Rochester New York

[dubnick55]

My family and I are contemplating a move to the city of Rochester. Pittsford to be exact. I am just wondering of anyone here lives there or in the area and if they could let me know what kind of place it is. We are coming from Evansville Indiana and this would be a huge move for us so any help would be greatly appreciated.

[jetswin]

The only Rochester I know used to be Jack Benny's sidekick.

[thebigragu]

Originally Posted by dubnick55

My family and I are contemplating a move to the city of Rochester. Pittsford to be exact. I am just wondering of anyone here lives there or in the area and if they could let me know what kind of place it is. We are coming from Evansville Indiana and this would be a huge move for us so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Here I have no idea why I looked this up I must be really ****ing bored.

http://www.discussny.com/rochester-n...hester-ny.html

[CraigFL]

I lived there for awhile as a kid, around Kodak park. It was terrible. I have a few friends that live there now, as adults, and seem to tolerate it, never heard anyone say they love it. Not trying to dissuade you, but the weather is terrible. Probably why it was supposedly the suicide capital of the world in the latter 70s. (Hearsay). Look up the number of cloudy days, and I'm sure it rivals or beats Seattle (probably something to do with it's location relative to the great lakes)

[thebigragu]

Originally Posted by CraigFL

I lived there for awhile as a kid, around Kodak park. It was terrible. I have a few friends that live there now, as adults, and seem to tolerate it, never heard anyone say they love it. Not trying to dissuade you, but the weather is terrible. Probably why it was supposedly the suicide capital of the world in the latter 70s. (Hearsay). Look up the number of cloudy days, and I'm sure it rivals or beats Seattle (probably something to do with it's location relative to the great lakes)

Well there you have it. Suicidal and cloudy.

[JStokes]

Originally Posted by dubnick55

My family and I are contemplating a move to the city of Rochester. Pittsford to be exact. I am just wondering of anyone here lives there or in the area and if they could let me know what kind of place it is. We are coming from Evansville Indiana and this would be a huge move for us so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Actually, my cousins were from Rochester--Pittsford to be exact.

A very nice suburban non-cosmopolitan area. Great schools, they went to Pittsford-Mendon High School and they all ended up going to Boston College.

Bucolic, nice countryside, hilly (not quite like where FF2 is from) but very laid-back and homey. Finger Lake region, lots of boating and camping and out-doorsy type stuff.

Said differently, it ain't The Bronx.

I think it would be a nice transition from Evansville.

Good move.

_

[DDNYjets]

Thats funny. I am looking to GTFO of NY.

[Jungle Shift Jet]

Freestater has the 411.

The major employer / benefactor was Kodak which is now a shadow of its former self

In some ways it's heyday was 60 years ago. It has a gothic charm.

[Pac2566]

Originally Posted by dubnick55

My family and I are contemplating a move to the city of Rochester. Pittsford to be exact. I am just wondering of anyone here lives there or in the area and if they could let me know what kind of place it is. We are coming from Evansville Indiana and this would be a huge move for us so any help would be greatly appreciated.

I live 5 minutes from Pittsford. It's one of the nicer suburbs in the Rochester area. Not much crime, nice people, and great summers.

Rochester gets a bad wrap because of the weather but it's really not that bad. Not to mention it makes the summers all the nicer. Plenty of golf courses (PGA Championship next year in Pittsford at Oak Hill), festivals, parks, fishing etc.

Just big enough to never be bored but not so big you get lost in the crowd. I think we're the 70th largest market in the country.

I go to FL a couple times a year and that's a place I wouldn't want to live. Long, flat, straight streets with strip malls every 30 seconds. Not a lot of character.

[Big L]

My brother lives in Rochester. Pittsford to be exact.

Pretty much what Stokes said. PM me if you want to hear what little more I know.

[CraigFL]

I can't advise as I'm now in FL. But you may want to look into taxes (income and property), utilities and insurances. we had a house in NY, bought one in FL twice the value, and saved $10k per yr total in those expenses....that was 16 years ago.

[thebigragu]

Originally Posted by CraigFL

I lived there for awhile as a kid, around Kodak park. It was terrible. I have a few friends that live there now, as adults, and seem to tolerate it, never heard anyone say they love it. Not trying to dissuade you, but the weather is terrible. Probably why it was supposedly the suicide capital of the world in the latter 70s. (Hearsay). Look up the number of cloudy days, and I'm sure it rivals or beats Seattle (probably something to do with it's location relative to the great lakes)

Originally Posted by Pac2566

I live 5 minutes from Pittsford. It's one of the nicer suburbs in the Rochester area. Not much crime, nice people, and great summers.

