Utica

Cornhill is a neighborhood in the Mohawk Valley of Utica, New York. Realtor Alen Zekic of Assist2Sell Buyers & Sellers 1st Choice says the area has an abundance of different cultures. “It feels like the United Nations,” he says. The multiculturism is reflected in the local eateries — there are more than 10 different ethnic restaurants. Realtor Rocco DePerno of Century 21 One Realty NH echos Zekic’s statement. “It’s a cultural melting pot,” he DePerno says. “It’s very diverse in a great way.” Demand for homes in the area has grown over the past 20 years, Zekic adds, due to affordable housing and the proximity to the Chobani Foundation, where many residents work, headquartered in nearby Norwich, New York. Founded in 1734, Utica has a rich history, including being a stop on the Underground Railroad. The housing stock in Cornhill is made up of duplexes, colonial revivals and Victorian apartments. Homes tend to cost between $57,000 and $220,000. DePerno says the area is ideal for first-time home buyers, but prices have changed drastically over the years. “You used to be able to find a home for $40,000 to $60,000. The prices have tripled over the past seven to eight years.” He adds that Utica as a whole has recovered from a long period of economic downturn that the region experienced during the mid-20th century. “Utica has been massively improved over the past 10 years,” DePerno says. “It has grown from a less expensive area to an area in demand,” he says. Another draw for some homebuyers is that there are no HOAs in Utica. Children can attend Utica City Schools, which have a Niche grade of B-minus. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School has a C Niche rating. John F Kennedy Middle School earned a B-minus Niche grade. Students taking algebra at the middle school have a 100% passing rate. Thomas R. Proctor High School is a B-rated school. There are ten colleges and universities in the area, including Utica College. The closest park to the neighborhood is Watson Williams, which features basketball courts and a jungle gym. There are roughly 20 parks in the region that cater to multiple outdoor needs. Altogether, the parks consist of 677 acres, with most having community centers and swimming pools. The designer of the parks, Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., designed New York City’s Central Park. While there are several eateries in the area, one of the more popular places to gather with friends and neighbors is the Saranac Brewery, which serves Saranac and Utica Club beers. Another local hot spot is O’Scugnizzo’s Pizzeria, which has been feeding folks in Utica since 1914. This pizzeria doesn’t just serve traditional pies like pepperoni and cheese pizzas — one of the more popular pizzas is their upside-down pizza, which has sauce on top of the cheese with the toppings on the bottom. Events in the area include the Utica Open Mic Series, Paint & Sip at Bagg's Square Brewing Company, Magic Rocks! Magic Camp: Introduction to the Art of Magic and Illusion and the annual Rosary Walk. Several minor league sports teams compete in Utica for those who want to take in a Utica Unicorns baseball game or a Utica Comets hockey game. Interstate 90 connects the community to spots east and west. Centro serves greater Utica with local buses. Syracuse Hancock International Airport is roughly 50 miles from the neighborhood. Those who want to visit New York City (and other places) can get there via Amtrak, which is a five-hour journey.

