From 2000-2004 I worked at Scott Aviation / Scott Health and Safety. For those who don't know they make the breathing equipment for pilots and firemen. Anyway a lot of people there came from the Lancaster, NY plant. It was great, I felt like I'd come home!
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Why People Leave Buffalo for Charlotte
- Thread starter Mike Sheridan
- Start date
JPB....Great post and I agree with most of what you said. I have a friend who works for IBM, he's always wondering how long the job will last or trying to get on another project so he can stay with big blue. Another friend works at Duke Emergy our power company. She has survived the employee cuts for years, so Charlotte certainly isn't Camelot.
But please don't judge Charlotte by what CBS and Clear Channel do. That would be very misleading. Better to judge us by our fine NPR station WFAE which started this mess in the first place, or WBT a Charlotte institution since radio began.
But please don't judge Charlotte by what CBS and Clear Channel do. That would be very misleading. Better to judge us by our fine NPR station WFAE which started this mess in the first place, or WBT a Charlotte institution since radio began.
J
JustPastBuffalo
Guest
Thanks Mike. There was a time many years ago that an FM in Raleigh inquired about my services. As it turned out, the inquiry came in June. Nobody leaves Buffalo in June to move south. I might have been enticed had the offer been made in February. But probably not. I've never been one for schlepping all over the country, having seen its affect on families. Anyway, it's water long over the dam.
The irony of the CBS Charlotte cuts is that I worked with the cluster's GM in the pre-historic era when he was a young pup who just graduated from SUNY Fredonia. Now he makes big six figures and I'm still taking bottles and cans to Wegmans for nickels.
As to the Mexican restaurant discussion: Mighty Taco is legendary in Buffalo and so are their commercials, especially the classic narratives produced in the late 70s and 80s. But Gramma Mora's on Hertel Avenue, Buffalo absolutely must be put in play. I especially enjoyed their menu when they where a hole in the wall restaurant on Niagara Street back in the day. Tasty!
-JPB
The irony of the CBS Charlotte cuts is that I worked with the cluster's GM in the pre-historic era when he was a young pup who just graduated from SUNY Fredonia. Now he makes big six figures and I'm still taking bottles and cans to Wegmans for nickels.
As to the Mexican restaurant discussion: Mighty Taco is legendary in Buffalo and so are their commercials, especially the classic narratives produced in the late 70s and 80s. But Gramma Mora's on Hertel Avenue, Buffalo absolutely must be put in play. I especially enjoyed their menu when they where a hole in the wall restaurant on Niagara Street back in the day. Tasty!
-JPB
SSSKub said:
You are wrong about this. I live in Las vegas and can tell you that for the first time EVER more people are leaving Las vegas than moving here, I heard 10,000 last month. The economy is HORRIBLE here, it's housing bubble central plus tourism/gaming is way down. You should see all the unfinished construction projects here, casinos, condos, malls etc, they have been put on hold TFN. Phoenix is also a major housing bubble area.
If you are under forty. Don't have a problem paying $350,000 for a 1200 sg/ft home in the city. Don't mind a minimum 45 minute commute if you live in the first ring suburbs....eat out most every night....then Charlotte is for you.
As for me...Western New York has a lot to offer including affordable home prices, major sports, great colleges and a sense of community.
As for me...Western New York has a lot to offer including affordable home prices, major sports, great colleges and a sense of community.
J
JustPastBuffalo
Guest
VGJ makes good points, especially as to Buffalo and WNY being "a college town." I've been beating this drum for 20+ years.
If Buffalo isn't a college town, I don't know what city/town is: University at Buffalo, Buffalo State College, Canisius, Medaille, D'Youville, ECC North-City-South campuses (campi, for those Latin affcianados), Daemen and Hilbert colleges. Add Niagara University and Niagara Community to the list and the point is made stronger.
In last five to ten years Canisius and U-B have invested in the Main Street and Delavan Avenue areas surrounding their campuses. To its credit in this regard, Canisius was far ahead of UB, which only recently it seems, re-awakened to the importance of its South campus as it relates to benefitting the city of Buffalo.
Years ago, I suggested to a few prominent people at Canisius that the college actively attempt to purchase WWWS 1400 from Sinclair. Canisius thought the idea had merit but the company wasn't interested in selling an AM which might have programmed news-talk-sports as part of its Communications program.
Speaking of UB, How 'bout them UB Bulls!!! UB basketball and football. U-B may be the only football program remaining after the legendary Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. passes and the NFL auctions the franchise off to Los Angeles. Go Bulls Football!