Rochester gets a bad wrap because of the weather but it's really not that bad. Not to mention it makes the summers all the nicer. Plenty of golf courses (PGA Championship next year in Pittsford at Oak Hill), festivals, parks, fishing etc.

Just big enough to never be bored but not so big you get lost in the crowd. I think we're the 70th largest market in the country.

I go to FL a couple times a year and that's a place I wouldn't want to live. Long, flat, straight streets with strip malls every 30 seconds. Not a lot of character.

Originally Posted by CraigFL

I can't advise as I'm now in FL. But you may want to look into taxes (income and property), utilities and insurances. we had a house in NY, bought one in FL twice the value, and saved $10k per yr total in those expenses....that was 16 years ago.

Fantastic

[dubnick55]

Thanks for the info everybody it certainly helps.

[CraigFL]

Originally Posted by Pac2566

I live 5 minutes from Pittsford. It's one of the nicer suburbs in the Rochester area. Not much crime, nice people, and great summers.

Rochester gets a bad wrap because of the weather but it's really not that bad. Not to mention it makes the summers all the nicer. Plenty of golf courses (PGA Championship next year in Pittsford at Oak Hill), festivals, parks, fishing etc.

Just big enough to never be bored but not so big you get lost in the crowd. I think we're the 70th largest market in the country.

I go to FL a couple times a year and that's a place I wouldn't want to live. Long, flat, straight streets with strip malls every 30 seconds. Not a lot of character.

Where we live is right on the Gulf, we have 400 miles of freshwater and saltwater canals, lots of nice golf courses. But yes it is flat, humid in the summer (not much hotter than NY believe it or not), and we're invaded by drivers from all over the world half the year. The trade off is 0% state income tax, $1k prop tax on $185k house, $150 utilities 4 months, $50 4months and some where between 4 months. Plus it's sunny and 75 almost everyday between Nov and May. I like it 90 better than 30 so I like it, but it's not for everyone. BTW I'm originally from Elmira NY which is on the south end of Seneca lake, Rochester is on the north end, so I agree the country is beautiful up there.

[E-Ramone]

I grew up about 30 miles from Rochester, and my wife and I currently live in a suburb of Rochester.

Like Pac2566 said, Pittsford is probably the nicest area around Rochester. The schools in Pittsford and surrounding towns are consistently ranked among the best in the nation.

I don't think the job market in Rochester is great, but it also hasn't experience the volatility like other parts of the country have since 2008. If you have a good job, then it's definitely a good place to be. The overall economy of the region has suffered for the past 20-30 years though as Rochester has struggled to move from a strong base of manufacturing jobs (e.g. Kodak) to more high-tech jobs.

Some of the pros are: Great quality of life, relatively cheap housing, everything is pretty much nearby, low crime, relatively mild weather (no hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.).

Some of the cons are: Bills games are on CBS (when they're not blacked out), property taxes are among the highest in the nation relative to value of property, we do get periods of lake effect snow due to being close to Lake Erie/Lake Ontario, but like I said above, it's really pretty tame compared to the extreme weather other parts of the country experience and the lake effect snow is generally easy to live with.

In summary, I think you and your family will enjoy the Pittsford area. The Rochester area isn't perfect, but I think it's a great place to live and raise a family.

[Peebag]

Originally Posted by E-Ramone

I grew up about 30 miles from Rochester, and my wife and I currently live in a suburb of Rochester.

Like Pac2566 said, Pittsford is probably the nicest area around Rochester. The schools in Pittsford and surrounding towns are consistently ranked among the best in the nation.

I don't think the job market in Rochester is great, but it also hasn't experience the volatility like other parts of the country have since 2008. If you have a good job, then it's definitely a good place to be. The overall economy of the region has suffered for the past 20-30 years though as Rochester has struggled to move from a strong base of manufacturing jobs (e.g. Kodak) to more high-tech jobs.

Some of the pros are: Great quality of life, relatively cheap housing, everything is pretty much nearby, low crime, relatively mild weather (no hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.).

Some of the cons are: Bills games are on CBS (when they're not blacked out), property taxes are among the highest in the nation relative to value of property, we do get periods of lake effect snow due to being close to Lake Erie/Lake Ontario, but like I said above, it's really pretty tame compared to the extreme weather other parts of the country experience and the lake effect snow is generally easy to live with.

