Schenectady

The Central State neighborhood is only 2 miles from downtown Schenectady. However, it offers more living space and a more suburban feel while still having all the conveniences of the city along its namesake corridor. “Central State is a comfortable mix of residential homes and businesses,” says Josh Cooper-Ginsburg, a local resident and the executive director of Gates of Heaven Cemetery in the community. “People enjoy the ease of access to retail and services. The neighborhood is remarkably diverse. Over the past 10 or 15 years, an influx of new residents has contributed to new business development and improvements here.” Central State’s commercial section, especially along State Street, complements the residential sections of the neighborhood. Within the residential areas, there is a range of homes, including single-family, duplexes and larger multi-family units. “The area is a magnet for New York City home buyers and investors looking for good prices,” says Haleh Struzinsky, broker and owner of HS Capital Realty. “There are a lot of small businesses and people see many opportunities in purchasing here.” Single-family homes include American foursquare, bungalow and Cape Cods, many with wide front porches. Sidewalks, private driveways and mature trees give the community a more suburban usually not found in a neighborhood so close to downtown. These two- and three-bedroom homes range between $150,000 and $385,000. Schools in the community fall under the Schenectady City School District. Woodlawn Elementary serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The school has a 16-1 student-teacher ratio and a C rating from Niche. Central Park Middle School serves grades sixth through eighth. It holds a C-minus rating and a 12-1 student-teacher ratio. Schenectady High School has a 14-1 student-teacher ratio and a B-minus rating. On May 1,2024, the high school hosted the “Schenectady Promise Event” to offer all graduating seniors automatic acceptance to the SUNY Schenectady Community College. Central State Street residents can cross Central State Street, just one block from Schenectady's Central Park. The park's famous Rose Garden has more than 4,000 rose bushes, which attract visitors of the human and winged types from June through October. The park also offers soccer fields, tennis courts and paddle boat rides on Iroquois Lake in the middle of the park. Kids can run off steam at the Tiny Tot Land playground and golfers can hit the links at the Municipal Golf Course. From florists to hair salons to auto body shops, State Street hums with activity. Just steps outside the neighborhood, on Altamont Avenue, there is a shopping center that includes Walmart, Crunch Fitness, a pet store and an urgent care center. Grocery shoppers have plenty of options, with a local Hannaford and Price Rite. Those looking for more international foods can stop by Karam Asian Grocery and Halal Meat Market. Tucked inside the market, Karam Restaurant is known for delicious naan and generous portions of chicken tikka masala. In fact, hungry residents have their choice of a smorgasbord of flavors. Blue Ribbon Family Restaurant has been owned by the same family for three generations. The eatery is known for its award-winning desserts and home-style cooking. In the mood for pizza? Marino's Pizza and Restaurant has been dishing up pizza, pasta and subs since 1970. Residents can head to the Central Park amphitheater on Sunday evenings from June through August to enjoy the Music Haven Concert Series. These free outdoor concerts include musicians from across the globe. In September, downtown Schenectady hosts the Little Italy Street Fest. For nearly 20 years, this event has celebrated the city’s Italian roots with music, food, shopping and wine. Commuting to downtown Schenectady is a breeze. State Street is a direct route. Residents who prefer to walk can easily cover the 2 miles. Albany is 18 miles southeast via Interstate 90 and Albany International Airport is 8 miles via NY-155. Bus service is available throughout the area.

