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| Not what it used to be - 3/14/2013
As with most cities, living in Albany isn't what it used to be. I was born and grew up here and unfortunately never escaped. I agree with most of the negative comments posted. What I do not understand is that we are supposed to be the capital city and yet the roads here are horrible. I've had to have $4,000 worth of work done to my car because of the rough shape the roads are in. It seems the road crews are busy putting those damn roundabouts in every where you look or expanding the city to areas no one lives, but as far as repairing the already crumbling streets, forget it. I hit a pot hole once that was so deep, it dented the rim and blew my tire out. The streets in "Center Square" (a trendy section) around the capital are just as bad, full of potholes and past lumps from prior repairs. The only employer seems to be the state. I used to think that if you got in with a state job you were set for life, but that also is not true. I worked for a state agency for five years before I was hurt on the job and fired. Then I was blacklisted. People do seem to be generally unfriendly, rude and in too much of a hurry. The drivers are pathetic. Stop signs and traffic lights might as well not exist because drivers pay no attention to them. Pedestrians are defiant and cross in front of you while they are on the phone regardless of the traffic light. Some of them look at you as if to say "hit me I dare you". What they're probably saying is "hit me, I need the money". There's a lot of welfare and disability recipients here (not that there's anything wrong with that). You can observe this in the grocery store. Everyone with a shopping cart overflowing with food is more than likely going to pay with a "benefit" card, while I have my little basket of necessities like toilet paper. Albany is a dreadful place. Back in the 60's it was a family community, a safe place, no one locked their doors and downtown was not a ghost town. I guess Alany went the way of most other cities. It's a shame.[read more...]
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| Albany SUCKS - 1/27/2013
I agree with all of the negative comments. I moved here for college and law school. I don't feel safe walking here at night and there is no culture aside from nightlife, a few nice restaurants and art places, etc. The drug and crime rates are through the roof, the winters are brutal- I could go on all day. Unless you are coming for a good reason, i.e, a cheap college degree - avoid Albany at all costs. I know so many people who have been the victim of a violent crime here- from being mugged to raped to assaulted to robbed. Awful place to live.[read more...]
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| Do the Albany timewarp - 12/1/2012
The welcoming signs on your way into Albany NY should read "ALBANY THE TOILET BOWL OF NEW YORK".
People here think they are so sophisticated and with it when actually they are a bunch of rude, obnoxious and backward inbred hillbillies.
Please if you can get out of coming here do it. I feel like I am living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland with zombies that have been altered by toxic nuclear waste. RUN RUN now before it's too late. Save yourselves.[read more...]
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| No, the economy is not good, stop lying to people. - 8/8/2012
It's a bad place to move if you want to earn a living wage. I hear rumors of this being tech valley part 2 and that there are a lot of jobs but I don't see it.
Wait, there are people employed--those who are busy bunging up the system by holding off on information for autism services, medicaid, and anything people are SUPPOSED to be getting.
I can't believe the attitudes on some of the people here. They are always spoiling for a fight. I also live around some very dumb hillbillies.
Overall this area is cheap and if you can get a job then you can live okay. It's filled with people with chips on their shoulders and druggies but hey, it's the capital, right?[read more...]
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| Dirty filthy smelly grubby hell hole. - 7/11/2012
If you are thinking of coming to Albany or the surrounding area?
Forget it! Run as fast as you can in the other direction.
There is nothing here, No jobs, nothing to do, people with rude, nasty and arrogant attitudes. Hillbilly's, crime and unemployment.
At least an hour from the Adirondacks. Run And keep running any place is better than here. Afghanistan is starting to look good.
As soon as I can I'm out of here. KMA Albany NY.[read more...]
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| Decent shopping very few jobs and yes it is drear - 4/2/2012
The shopping here is pretty decent both in Albany and the outlying suburbs. Yes, it is cheaper here than a lot of places but it is a haven for people who have to live off food stamps and unemployment and disability.
The people have a very curt attitude in various parts of the capital region. They smile and say nice things or talk to you but behind their words is a **** you attitude.
Too many people smoke here. It's like living in the 1970s with a really ignorant attitude.
I regret moving here and we're getting out anywhere soon.
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| Terrible economy. No jobs. - 4/2/2012
Unless you work for the state the only job options (possibly) are retail jobs with a huge turn over.[read more...]
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| Decent - 9/25/2011
I am originally from Long Island but I have been living in Albany for a several years since I attended college here and the cost of living is much cheaper compared to the NYC metro area. Like every city/region, Albany has it's pros and cons. Living here for some time I can relate to some of the negatives stated in previous comments. Albany is bitter cold in the mid-winter months with having negative to teen temperatures on average many days. Albany, as well as with a lot of areas in upstate New York, is very gray and overcast, particularly during the winter. The weather can definitely make one feel gloomy and depressed and is probably the biggest con about Albany and the whole capital region. One spring comes around the weather gets much nicer with less rainy days, fall is the best season with the foliage and crisp temperatures.
I agree with a previous comment that comparing Albany to bigger cities is like comparing apples to oranges. Albany is small city and it's primary purpose is home of the New York State government and some other small industries. This isn't the type of city a typical young, single person would move to for opportunity and excitement. There are many young people here but mostly because they went to college here (Albany is a big college town with some fine institutions) or they native to the area. People are generally friendly and down-to-earth. Being a low key city you don't find many "hipsters", which can be good thing. However that doesn't mean there isn't diversity and I encountered all kinds of people up here. The Albany region is great for families since there are many nice suburbs with good public schools and recreation. I personally find the suburbs of Albany and capital region nicer than some suburbs outside of bigger cities.