In summary, I think you and your family will enjoy the Pittsford area. The Rochester area isn't perfect, but I think it's a great place to live and raise a family.

wow...a concise, intelligent post...you may not last long here....

[southparkcpa]

Originally Posted by E-Ramone

I grew up about 30 miles from Rochester, and my wife and I currently live in a suburb of Rochester.

Like Pac2566 said, Pittsford is probably the nicest area around Rochester. The schools in Pittsford and surrounding towns are consistently ranked among the best in the nation.

I don't think the job market in Rochester is great, but it also hasn't experience the volatility like other parts of the country have since 2008. If you have a good job, then it's definitely a good place to be. The overall economy of the region has suffered for the past 20-30 years though as Rochester has struggled to move from a strong base of manufacturing jobs (e.g. Kodak) to more high-tech jobs.

Some of the pros are: Great quality of life, relatively cheap housing, everything is pretty much nearby, low crime, relatively mild weather (no hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.).

Some of the cons are: Bills games are on CBS (when they're not blacked out), property taxes are among the highest in the nation relative to value of property, we do get periods of lake effect snow due to being close to Lake Erie/Lake Ontario, but like I said above, it's really pretty tame compared to the extreme weather other parts of the country experience and the lake effect snow is generally easy to live with.

In summary, I think you and your family will enjoy the Pittsford area. The Rochester area isn't perfect, but I think it's a great place to live and raise a family.

Yeah...I agree with most all that. I have good ties to Rochester. Good friends live there, I almost moved there in 1989. The economy (last 7 years_), to be honest, is terrible. NO NEW companies are moving there. Property taxes are extremely high so if you dont have a terrific job, it can be difficult. 25 years ago Rochester was awesome. Now...its moving in the direction of Buffalo unfortunately.



Ramone...do you remember Montana Mills Bread Company???

[freestater]

I love Rochester. With the exception of the Air Force and a brief job I held in NYC, I've lived here all my life. Economically speaking, it's not as fast paced as some other markets, but it has it's advantages as well. The cost of living is pretty low, especially real estate prices. It's not uncommon to see 1500sq ft homes on 1/4 acre lots in the mid 100s. Probably not in the Pittsford area, Pittsford is one of the better suburbs.

The job market has been slow in Roch. but the jobs that are here are often technology-based, as the city has a reputation for a well educated workforce. If you'rte coming here with a job already in place, it's a huge benefit. While the economy has taken some hits with the loss of Kodak and the outsourcing of many of Xerox's workforce, the local economy has done pretty well in absorbing the loss.

Lifestyle options in Roch. are pretty wide-ranging. If you're the outdoors-type, the list is pretty much endless. Plenty of fishing along the great lakes and of course, the big lake, Lake Ontario. There is great deer hunting all over the region. If you're a golfer, the amount of public courses is fantastic. I can't recall how many times I've been out this season (it's over a dozen) and I have yet to play the same course twice. There are a couple of areas for nightlife -the Monroe Ave area (the hipster region) and the East End. There's Charlotte (pronounced Char- Lot) which has a nice beach and a row of bars/ restaurants. Plenty of shopping. There are three large area malls plus endless plazas and strip malls.

Restaurants and dining. Roch. has a great compilation of various ethnic and regional dining. Anything from Thai to Indian, German cuisine (including an awesome German deli that seats folks German beer-hall style deep in the 'hood, complete with live German music and the obligatory Germulichite) There are fantastic BBQ joints and steakhouses (You gotta try Delmonico's on E. Henrietta Rd.) Just about any fare you could want is available in Rochester. No thoughts on dining would be complete without mentioning Wegman's groceries. Wegman's is the gold standard of grocery stores. If there's one thing people who move away from Roch. all say, it's that they miss Wegman's.

As for the weather. Yes, we do ghet some snow here in winter. And by some, I mean a lot. Around here, it's not the end of the world. The towns know how to handle it, and the people are pretty adept at driving in it. It usually lasts about 4 months with good snow on the ground. As an old weatherman used to say around here, "nothing we can't handle". The summers are usually very pleasant and mild. We don't get many days in the 90s, and when we do, it's newsworthy. A good location just south of Lake Ontario really helps temper our temperatures, even if it does account for a little more snow in winter time.