Downtown Schenectady was founded in 1661 by Dutch settlers. Its Stockade District sits along the banks of the Mohawk River and is the oldest residential neighborhood in the nation. More than 40 pre-Revolutionary War homes still stand in the area. When one is strolling through the city’s streets, it is easy to harken back to its glory days as an old industrial town. Residents here can enjoy a busy lifestyle without the hemmed-in feelings of a larger city. “Schenectady has a thriving downtown area. It’s become very popular with those who want to experience urban living,” says Brian Brosen, an associate broker with EXP Realty, LLC with about 20 years of experience. “It’s very walkable, and there are many shops and restaurants. It has the best food scene in upstate New York.” A healthy residential and commercial life mix adds to the district's down-to-earth feel. "I sought out Downtown Schenectady to put my office there because I saw it on the rise," notes Bosen. New construction and historic buildings are a testament to the exciting changes. Most single-family homes are in the historic Stockade district, and there are several apartment buildings, says Brosen. There are only a few single-family homes in the area, says Brosen. However, among the attached homes, are new construction row homes and older Italianate townhouses. Newly built row homes sell for around $329,000. New condo units along the harbor average between $700,000 and $750,000. Schools close to Downtown Schenectady also embody the district's cultural diversity. Children may begin elementary school at Yates Elementary, which serves kindergarten through fifth grade and holds a C-minus rating from Niche. Oneida Middle School includes sixth through eighth grade and has a C rating. Schenectady High School has a B-minus rating. The high school has hosted the Reading is Fun Program’s annual Scrabble-Rama Competition Fundraiser for several years. Proceeds from the event go to purchase books for Schenectady City school children. Union College was established in 1795. The four-year school offers private education that focuses on liberal arts and engineering degrees. Its sprawling and lush campus adds an airy openness to the area. Downtown Schenectady offers residents plenty of quality green space. Front Street Park is a nearly 3-acre area with walking paths and sports facilities such as a playground, an outdoor swimming pool and a picnic area. The park also offers panoramic sunset views of the Mohawk River. Local legend says the park is haunted by the ghosts of fallen settlers during a raid by French Canadians and Native Americans. Union College’s men’s and women’s soccer teams play at College Park Field. When no college games are happening, locals often gather on the field for friendly matches. For those who prefer indoor entertainment, the beautifully restored Proctors Theater brings in top-name shows. Built in 1926, the theater, with its opulent gilded decor and plush red velvet seating, is considered the premier entertainment venue for New York State’s Capital Region. For those who enjoy challenging Lady Luck, the Rivers Casino & Resort makes for a fun grownups-only night out. Those looking for family fun can head to Boulevard Bowl to try their luck with the pins. The Jay Street Marketplace is a pedestrian shopping mall downtown with more than 25 independent locally owned businesses that make for eclectic and fun shopping trips. Boutique shops like Lennon’s Irish Shop offer unique gifts and fashionable clothing. Located on Ferry Street, Arthur's Market is a cute and convenient café that also sells grocery essentials. There are more robust grocery options along State Street, with small- to medium-sized grocers, like State Street Supermarket. Walmart and Hannaford can be found 3 miles south, on Altamont Avenue. Downtown Schenectady offers dozens of dining options. Johnny’s is an Italian American eatery that makes the ideal spot for grabbing a bite before heading to the theater or gathering with friends for a celebration. Owner John Mallozzi says he opened the restaurant to bring food, family and fun together. Perreca's Bakery serves a diabolically delicious "eggs in purgatory" dish. The perfectly poached eggs in homemade tomato sauce are a must-try. First Prize Mike's is the kind of greasy spoon spot that quickly becomes your favorite. The Schenectady Farmers Market is open on Thursdays from May through October. Located at City Hall, area farmers and crafters sell local produce and other goods. On the second Friday in July, Schenectady County Summernight is held downtown. Attendees can enjoy local music, food, good times and, at the end of the day, a fireworks show. St. George Greek Festival is held the weekend after Labor Day. The event features dancing, music, food and vendors. On the first Friday in December, Schenectady residents can participate in Chili Chowdown. Attendees can sample chili recipes at restaurants throughout the downtown area and then vote for the best recipe. Catching a bus downtown is a breeze. The 810-bus line runs frequently along Eerie Boulevard. Other bus lines travel Seward Place and Union Street, and the Amtrak train stops in the neighborhood on Eerie Boulevard. Commuters can take Interstate 890 the 14 miles to Troy or the 18 miles to Albany and the Albany International Airport.

