to Trumansburg (near Ithaca), but an easy commute to Albany law would take precedence. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

[ckhthankgod]

I think the Lark Street area of Albany would fit the bill. Lark Street - The Albany Life.com - Albany, NY Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions (http://www.thealbanylife.com/lark-street/lark-street.html - broken link)

Here's a website you might be interested in as well:CDGLCC:Local LGBT Social and Support Groups

I hope this helps.

[OrangeSunset]

Check out the area around the hospitals (St Peters/Albany Med) too. Downtown albany doesn't offer much off-street parking. GL!

[bkhakis]

Lark Street or State Street should be the places you look at then.

[bkhakis]

I used to drive through Trumansburg on the way to Ithaca when I went to visit someone. Nice memories!

[Fearringtonflash]

Saratoga Springs is nice--but a bit of a commute (half hour to 40 mins)

[piperspal]

I think you are in for a very pleasant surprise - the capital district is very supportive of the gay community just about wherever you go. Some beautiful brownstones in the mansion neighborhood have been converted to chopped rentals & are walkable to so much. State Street bordering Washington Park (across the park from the Madison Ave. side) is a great place to start. It's walkable to the Law school; Lark Street shops & pubs, to the plaza for downtown events.

Also check out the Pine Hills area a bit west of downtown. Lots of college rentals, but still very many established streets that are not as rowdy. I rented the lower half of a house in the Town of Knox, about a 25 minute drive to the law school/AMCH campuses. My landladies were (are!) gay and expressed to me many times that they felt most of the area surrounding Albany is very LGBT-friendly. Best of luck to you!

[jandrot]

I'd recommend Center Sq. I'm gay, a recent law grad, and have lots of gay friends in the neighborhood (where I also happen to live).

PS- My husband and I went to Cornell and found the transition to Albany pretty easy. Similar social scene to Ithaca, at least w/r/t gay guys....

[Vaedur]

Basically almost anywhere in the capital district and your good, we lub everyone in upstate.. but yeah down town albany is really friendly..