Anybody from Ithaca?

[Crusty]

Looking for some local knowledge.

 

[javadoc]

Looking for some local knowledge.

I suspect that IthacaBarrel, IthacaMatt, and several other Ithacans might be of assistance.

I only went to school there, so I'm a tourist.

 

[Crusty]

I suspect that IthacaBarrel, IthacaMatt, and several other Ithacans might be of assistance.

I only went to school there, so I'm a tourist.

Duh. Thanks.

 

[retro44]

can you say what you want to know

 

[Crusty]

Sure. Have a possible business deal there and wanted to know what the area is like. I know it is a neat college town sitting on the edge of Cayuga lake but have no clue what it is like to live there. I grew up in upstate but left for the city about 1 billion years ago.

We would probably spend 6 months there and 6 months in NC. My wife is a city girl and likes the idea because she has a lot of family in the city and it is half the travel time.

 

[xc84]

It's a nice place. I lived there for about a year. If you like outdoor stuff like hiking, mountain biking, there are lots of trails. The state parks are great with lots of waterfalls. They have some decent bars, restaurants, etc.. The lake is great if you have a boat. There are a bunch of wineries (mostly on the west side) so the wine tours are easy to get to. And nearby Seneca Lake is even better for that. It's an easy drive to the Cuse for games too (stop to eat at Doug's Fish Fry in Cortland on the way back). For sports in Ithaca, the relatively big thing is Cornell hockey in the winter... that's about the only sporting even anyone seems to get excited about there.

 

[Crusty]

Thanks. The downtown looks like it has a lot happening at the commons. My wife is into those community type things. I imagine there is decent cultural activity as well.

 

[rrlbees]

I know it is a neat college town sitting on the edge of Cayuga lake but have no clue what it is like to live there.

Lot of curmudgeons live there.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[mountaincuse]

Looking for some local knowledge.

With your name, you'll fit right in

 

[TexanMark]

Thanks. The downtown looks like it has a lot happening at the commons. My wife is into those community type things. I imagine there is decent cultural activity as well.

One of the best places in the world to live from April to Veteran's Day. If you can afford the coin...a place overlooking Cayuga or on Cayuga Lake is living at its best.

 

[Crusty]

That is what I was hoping to hear. Thanks.

 

[bevosu]

Rod Serling liked it a lot, and he had the coin to live anywhere.

 

[ithacat]

It's a wonderful place to visit and an even better place to live. It's not for everyone but what place is.

Here's what others think about the place, when compared to similarly-sized locales.

http://www.visitithaca.com/top-10s.html

 

[Tcuse]

"10 square miles surrounded by reality" popular bumper sticker in Ithaca . Liberal sometimes overly idealistic population.
Pros: cosmopolitan, lots of cultural activities for a small own with IC and Cornell, lots of theater and concerts of all genres. Good schools. Wide range of restaurants, many ethnic and/or eclectic. Beautiful area with lots of outdoor activities year round, paddlers paradise. " Ithaca is gorgeous" bumper sticker alludes to the numerous scenic gorges in he area.
Cons: 1/2 of population students, many have a sense of entitlement and quite arrogant. Cost of living higher than surrounding area, and per Cornell study wages lower than surrounding area. Tough job market due to very educated population, large pool of academia spouses to compete with. Lots of Volvo and Subaru drivers that apparently did not get the turn signal option when they purchased their vehicle. "Ithaca centrally isolated" yet another popular bumper sticker reflects lack of nearby interstates.
Aside: Surrounding towns very nice and easy commute. Also good schools. Came here in 1965 and have not left.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Crusty shoot me a pm, tell you whatever you need to know.. Been here 11 years now. People who complain about the students are really not very bright. Cornell is the economy in Ithaca, second largest employer in upstate ny I believe. there are many start up companies ( bio tech, alt energy, etc with heavy Cornell influence. Ithaca also has some of the best returns on real estate in Upstate NY. If you have kids let me know as I can point you in the right direction.

 

[JoeCollege]

The People's Republic of Ithaca is a great place, especially if you have a family. Plenty to do. Plenty of great students and grad students to provide a deep babysitter pool. John Thomas Steakhouse is an EXCELLENT restaurant. The Commons is active, the college kids make it a fun town from August-May. The view of the lake from the Ithaca College football stadium is stunning- wish SU had such a view.