Downtown Utica is a mostly commercial district in upstate New York. Nearly 83% of the properties in the area are commercial properties with a smattering of lofts and apartments for residents. According to Alen Zekic of Assist2Sell Buyers & Sellers, 1st Choice says the area was abandoned 20 years ago and is mostly known for its thriving restaurant district. “There’s not too much housing for living,” he says. “There are lots of restaurants.” The limited housing generally costs $32,000 to $241,000, but Zekic says many properties can run at around $160,000 to $230,000. Rocco DePerno of Century 21 One Realty Partners says many of the abandoned office buildings were converted into loft apartments. “A whole lot of time and effort was put into improving the area,” he says. “The area has really been coming back. It’s fun and up and coming.” He adds that many of the two-story homes were built in the 1920s and 1930s. Since 1979, the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees (MVRCR), recently rebranded as “The Center,” has helped revitalize and stabilize Utica’s economy with the influx of refugees from more than 35 countries. Vince Scalise of Coldwell Banker Faith Properties, John Brown Team, says The Center has been a “big part of keeping Utica going” and is a big reason Utica, as a whole, is a close-knit community. As a result, DePerno says housing prices have been “coming in line” to reflect the demand. Parents can send their children to schools in the Utica City School District, which has a Niche grade of B-minus. Christopher Columbus Elementary School has a B-minus grade, as does John F Kennedy Middle School. Students taking algebra at the middle school have a 100% passing rate. Thomas R Proctor High School earned a B. There are ten colleges and universities in the area, including Utica College. The restaurant scene in Utica reflects the influx of many international cultures that have established the area as home. Paco's Empanadas House, Puerto Rican cuisine, Symeon’s Greek Restaurant and Minar Fine Indian Cuisine are three examples of the different places taste buds can visit. Scalise describes Utica’s many eateries as “all top-notch. The area is known for it.” Another popular restaurant is FX Matt—1888 Biergarten, which is adjacent to Matt Brewing Company, which brews Saranac beer. Probably the biggest annual event for the area is the Boilermaker Road Race, a 15-kilometer or 9.3-mile foot and wheelchair race. T.R. Proctor Park, considered the “crown jewel” of Utica’s park system, also holds an annual race, E.J. Herrmann Cross Country Invitational. The park is known for its basketball courts, baseball fields, soccer fields and running trail. There is a Farmer's Market, the annual Munson Arts Festival, and the yearly Italian Festival. Several minor league sports teams compete in Utica for those wanting to watch a baseball or hockey game. Residents who wish to add some culture to their lives can enjoy a Broadway show at the Stanley Theatre. There is also Munson, a regional fine arts center founded in 1919. Routes 55 and 12 provide access to the rest of the region. Some commuters take advantage of the area’s public transportation, Centro. Syracuse Hancock International Airport is roughly 50 miles away for long-distance travelers.

With multiple housing style choices and many cultural cuisine options, East Utica is an ideal place for homebuyers who want to be immersed in an area considered the melting pot of Upstate New York. Lorene Prenderville of Coldwell Banker Prime Properties says a healthy mix of races exists. “There’s every nationality you can think of,” she says. East Utica is also known for its cuisine and affordable housing. Residents with an active lifestyle will appreciate all that there is to do in the area, including skiing, ice skating, concerts, visiting the various lakes and cultural arts. Homes in East Utica range in price from $107,000 to $315,000 and many are 1,545 square feet with 7,840 square-foot yards. Much like the area eateries, there are several housing styles to choose from, like two-family homes, bungalows, ranch-style houses and colonials. “From one block to another, there are vast differences,” she explained. Vince Scalise of Coldwell Banker Faith Properties, John Brown Team, says the housing, mostly built in the 1950s and 1960s, can cost about $200,000. With refugees from over 35 countries, the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees (MVRCR), now “The Center,” has revitalized and stabilized Utica's economy since 1979. Vince Scalise of Coldwell Banker Faith Properties, John Brown Team, says The Center has been a “big part of keeping Utica going” and is a big reason Utica, as a whole, is a close-knit community. As a result, Rocco DePerno of Century 21 One Realty Partners says housing prices have been “coming in line” to reflect the demand. The restaurant scene in Utica reflects the different international cultures that have settled there. Paco's Empanadas House, Puerto Rican food, Symeon's Greek Restaurant and Minar Fine Indian Food are other examples of multicultural restaurants. Scalise describes Utica’s many eateries, “All top notch. The area is known for it.” Another popular restaurant is FX Matt - 1888 Biergarten, which is adjacent to Matt Brewing Company. The brewery produces Saranac beers. It should be noted that there are no major shopping centers in the area, but there are ones in the surrounding Utica regions. Children can attend Utica City Schools, which have a Niche grade of B-minus. John F. Kennedy Middle School and Christopher Columbus Elementary School both have B-minus Niche grades. Students taking algebra at the middle school have a 100% passing rate. Thomas R. Proctor High School is a B-rated school. There are ten colleges and universities in the area, including Utica College. The area's biggest annual event is probably the 15-kilometer or 9.3-mile foot and wheelchair Boilermaker Road Race. The E.J. Herrmann Cross Country Invitational, another Utica race, is held annually in T.R. Proctor Park, Utica's “crown jewel” park. The park features basketball courts, baseball fields, soccer fields, a running route and a zoo. The park is also home to the area’s newer dog park. The zoo is a little treasure inside the city. Utica also has minor-league baseball and hockey teams. Residents who want to add culture can take in a Broadway show at the Stanley Theatre. There is also Munson, a regional fine arts center founded in 1919. And local events include a Farmer's Market, Munson Arts Festival and Italian Festival. Regional access is available via routes 55 and 12. Commuters can also use Centro, Utica’s public transit. Long-distance passengers can use Syracuse Hancock International Airport, a 50-mile drive.

