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Pelham is incredibly convenient to everything. Pelham's schools did well on the Newsweek's list of top schools in the country. I"m not sure that Harrison's schools were even on the list...
Which place would you say is "better?" What are the pros and cons of each of them?
As your interests seems to revolve around things Italian, there's this:
Pelham: Historically WASPy, white collar professional, Pelham Heights and Pelham Manor in particular. North Pelham more working class, less educated and less interest in education, strongly Italian.
Pelham
Pros - great schools, close to everything, passable downtown, close knit community, Pelham Manor is gorgeous
Cons - high taxes, on top of Mt. Vernon, Bronx and New Rochelle, regular Pelham is run down, 7 yr wait for train parking
Harrison
Pros - low taxes, decent schools, more for your money, Purchase and areas near Rye have some crazy real estate, easy train parking
Cons - very spread out, terrible downtown (but close to WP to be fair), lack of community feel since there are three very distinct areas within the town separated by very distinct income levels, run down areas near the train and parts of W. Harrison
It's very personal. Having come from suburbia I would never choose Pelham because even if it is safe, you have to deal with too many idiots from neighboring communities on the roads, stores, etc. Note I am not saying that everyone in these areas fit this bill, but the worst of them always seem to be running around Pelham when I have to go down there. On the other hand if you are from the city, you are likely to find yourself miserable in Harrison because outside of the downtown area near the train and in West Harrison, it is incredibly suburban...probably more so than anywhere in lower Westchester.
If its Italian with decent schools you are going for, I would revisit Eastchester.
Wow, I think jjinla has some misinformation on Pelham, and borders on racist. I do not think s/he probably knows, exactly, the difference between "regular" Pelham and Pelham Manor, as both have absolutely beautiful residential areas, and some higher density areas (particularly bordering highways). Yes, the area within Pelham that surrounds the center of town is perhaps not as sparkly as the million dollar homes (both in P and PM) but it is well maintained and provides welcome diversity. I don't live in Pelham, but in one of the neighboring towns and frequently shop on the main street, from the convenient grocery store, to the paint store, ice cream shop, wine store and restaurants, and find it very pleasant. I really don't even want to think what the "worst of them" is supposed to refer to or how jjinla has figured this out.
I would also add that there seems to be a strong, quite wealthy, Italian community within Pelham Manor.
I know very well the difference between Pelham Manor and Pelham, and while I do not live there I spend a good amout of time there shopping. Call me racist if you want, although truly I could care less about the color of a person's skin but instead their behavior. Pelham, IMO, just isn't away enough from the city. Sure, if you are strolling along the very small area in the village looking for wine, you feel totally away from it all. But in your daily errands to drop your kids at school, to do any major retail shopping, etc. you are often in and out of not-pretty areas with not-always-so-nice people. It's not dangerous at all, but surrounded on all sides by inferior areas.
This is nothing new...people in northern Westchester often say variations of the same thing about southern Westchester and lo and behold, people in southern Westchester often shudder at the thought of being that close to the Bronx.
The bottom line is that for me having come from suburbia, it's just not away enough for me. It's a personal thing. I didn't sugar coat Harrison, either, if you noticed.
jjinla, your words just speak for themselves. I repeat, how did you figure out these people "running around Pelham" were "the worst of them"? I don't suppose it was from seeing me, white, ivy-educated, driving in my European car, though from one of your inferior neighboring towns, buying wine on Wolfs Lane, was it? (btw, I shop/do errands all up and down Wolfs / Pelhamdale, not just at the wine shop.)
The idea that moms in Pelham drive "in and out" of not so nice areas with mangy people to drop their kids off at school, grab coffee and pick up the dry cleaning is simply preposterous and factually inaccurate.
No, I didn't comment on your take on Harrison. I know nothing about it, having only ever driven through, so I don't presume to have any knowledge about what Harrison is actually like.
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