There are some run-down areas but just as many nice areas. For a city it's size, Albany has a lot to offer for entertainment which seems to be under-appreciated by many of the people. There are many bars, clubs, restaurants, and stores that are enjoyable and nightlife in downtown areas is very good on the weekends. Other surrounding cities have a lot to offer as well: Saratoga is only about 30 minutes away with a horse-racing events in the summer and a beautiful, quaint downtown area also containing many great shops, restaurants, and bars. The city of Schenectady has been revitalized in some parts making it enjoyable as well. Another benefit about Albany is the outdoor activity. There are many great parks (Washington Park, The Crossings, Thatcher State Park) along with the Adirondacks, Catskills, and Lake George close by offering fun hiking trails and water-rafting.
There are mixed feeling when it comes to employment and job opportunities in Albany. Almost everywhere in the United States is having declined job-growth because of the economic recession. Regardless, people have found good jobs in Albany. The diversity of job types seems to be more of a problem rather than the number of available employment opportunities. This is to be expected since it is small city.
Albany is a pretty good place to live if you don't mind a smaller city with a laid-back lifestyle. If you don't like cold, rainy weather and would rather be in a bigger more cosmopolitan city this is not the right place for you. [read more...]
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| Employment - 8/3/2011
Even though a local paper states that the area "held its own," during the recession, employment opportunities are somewhat limited.[read more...]
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| Cheap - 3/6/2011
It's cheap.[read more...]
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| albany ny apartments - 12/23/2010
Albany is a wonderful place to live. Especially now that the market for real estate and housing is on the up and up again. I would recommend it to live in some Albany NY apartments.
www.apartmentguide.com/apartments/New-York/Albany/Loudon-Arms-Apartments/100004594/
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| Albany - 6/7/2010
Albany is dismal, cold, has terribly long harsh winters, and the population includes a lot of very crabby unhappy people. It is without question the most godawful miserable place I've ever seen. The only thing worse is the cities around it! It is part of the postindustrial apocalypse of Troy, Schenecdtady and other towns.
Upstate NY was abandoned by something. The whole town in living in the distant past (the 19th and early 20th Centuries). The only nice things are the university, the low-cost (ghetto) of everything, and the architecture downtown, but it is a place in perpetual slum decline. Nothing could help it. The population has been fleeing and in the negative for years. Don't believe the optimistic reports.It's a place to go to college or visit, but definitely don't move there. The same goes for other towns like Syracuse NY.
You wouldn't want to walk around at night there.[read more...]
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| Lo w cost of living but not too horrible - 4/16/2010
Planning a move I on a fixed income presently and am seeking a small or medium city that isnt too horrible but cheap, as I sure you you can imagine
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| A mid-size city in upstate New York with a stable - 3/25/2010
Although state employees are a significant portion of the local workforce and budget cuts are looming, the job market has remained steady compared to other states. People are actually finding jobs - I've seen it happen.[read more...]
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| Pretty living - 8/11/2009
Beautiful Adirondacks!![read more...]
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| Passive Terrorism Requires Military Intervention S - 7/13/2009
Another American Enlightned City To Avoid - So, where to go...?? Forget Albany, NY, unless you are uLtRa DiVeRsE and ready to turn any/all Cleaver Family people into the passive terrorist Station Chief if you're not uLtRa DiVeRsE and PeeSee -- so to be allowed, for example, to have a job. No joke. No Hyperbole. This kind of filthy devolved anti-American city_behavior is beneath shameful, disgusting and the perps should be brought up on hate crime charges. Why the comment about being single? You left us hanging there.[read more...]
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| Four Seasons - 5/31/2009
Albany is a nice city in upstate NY. The change of seasons is often quite dramatic especially when changing from summer to fall. The colors are magnificent in Autumn and all you have to do is look out your window or go for a drive.[read more...]
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| Not a great place to live - 11/7/2008
The city of Albany old, poor and run down. The downtown is empty during the nights and weekends except for a couple of blocks where the bars are. The nightlife is populated with mostly poor and uneducated people. The college areas are run down and often referred to as the "student ghettos". Most people that work in Albany do not live in the city. Nearby suburban areas like Colonie actually have a larger population than Albany does. There is not much "city life", shopping is all in strip malls and large indoor malls. Other nearby cities like Troy and Schenectady are even more run down. The only good area near Albany is Saratoga which is about a 40 min drive north. The winters are long and tough - about 6 months out of the year you can get snowfall and we typically get about 2 or 3 large snowfalls a year (1/2-2ft of snow). It is cold and dry during the winter and summers last a blink of the eye and are typically humid. There is no where good to go during the summer, except for some hiking/biking trails and mountain climbing and a couple of lakes up north. One good thing - if you like taking weekend trips you have NYC to the south, Boston to the east, and Montreal to the north and other more nearby areas that are nice to visit.[read more...]
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| Albany, NY - 10/28/2008
Albany has recently attracted several hi-tech companies in addition to the multi-billion dollar Nano-tech Center. Albany and the surrounding areas have been dubbed "Tech Valley," the Silicon Valley of the East Coast. Situated amongst five mountain ranges and very accessible to New York City, Boston, Montreal and Buffalo, New York State's Capital City is a great place to call home. The cost of living is very reasonable, the people are incredibly friendly, and several colleges and universities are found nearby. If you're looking for a great small big city that is growing every day, place value the outdoors and desire access to several major cities, Albany may be the perfect home for you.[read more...]
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| uhh iive never biin there .. buht - 10/9/2008
myy boiifrennd says iihtz great .. ii may go to a college there for journaliism .. and from the comments and movies ive read and seen new york seemz lyk a great place to live and sieze great oppurtuniitiies and really follow your BIG DREAMS .. ;) .. iid liive there any dayy !! ..mann ii should liive there lyk now ..lol[read more...]
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