Odds and ends. Rochester, I've heard it said, is a large town masquerading as a small city. There are some limitations that come with it, but some advantages as well. With the exception of the heaviest rush hour times, I can generally drive the expressways around Rochester with my cruise control on. By contrast, I've been in hour long traffic jams in NYC that lasted over an hour. In Roch., you're never more than twenty minutes to anywhere. Rochester and the surrounding areas have great parks and is highly commited to "green-space". From folks I know that have moved away and eventually come back ( a very VERY common occurrence) one of the reasons for returning is often "I wanted to raise my kids here".

All in all, Rochester is a small, laid-back community with a variety of lifestyles and environments that can suit almost anyone. Good luck with your move (should you choose to make it) and remember that T.C. Hooligans on Ridge Road in Webster usually gets a small band of Jets fans on Sundays for Jets games. (ironically they have a Jets Jay Feidler signed jersey on the wall ).

[southparkcpa]

Originally Posted by freestater

I love Rochester. With the exception of the Air Force and a brief job I held in NYC, I've lived here all my life. Economically speaking, it's not as fast paced as some other markets, but it has it's advantages as well. The cost of living is pretty low, especially real estate prices. It's not uncommon to see 1500sq ft homes on 1/4 acre lots in the mid 100s. Probably not in the Pittsford area, Pittsford is one of the better suburbs.

The job market has been slow in Roch. but the jobs that are here are often technology-based, as the city has a reputation for a well educated workforce. If you'rte coming here with a job already in place, it's a huge benefit. While the economy has taken some hits with the loss of Kodak and the outsourcing of many of Xerox's workforce, the local economy has done pretty well in absorbing the loss.

Lifestyle options in Roch. are pretty wide-ranging. If you're the outdoors-type, the list is pretty much endless. Plenty of fishing along the great lakes and of course, the big lake, Lake Ontario. There is great deer hunting all over the region. If you're a golfer, the amount of public courses is fantastic. I can't recall how many times I've been out this season (it's over a dozen) and I have yet to play the same course twice. There are a couple of areas for nightlife -the Monroe Ave area (the hipster region) and the East End. There's Charlotte (pronounced Char- Lot) which has a nice beach and a row of bars/ restaurants. Plenty of shopping. There are three large area malls plus endless plazas and strip malls.

Restaurants and dining. Roch. has a great compilation of various ethnic and regional dining. Anything from Thai to Indian, German cuisine (including an awesome German deli that seats folks German beer-hall style deep in the 'hood, complete with live German music and the obligatory Germulichite) There are fantastic BBQ joints and steakhouses (You gotta try Delmonico's on E. Henrietta Rd.) Just about any fare you could want is available in Rochester. No thoughts on dining would be complete without mentioning Wegman's groceries. Wegman's is the gold standard of grocery stores. If there's one thing people who move away from Roch. all say, it's that they miss Wegman's.

As for the weather. Yes, we do ghet some snow here in winter. And by some, I mean a lot. Around here, it's not the end of the world. The towns know how to handle it, and the people are pretty adept at driving in it. It usually lasts about 4 months with good snow on the ground. As an old weatherman used to say around here, "nothing we can't handle". The summers are usually very pleasant and mild. We don't get many days in the 90s, and when we do, it's newsworthy. A good location just south of Lake Ontario really helps temper our temperatures, even if it does account for a little more snow in winter time.

Odds and ends. Rochester, I've heard it said, is a large town masquerading as a small city. There are some limitations that come with it, but some advantages as well. With the exception of the heaviest rush hour times, I can generally drive the expressways around Rochester with my cruise control on. By contrast, I've been in hour long traffic jams in NYC that lasted over an hour. In Roch., you're never more than twenty minutes to anywhere. Rochester and the surrounding areas have great parks and is highly commited to "green-space". From folks I know that have moved away and eventually come back ( a very VERY common occurrence) one of the reasons for returning is often "I wanted to raise my kids here".

All in all, Rochester is a small, laid-back community with a variety of lifestyles and environments that can suit almost anyone. Good luck with your move (should you choose to make it) and remember that T.C. Hooligans on Ridge Road in Webster usually gets a small band of Jets fans on Sundays for Jets games. (ironically they have a Jets Jay Feidler signed jersey on the wall ).

That is a very fair assessment. I loved it there and almost moved there. The economy is a bit slower (just recently) than you lead on but it is a terrific community. My college roommate is from Victor and a close friend is in Pittsford.