While abandoned homes and high crime once plagued Hamilton Hill, the neighborhood in Central Schenectady is bouncing back better than ever. But it hasn't been by luck. Strong leadership, collective effort and hard work have given Hamilton Hill a hopeful future. Marva Isaacs, the president of the Hamilton Hill Neighborhood Association (HHNA), has been a resident for over 30 years and is at the forefront of the efforts to improve the community. "When I first moved here over thirty years ago, it was kind of rough," says Isaacs. "But we worked on the neighborhood. Hamilton Hill is getting to be a beautiful place." As a community organizer, Isaacs has led the HHNA to assist local senior citizens, provide students with school supplies, and host a communitywide summer block party. One of her proudest projects was a successful campaign to repave the sidewalks and roads around the local elementary without additional cost to residents. The neighborhood also has an active Arts Center that offers youth programs and several local food pantries that provide hot meals to those in need. Non-profits throughout Schenectady are working to make more affordable housing available in and around Hamilton Hill as the neighborhood faces gentrification. It's a neighborhood built around support. "From where I'm standing, there's no black and white. We're all one people," Isaacs says. "And when it's time to do something, we come together and do it on Hamilton Hill." The neighborhood is filled with charming Victorian properties dating back to the early 1900s, featuring bay windows and two-story porches. Most homes are split into two-family residences and offer detached garages or back alley parking. Homebuyers and investors are increasingly taking note of the neighborhood, often purchasing homes from city auctions and renovating them. "Some people come to fix them up, rent them out and don't look back. That's what runs the neighborhood down," Isaacs says regretfully, but she adds that it's not always the case. "My next-door neighbors bought their home, renovated it beautifully and have stayed." Around 75% of the neighborhood is made up of renters. But for those looking to buy, homes start around $100,000 for fixer-uppers and get up to $225,000 for renovated two-family properties. Kids who live north of Hulett Street are part of the Pleasant Valley Elementary School zone. But most residents live south of there and are zoned for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary. Both elementary schools get a C-minus rating from Niche. King graduates move on to Oneida Middle School, also rated C-minus, and Schenectady High School, rated B-minus. The school has an International Baccalaureate (IB) Program and is also home to John Sayles School of Fine Arts, which provides an integrated Regents curriculum in the arts. The school has its own wing in the larger high school, which includes a theater, dance studio, digital arts lab, art gallery and music studio. On a nice day, Hamilton Hill residents can be found at Burrell Park's basketball and tennis courts or the brand-new splash pad, freshly renovated in 2023. The park is also the neighborhood spot for holiday celebrations like an Easter egg hunt and trick-or-treating. The Hamilton Hill Art Center — Schenectady's only African/African American center for the arts — also plans events for the community. "We brought Kwanzaa to the Capital Region 40 years ago, and we host the oldest ongoing Juneteenth celebration in the city," says the Center's Director, Rachel Conn. With a highlight on arts and crafts from the African diaspora, the Center has popular after-school programs and plans to expand to a new building in the coming years. "The new building will have a museum and a gallery with retractable seating for movies or lectures," Conn says. Conveniences like restaurants, banks and barber shops are concentrated along State Street. San Francisco Restaurant serves Dominican food, and Newest Lunch is a classic diner known for its hot dogs. Amidst restaurants, the Phyllis Bornt Branch Library offers programs such as literacy classes, and Electric City Barn is a membership-only art and engineering workspace. For groceries, there are a couple of smaller markets in the neighborhood, like Fabio Grocery, but locals can also head to Market 32, about 2 miles away. Being just a mile from downtown Schenectady means dining options and entertainment venues are just minutes away. Bus lines run throughout the neighborhood, connecting into the city's heart in 10 minutes. A BusPlus line connects directly to Albany in about an hour from downtown, and an Amtrak station is available for longer trips.