If Buffalo isn't a college town, I don't know what city/town is: University at Buffalo, Buffalo State College, Canisius, Medaille, D'Youville, ECC North-City-South campuses (campi, for those Latin affcianados), Daemen and Hilbert colleges. Add Niagara University and Niagara Community to the list and the point is made stronger.
In last five to ten years Canisius and U-B have invested in the Main Street and Delavan Avenue areas surrounding their campuses. To its credit in this regard, Canisius was far ahead of UB, which only recently it seems, re-awakened to the importance of its South campus as it relates to benefitting the city of Buffalo.
Years ago, I suggested to a few prominent people at Canisius that the college actively attempt to purchase WWWS 1400 from Sinclair. Canisius thought the idea had merit but the company wasn't interested in selling an AM which might have programmed news-talk-sports as part of its Communications program.
Speaking of UB, How 'bout them UB Bulls!!! UB basketball and football. U-B may be the only football program remaining after the legendary Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. passes and the NFL auctions the franchise off to Los Angeles. Go Bulls Football!
Scott Fybush said:
If I hadn't known you so well for as long as I have, I'd think your 7th job was working for the CofC there in Rochester, getting all your friends to move up there.
(Punctuated, occasionally, with reminders that "the snow is easier shovel here" )Having occasionally thought about relocating to places like Charlotte, this series is interesting to me. I like (urban) North Carolina as a whole, and have/had friends there, but Charlotte never held much appeal to me. It felt like a city with very little soul, frankly...and I don't mean food, or music. It didn't strike me as being a particularly friendly area...certainly less so than, say, the Triangle area. And in more rural NC, you definitely get the "you're a northerner" thing.
Las Vegas felt much the same as Charlotte to me...people were kinda just going through the motions, and looked a little paranoid. I'm not sure I could live in a "casino town"...even Reno has some of that.
I'm also wondering where people from Northeast Ohio usually end up, when they leave here...I'm sure we have a "most moved-to destination" as well. I think Phoenix may be high on that list for us.
Another factor in favor of upstate NY and the Great Lakes region in general – water. Shortages and droughts are seriously affecting quality of life in parts of the south and as people become aware of this problem they will decide they would be crazy to move there. It won’t be long before manufacturing and population here will start gaining at the expense of the sunbelt.
Meant to write "south and southwest".
Hey AHIA,
You're right on with "no soul" reference when you refer to Charlotte. Native Charlottonians are in the minority. I would dare say that the majority of its residents are composed of transplanted northerners, and more specifically upstate New Yorkers. It's a city with shallow roots. Because few people were born in Charlotte, the culture (or lack of it) is pretty vanilla.
My son moved to Charlotte 12 years ago because of the many openings in his field, but still complains about the lack of soul when it comes to their sports teams, and friendlieness.
Sure, spring comes early, the taxes are lower and the jobs are more plentiful...but its a town where no one knows your name...or wants to.
You're right on with "no soul" reference when you refer to Charlotte. Native Charlottonians are in the minority. I would dare say that the majority of its residents are composed of transplanted northerners, and more specifically upstate New Yorkers. It's a city with shallow roots. Because few people were born in Charlotte, the culture (or lack of it) is pretty vanilla.
My son moved to Charlotte 12 years ago because of the many openings in his field, but still complains about the lack of soul when it comes to their sports teams, and friendlieness.
Sure, spring comes early, the taxes are lower and the jobs are more plentiful...but its a town where no one knows your name...or wants to.
I've lived and worked in NYC, Philly (twice), Pittsburgh (twice), Minneapolis, Detroit, Knoxville Tennessee (where I went to grad school), Ithaca, Elmira, Binghamton-Endicott and Rochester.
I've always wound up coming back here - not just because it's where I grew up. It's because for all its warts, "allegedly" bad weather (try the Twin Cities if you THINK you know bad winter weather) and high taxes, it still offers all the qualities I appreciate. Most of all: the people. Although Pittsburgh comes close.
I completely concur about the lack of a sense of history in some of these places. Think you'd never miss seeing an Erie Canal lock, a cobblestone house, a Finger Lake? Real hills and mountains? A white frame church in a small town square surrounded by a carpet of yellow maple leaves?
I really miss those things when I look out over endless prairie. But perhaps that's just me. "Besides...there's no Wegmans...no real chicken wings or pizza....no 'pop'"...
I've always wound up coming back here - not just because it's where I grew up. It's because for all its warts, "allegedly" bad weather (try the Twin Cities if you THINK you know bad winter weather) and high taxes, it still offers all the qualities I appreciate. Most of all: the people. Although Pittsburgh comes close.