Separated by the Mohawk River, North Utica is a neighborhood in Upstate New York that was developed following World War II and first-time home buyers. The community’s homes were built for troops returning home from the war. Most of the housing stock consists of split-levels, ranch-style and bungalow homes located one mile from Downtown Utica. The median size of homes is 1,300 square feet with 10,000 square foot lots and the current list price range is between $135,000 and $416,000. Ninety percent of the area is residential, with very few commercial properties. But, as Lou DeMichele of eXp Realty put it, the area is in no way “a cookie-cutter neighborhood.” Additionally, available homes for sale are sparse or limited. Utica is known as “The town that loves refugees.” Utica resettled 2,600 migrants from 2010 to 2020, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Utica has relocated nearly 17,000 since 1979. One in five Uticans are refugees or their children, according to the Fiscal Policy Institute. John Brown, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Faith Properties in Utica, characterizes the area as “a heterogeneous community.” “There’s a crazy mix of ethnicities,” he says. He adds that more than 50 different languages are spoken in the Utica region. Utica is also known as an Industrial Revolution manufacturing hub that, like many Rust Belt cities, suffered an economic downturn as the industries moved factories elsewhere. Population losses to the suburbs and nearby Syracuse also impacted the local economy in the mid-20th Century. The influx of refugees is partly responsible for the local economy's recent recovery due to the area’s low cost of living attracting the newer residents. According to Brown, the influx of new residents also created a “fabulous labor pool.” “They basically saved the town,” he says. The cultural mix has also afforded Utica with a diverse food scene. “It’s a wild food scene,” Brown says. “Utica is a food town.” Amy Mellace, a broker with Coldwell Banker Prime Properties, adds that the addition of new residents also created a need for more local shops and shopping. Most of the eateries are located on North Genesee Street and the fares range from Lebanese, Italian, New American and Asian. The North Utica Shopping Center provides the neighborhood with the necessary stores, such as Price Chopper, which is a grocery chain, a wine store, a nail salon and a Dollar Tree. Some elementary school-aged kids in the community can attend Kernan Elementary School, which has a Niche grade of C. John F. Kenedy Middle School would be the next public school, which has a Niche grade of B-minus. Whitesboro High School, a B-plus-rated school, has an 8 out of 10 by Great Schools for College Readiness. There are also four colleges and universities near the neighborhood, including Utica University. Utica Zoo, a year-round indoor and outdoor facility, is one of the popular green spaces and attractions for families and animal lovers alike. The zoo was founded in 1914 and is home to a 16-foot watering can structure, listed by the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest watering can. The zoo is part of Roscoe Conkling Park, which includes Valley View Municipal Golf Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Val Bialas Ski Area and hiking trails. While North Utica does not have any neighborhood events, Utica as a whole has a very active events calendar, which includes county fairs, book clubs and line dancing. Whether residents drive or use public transportation, getting around Utica is not an issue. In fact, the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (CENTRO) provides local bus service with 12 different lines in Utica. For drivers, Utica has six New York State highways and two interstates. Additionally, New York State Routes 49 and 840 run east-west along Utica's northern and southern borders. Long-distance travelers can catch a plane at Syracuse Hancock International Airport and Albany International Airport. Amtrak provides train service from Utica’s Union Station.