Once a thriving blue-collar neighborhood of Italian, Polish and Jewish immigrants, the Mont Pleasant neighborhood of Schenectady is still recovering after General Electric and other companies pulled out of the area in the 1970s and employees followed. But today, the neighborhood is on the rise again. “People from downstate New York are buying property, and the community is developing rapidly,” says Realtor Bryan Permaul with Coldwell Banker Prime Properties. Permaul specializes in multi-family homes and new construction. “It’s a mixed-income community with a lower cost of living. You can find homes here for less than $300,000, and buyers come for the homes, but also the restaurants and scenery.” The northern edge of Mont Pleasant enjoys views of the Mohawk River — looking north down Crane Street is a good example. With locally owned restaurants, walkable parks and schools, and a new housing complex, Mont Pleasant has many benefits for the budget-conscious or investment-savvy consumer. Multi-family Victorians and single-family Victorians, bungalows and foursquares sum up the housing market in Mont Pleasant. These homes are older, many built in 1900, and often need repairs. Many are narrow and deep, with small front yards and few trees. “A good number of multi-family homes are owner-occupied,” says Andrea LeFevre, a licensed real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Prime Properties, who has lived in nearby Rotterdam for 16 years. “The owner lives on one floor, and renters occupy the other units. These homes tend to be well-maintained, and they sell quickly — some within a few days.” Multi-family homes are priced to sell, from $40,000 for a fixer-upper to $350,000 for a newly remodeled property. Single-family homes list for $40,000 to $275,000. Several Capital District bus routes pass through Mont Pleasant, carrying riders to other parts of Schenectady, Albany and neighboring towns. The Schenectady Amtrak Station is downtown, less than 2 miles away. Interstate 890 runs along the eastern part of the neighborhood and connects with Albany via I-90, a 20-mile drive. Albany International Airport is a 10-mile drive on State Route 7. Schools that serve Mont Pleasant include Hamilton Elementary, which received a C-minus from Niche. Hamilton is designated a community school under the Schenectady Community Schools Initiative, which prioritizes students' physical health and social-emotional well-being. Mont Pleasant Middle also scored a C-minus and rates among the top 3% of New York public middle schools for diversity. Schenectady High, a B-minus school, participates in the New York Seal of Biliteracy program, which encourages the study of languages and the development of bilingual skills for employment. Crane Street is Mont Pleasant's walkable shopping area, with international food markets like Singh West Indian Grocery, which sells Caribbean food and products. Mami's down the street serves Spanish cuisine at reasonable prices, often by Mami herself, and Ayad Deli is a classic bodega — “one of those corner stores where you can get amazing subs and sandwiches,” Permaul says. Ferrari’s Ristorante comes highly recommended by Permaul and LeFevre, offering hearty Italian dishes for dine-in or take-out for 50 years. Altamont Avenue to the south features a Walmart and a Hannaford grocery store. Nearby, the 28-lane Sportsman’s Bowl is a neighborhood spot to grab a cocktail and a snack while meeting friends for a few games or bowling in a tournament or league. Orchard Park, a small neighborhood green space in the middle of the block behind several homes and businesses, offers a playground, a basketball court, fitness equipment and grills for outdoor gatherings. Wallingford Park nearby features the same amenities and a picnic shelter. The much larger Hillhurst Park to the north has baseball fields, and Quackenbush Park, next to the Boys & Girls Club of Schenectady, offers a community pool. The Mont Pleasant Branch of the Schenectady Public Library provides more community programming, such as digital literacy classes and children’s hours that explore topics like how a book gets made or how bones function and what they feel like. A three-day event in July that attracts thousands of people to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church is called “The Festa” by people in the neighborhood. It is a long-running celebration of Italian life run by church volunteers who cook Italian favorites like meatball sandwiches, sausage and peppers, and pizza to feed the crowd and handle the kids' activities, giant garage sale and musical guests that perform live. The city is building new apartments on Crane Street to ensure lower-income residents are not priced out of the neighborhood. The project comprises 60 energy-efficient housing units with on-site support services for seniors and disabled individuals. High school graduates can also attend SUNY Schenectady County Community College or Union College, each only 2 miles from the neighborhood near downtown. SUNY was established in 1967 to offer a quality education to the community at an affordable price. Union College is a classic liberal arts and sciences college enrolling more than 2,000 students. Regarding crime, CAP Index gave Mont Pleasant a crime score of 6 out of 10 (with 10 being the highest); the national average is 4.