I completely concur about the lack of a sense of history in some of these places. Think you'd never miss seeing an Erie Canal lock, a cobblestone house, a Finger Lake? Real hills and mountains? A white frame church in a small town square surrounded by a carpet of yellow maple leaves?
I really miss those things when I look out over endless prairie. But perhaps that's just me. "Besides...there's no Wegmans...no real chicken wings or pizza....no 'pop'"...
A
azenergyfan
Guest
I moved to phoenix in 2000 and have lived here every since. I grew up in buffalo and never lived any other place than buffalo. I will say though there are things I miss from time to time from buffalo. Thank GOD Teds opened up one store in tempe,az. I go there once a month just to get a little buffalo in the valley of the sun. I still support all the buffalo teams, go to a bills backer bar to watch the games on occasion and get as many podcasts from buffalo radio that I can find. It is true you can not find pizza and wings like you do in buffalo, that is for sure. I wont tell you how many times I have paid ALOT of money to overnight a Bocces pizza to phoenix LOL.
I will say though, my income is much better in phoenix, I have more house than I ever could of gotten in buffalo, and really just love the weather the whole year, well I will be honest late august and september I am sick of the HOT weather but right now in november, it is just perfect.
I don't diss buffalo when I talk to people here just keep it real, buffalo served its purpose in my life and now phoenix is where I am at.
I will say though, my income is much better in phoenix, I have more house than I ever could of gotten in buffalo, and really just love the weather the whole year, well I will be honest late august and september I am sick of the HOT weather but right now in november, it is just perfect.
I don't diss buffalo when I talk to people here just keep it real, buffalo served its purpose in my life and now phoenix is where I am at.
Jack, I don't know where you're looking but $350,000 would buy a fantastic house in Charlotte.
As for roots, soul and friendly people you have to know where to look.
As for roots, soul and friendly people you have to know where to look.
I grew up in East Aurora and started in radio in Buffalo; I've since worked three years or more in Rochester NY; Atlanta GA, Greenville SC, Orlando FL, then Portland OR, now Salt Lake City UT. There are great things about all these places, but there is certainly a feeling of roots when I get back to WNY. I'm out of radio new, and cannot imagine relocating to get back in. Moving and signing a non-compete longer than the job's life expectancy has lost its appeal. I'll probably just be a visitor to WNY from here on.
Greenville isn't exactly Charlotte, but there's a common lesson. If you only spend time in urban areas, you won't find the soul. I made some terrific friends in SC, and found them to be some of the most loyal, tolerant folks I ever met...as long as you don't try to tell them why NY (or anyplace else) is so much better. A classic bumper sticker I saw in both Atlanta and Orlando summed it up..."We Don't Care How Y'all Did It Up North!"
If a Mormon from Buffalo can make lots of dear friends in heavily Baptist SC, anyone can.
As for an industrial renaissance in WNY, don't kid yourself. As long as government is poorly run, taxes are crushing, and the state keeps mandating programs to counties and school boards without providing funding, things will stay bleak. I'm afraid it will take Erie County being officially declared insolvent to ever start fixing it, like a drunk needing to hit bottom before going to AA.
My wife and I bought a very nice 4BR/4bath home here for $287K in the spring, the high desert climate is agreeing with me very much, and our state convened a special session of the legislature to re-balance the budget when the recession dropped sales tax receipts. I really hope NY finds its way, but I'm not optimistic.
Greenville isn't exactly Charlotte, but there's a common lesson. If you only spend time in urban areas, you won't find the soul. I made some terrific friends in SC, and found them to be some of the most loyal, tolerant folks I ever met...as long as you don't try to tell them why NY (or anyplace else) is so much better. A classic bumper sticker I saw in both Atlanta and Orlando summed it up..."We Don't Care How Y'all Did It Up North!"
If a Mormon from Buffalo can make lots of dear friends in heavily Baptist SC, anyone can.
As for an industrial renaissance in WNY, don't kid yourself. As long as government is poorly run, taxes are crushing, and the state keeps mandating programs to counties and school boards without providing funding, things will stay bleak. I'm afraid it will take Erie County being officially declared insolvent to ever start fixing it, like a drunk needing to hit bottom before going to AA.
My wife and I bought a very nice 4BR/4bath home here for $287K in the spring, the high desert climate is agreeing with me very much, and our state convened a special session of the legislature to re-balance the budget when the recession dropped sales tax receipts. I really hope NY finds its way, but I'm not optimistic.
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