My company’s marketing a new “knowledge community” (someone doesn’t like the phrase tech park) and I’m putting together a brochure on quality-of-life type issues. What do you like about this area? Why would a company want to come here? Why should I encourage a company to come here? It can be business related or entertainment related or whatever you like about living here.
Also, anyone who used to live here or who’s visited here is welcome to add their contributions on what they like about the area… yes, I know there are a lot of things not to like, starting perhaps with the cold weather, but I need ideas that will encourage people to come to the area, not scare them away! Thanks.
Most of what Albany has going for it relates to its size. It’s a small enough city that nothing is inconveniently far away, yet large enough to support healthy business community and urban luxuries, like theater companies and such. small size also gives us low crime rates and minimizes other common urban problems. It’s also nice to be able to go from downtown to where-the-hell-am-I in 10 minutes.
Do we have a Chamber of Commerce? That might be a good source for the cheerleader stuff.
Maybe you need a slogan:
Other than repeating what Exgineer said, and chastising him for even daring to mention Newburgh in the same sentence as Albany, I’ll add:
We do have a Chamber of Commerce.
Centrally located, easy to get to the highways
It’s not a long trip to NYC, nor is it to Montreal.
Quieter, more laid-back atmosphere than NYC but not quite hicksville. (That’s 20 miles in any direction).
Suffice it to say, I love the Capital District and will be here for quite a bit longer.
It’s also not terribly far from Boston, and near to the glorious Adirondacks.
The architecture is nice, particularly in the Lark Street area and along … I think it’s Washington Avenue … one of the long roads that goes out to SUNY.
There’s SUNY, which is pretty damn good for a state university (or was when I went there, until 1996).
It’s a pretty liberal area. I remember that in the gubernatorial election, we were the only county outside the NYC region to vote for Cuomo. I’m not sure you can use that in your brochure though
Ditto the low crime rate. When my Dad came out from San Francisco to help me apartment hunt, he was amazed that in a neighborhood so close to downtown (the aforementioned Lark Street area) none of the ground-floor windows had bars on them.
I love it here too, but I didn’t think that “because my mommy and daddy live kinda near here but not TOO close so they’re not always on my doorstep and because I know lots of nice people from here” would really be a good addition to the list of why people would want to come here.
I’m also not sure that my boss would see the humor in “the alternative is Newburgh” even though I think that’s great.
Now I just need a creative way to say “When you don’t want to live in NYC or hicksville but want easy access to both!”
It’s a pleasant small city within easy driving distance of your choice of major metropolis or beautiful, scenic rural villages. Convenient to the hustle and bustle of New York City - or get lost in the view along the Upper Hudson Valley and lower Adirondack Mountains. Like to ski? Albany’s near several of the nation’s top ski mountains. Like antiquing? The small towns of the Capital Region and surrounding areas abound with opportunities to find just the treasure you’ve been searching for, and it’s only an hour from the Stormville flea market - one of the biggest in the United States! If you like history, you’re sure to appreciate Albany’s historic buildings and museums, or take a short trip in any direction to find hints of Dutch Colonial heritage and Revolutionary War battlefields. The culinary enthusiast will also find things to enjoy in the Capital District, with its many restaurants (including two or three nice old diners, such as the historic Miss Albany), a delicious homemade candy store (I’m drawing a blank on the name; it’s on… crap. The street that goes past Colonie Center, but not Wolf Road, the other one. It’s past Colonie Center and past the Thruway Motel, on the right hand side, in a house all painted pastel. Their German Chocolate Fudge Truffles, especially, are to die for. Krause’s?), and orchard/farm stores where you can get fresh-pressed cider, hot-from-the-oven apple cider donuts, homemade jams and jellies and other farm-fresh delights.
Mind you I don’t plan on settling down back home, but the ten-year plan for Gunslinger’s career involves a two-year stay in Albany to work for the Times-Union if he can’t get a job at the Austin American Statesman straight out of school…
I’m in South Troy, off Campbell Ave, near the firehouse. I guess I’m in the shallow end of the cesspool.
When I moved to Troy (sight unseen), all I could think as we were driving through the city to my new apartment was, “I’m living here?”
I was living in Raleigh, NC for awhile before, where everything outside of downtown was brand-spanking new and sparklingly clean. Troy, on the other hand…well they don’t call it “Troylet” for nothing.
Say, as long as we’re discussing the relative ickiness of various Albany areas, I’m actually from the rural Middle of Nowhere south of the city, and not at all familiar with the urban areas. If Gunslinger did get a job at the TU and we moved back up there, where would be a good place for a young couple just starting out to live? We prefer old buildings (pre-1950 at the very least), but are aware that it can be hard to find an older area of the city that’s neither ghetto nor richpeople.
If you’re into the old building (how does 1850’s grab you?) thing and don’t mind the parking hassle, I’d suggest downtown west of the Plaza. That’s the Lark Street Area that rjung mentioned. It’s a fun laid-back place to live with a lot of people your age, and you can get really decent apartments for $600-$800 a month. If you’re not really into the heavy nightlife you can just go a few blocks farther out, but it’s really not noisy or disruptive. Just stay north of Madison Avenue; the south end is starting to seep northwards.
Of course, the Times Union building is out off Wolf Road near the airport, so the commute could be a pain in the ass. I don’t know enough about the CDTA schedules to say whether the bus might be a viable option.
Be careful, or I’ll send my grandmother over to tell you how Lansingburgh isn’t really part of Troy, and how, even though she grew up and raised a family in Lansingburgh, she’d never even think of living in Troy.
The fact that Lansingburgh is in the Troy city limits is a major pet peeve of hers.