South Utica, an Upstate New York neighborhood is considered one of the more historical communities in the Utica region. The community was designed by Frederick Law Olstead, Jr., a prolific wildlife conservationist landscape architect and city planner. The area is known for its historic homes and a wide variety of activities available for residents from outdoor sports to beer tastings and music festivals. “There always a lot of stuff going on here,” says John Brown, a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Faith Properties in Utica. The area is also home to the Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute and has an active arts community. Brown estimates that there are about 250,000 residents in South Utica, including 25,000 local college students. Colonial Revivals are the predominant housing style in South Utica and the homes range from $112,000 to $690,000 with residential homes making up 50% of the structures in the neighborhood. There are also several two-family homes. Most of the properties were built between 1920 and 1940. Houses tend to be roughly 1,750 square feet on 6,970 square foot lots. “There is a lot of grand housing,” Brown explains. “They are of finer quality with more detail and made with a lot of brick and stone.” Utica is “The town that loves refugees.” Utica resettled 2,600 migrants from 2010 to 2020, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Utica has resettled almost 17,000 since 1979. Fiscal Policy Institute says one in five Uticans are refugees or their offspring. Brown calls it “a heterogeneous community.” “There’s a crazy mix of ethnicities,” he says. He notes that one can hear more than 50 languages spoken in the area. Utica was an Industrial Revolution industrial city that endured a recession like many Rust Belt cities as firms relocated elsewhere. Mid-20th-century population losses to the suburbs and Syracuse hurt the local economy. Due to the low cost of living, refugees have helped the local economy recover. Brown said the newcomers generated a “fabulous labor pool.” He also credits the new residents for “saving the town.” Utica has a diverse cuisine scene due to its cultural mix. Brown: “It’s a wild food scene.” Utica is food town.” Coldwell Banker Prime Properties broker Amy Mellace said new residents drove demand for additional local shops and shopping. Most restaurants on North Genesee Street serve Lebanese, Italian, New American and Asian food. The North Utica Shopping Center has a Price Chopper grocery store, a wine store, a manicure salon and a Dollar Tree making daily needs convenient to get. Closer to South Utica, on James Street are two diners, a Mexican restaurant, an Italian restaurant and a sushi bar. The Matt Brewing Company, which brews Saranac Beers, is a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. Local kids can start their public-school journey at John F. Hughes Elementary School, which Niche graded a C-plus. Perry Junior High School scored an A-rating from Niche and the school feeds into either New Hartford Senior High School, which has an A-minus grade or Thomas R. Proctor High School, which has an overall grade of a B. There are also four colleges and universities near the community, including Utica University. The year-round indoor and outdoor Utica Zoo is a family-friendly green space and attraction. The 1914-founded zoo has the world's largest watering can, a 16-foot Guinness World Records-listed construction. Roscoe Conkling Park features the zoo, Valley View Municipal Golf Course, Val Bialas Ski Area, and hiking paths. North Utica has no neighborhood events; however, Utica has a busy calendar with chair yoga, crafting seminars and a Fourth of July parade and celebration. Getting around New York can be a challenge, but not really in Utica, whether folks drive or take public transportation. The Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (CENTRO) operates 12 Utica bus lines. Along with six New York State highways and two interstates and New York State Routes 49 and 840 run east-west along Utica's north and south boundaries, the driving options are bountiful. Long-distance travelers can fly from Syracuse Hancock and Albany. Amtrak serves the Utica Union Station for those who prefer trains.