It's got rural isolation within ten minutes of Wegman's or a parking garage, the state parks are great, Watkins Glen is not far, SU is not far, overall a great place.

 

[Crusty]

It's a wonderful place to visit and an even better place to live. It's not for everyone but what place is.

Here's what others think about the place, when compared to similarly-sized locales.

http://www.visitithaca.com/top-10s.html

Neat links. Thanks

 

[cusetown1]

The People's Republic of Ithaca is a great place, especially if you have a family. Plenty to do. Plenty of great students and grad students to provide a deep babysitter pool. John Thomas Steakhouse is an EXCELLENT restaurant. The Commons is active, the college kids make it a fun town from August-May. The view of the lake from the Ithaca College football stadium is stunning- wish SU had such a view.

It's got rural isolation within ten minutes of Wegman's or a parking garage, the state parks are great, Watkins Glen is not far, SU is not far, overall a great place.

Can't leave out maguire the second largest. Edit that was to ithacabarrell

 

[cusetown1]

I own a business in Ithaca, it's a great place.

 

[ithacat]

Neat links. Thanks

You're welcome..

Since the pump's being primed, here's an article from a couple of days ago written by an SU grad. Give's a traveler's glimpse of Ithaca's own currency.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...4203b4-fded-11e1-8adc-499661afe377_story.html

As an aside, regarding something Tcuse mentioned, I go back and forth on what having an Interstate connection would do to Ithaca. If there was a direct connection to 81, however, the Dome would be about 40-45 minutes away from downtown.

 

[Crusty]

You're welcome..

Since the pump's being primed, here's an article from a couple of days ago written by an SU grad. Give's a traveler's glimpse of Ithaca's own currency.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifes...4203b4-fded-11e1-8adc-499661afe377_story.html

As an aside, regarding something Tcuse mentioned, I go back and forth on what having an Interstate connection would do to Ithaca. If there was a direct connection to 81, however, the Dome would be about 40-45 minutes away from downtown.

Neat.

 

[RF2044]

Hey Crusty--I attended Cornell, which isn't the same as living in Ithaca, per se.

But it is a beautiful community with a lot of cool amenities, depending on what you're into. You are right in the heart of the Cayuga wine trail with two lakes [Cayuga and Senaca]. Ithaca is great in the summer, and the surrounding areas to both campuses are very, very nice. Very safe community, etc.

But one thing I'd like to point out is that Ithaca is VERY isolated. It is a tough place to get to [and get out of] due to a lack of any connective highway infrastructure. Used to take me an hour doorway-to-doorway to get back to Syracuse, basically due to the fact that I had to drive for 30 minutes to get to route 81.

I'd also think long and hard about the social scene in Ithaca--obviously, it is a college town, with two large institutions fueling the local economy. But that probably isn't the scene you're looking for as an adult. I wouldn't say that the downtown is "happening" [per your earlier post]--the Commons are kind of weird--cool place to visit, if you get my drift. Lots of nice restaurants, though, many of which are outside of downtown Ithaca.

I don't mean for this to discourage you in any way. I'd just suggest that you visit and know what you're getting into before you decide whether Ithaca is for you. I had the opportunity to go back there for grad school, and being immersed back in that isolated, semi-insular community was one of the factors I weighed [considering that I'd already experienced it as an undergrad].

Beautiful, safe place to live--no question. And I'm quite nostalgic about Ithaca these days [more so than I was as a Cornellian]. It is a cool place, just not for everybody.

 

[maxxyz]

Not to be a debby downer, but didn't Ithaca have the highest per capita murder rate in NYS for a while? Something about new drug kingpins moving to Ithaca and fighting over territory that services the college & fringe drug market.

 

[IthacaBarrel]

Not to be a debby downer, but didn't Ithaca have the highest per capita murder rate in NYS for a while? Something about new drug kingpins moving to Ithaca and fighting over territory that services the college & fringe drug market.

I think you need to check your facts, Ithaca always is high in property crimes because there are so many college kids who come and go for breaks, etc. Other than that, don't see much

 

[MaxwellCuse]

Not to be a debby downer, but didn't Ithaca have the highest per capita murder rate in NYS for a while? Something about new drug kingpins moving to Ithaca and fighting over territory that services the college & fringe drug market.

Sure. When you talk murder capital isn't it usually Camden, East St. Louis, Detroit and Ithaca?