[JETSJetsJetsJets]

Originally Posted by freestater

I love Rochester. With the exception of the Air Force and a brief job I held in NYC, I've lived here all my life. Economically speaking, it's not as fast paced as some other markets, but it has it's advantages as well. The cost of living is pretty low, especially real estate prices. It's not uncommon to see 1500sq ft homes on 1/4 acre lots in the mid 100s. Probably not in the Pittsford area, Pittsford is one of the better suburbs.

The job market has been slow in Roch. but the jobs that are here are often technology-based, as the city has a reputation for a well educated workforce. If you'rte coming here with a job already in place, it's a huge benefit. While the economy has taken some hits with the loss of Kodak and the outsourcing of many of Xerox's workforce, the local economy has done pretty well in absorbing the loss.

Lifestyle options in Roch. are pretty wide-ranging. If you're the outdoors-type, the list is pretty much endless. Plenty of fishing along the great lakes and of course, the big lake, Lake Ontario. There is great deer hunting all over the region. If you're a golfer, the amount of public courses is fantastic. I can't recall how many times I've been out this season (it's over a dozen) and I have yet to play the same course twice. There are a couple of areas for nightlife -the Monroe Ave area (the hipster region) and the East End. There's Charlotte (pronounced Char- Lot) which has a nice beach and a row of bars/ restaurants. Plenty of shopping. There are three large area malls plus endless plazas and strip malls.

Restaurants and dining. Roch. has a great compilation of various ethnic and regional dining. Anything from Thai to Indian, German cuisine (including an awesome German deli that seats folks German beer-hall style deep in the 'hood, complete with live German music and the obligatory Germulichite) There are fantastic BBQ joints and steakhouses (You gotta try Delmonico's on E. Henrietta Rd.) Just about any fare you could want is available in Rochester. No thoughts on dining would be complete without mentioning Wegman's groceries. Wegman's is the gold standard of grocery stores. If there's one thing people who move away from Roch. all say, it's that they miss Wegman's.

As for the weather. Yes, we do ghet some snow here in winter. And by some, I mean a lot. Around here, it's not the end of the world. The towns know how to handle it, and the people are pretty adept at driving in it. It usually lasts about 4 months with good snow on the ground. As an old weatherman used to say around here, "nothing we can't handle". The summers are usually very pleasant and mild. We don't get many days in the 90s, and when we do, it's newsworthy. A good location just south of Lake Ontario really helps temper our temperatures, even if it does account for a little more snow in winter time.

Odds and ends. Rochester, I've heard it said, is a large town masquerading as a small city. There are some limitations that come with it, but some advantages as well. With the exception of the heaviest rush hour times, I can generally drive the expressways around Rochester with my cruise control on. By contrast, I've been in hour long traffic jams in NYC that lasted over an hour. In Roch., you're never more than twenty minutes to anywhere. Rochester and the surrounding areas have great parks and is highly commited to "green-space". From folks I know that have moved away and eventually come back ( a very VERY common occurrence) one of the reasons for returning is often "I wanted to raise my kids here".

All in all, Rochester is a small, laid-back community with a variety of lifestyles and environments that can suit almost anyone. Good luck with your move (should you choose to make it) and remember that T.C. Hooligans on Ridge Road in Webster usually gets a small band of Jets fans on Sundays for Jets games. (ironically they have a Jets Jay Feidler signed jersey on the wall ).

Well said. I went to the University of Rochester, so I spent a good 4 years living there. Pittsford is widely considered the nicest suberb of Rochester, and is home to the Wegman family as previously mentioned in another post.

There is a ton of stuff to do in the area, most of which I ignored since I was in college and more interested in the bars and chasing skirt. A lot of my friends from school still live in the area, so I get back there once in a while for a weekend here or there.

We used to get a good crowd at the Distillery for Jets games, but that was back in 2001-2004. There was a Jets fan who was the spitting image of Herm, which was great since he was actually coaching the team.

Funny story - I used to go to the Distillery to watch the Jets, since the Bills were on locally. One afternoon I am watching the game and saw Governor Pataki walking around the restaurant campaigning, mostly meet and greet. He comes over to my table and sees me in a Jets jersey, says hello and that I must be a Jets and a Bills fan living in the area. My reply, with a straight face, was "No Governor, I hate the Bills." He had a good laugh, and was a very down-to-earth guy.