| As Poughkeepsie is a pretty old community with lots of development in the 1800s there are distinct neighborhoods and pockets. Figuring out exactly where the boundaries are is a bit undefined, a common problem with historic towns of this size. This review deals specifically with the Historic West End of Poughkeepsie. Its actually not an official neighborhood name but I use it to include the most historic parts of Poughkeepsie and the area west of Downtown. It includes the Union Street Historic District, which dates back to the late 1700s. The Historic West End of Poughkeepsie is generally a walkable neighborhood with nice historic architecture, good park amenities and several small commercial nodes. It has great cultural amenities but limited neighborhood retail. Fortunately Downtown provides this and is walkable to most residents in the neighborhood. The district is also the main entrance to the Walkway over the Hudson, a spectacular pedestrian/bike bridge spanning the Hudson River. There are several places the neighborhood could improve including the need for walkable schools, more retail amenities, up to date ADA curb cuts, and better connectivity. |
URBAN STRENGTHS:
| * Good density. * Great public transit access and good access to jobs with the Historic West End being adjacent to Dwtn (where Poughkeepsie County offices are located) and Marist College is located just to the north. * Good bike lanes in the neighborhood with a waterfront trail and the Walkway over the Hudson trail. * Incomes are a bit on the low side but plenty of economic diversity here. Also a very racial diverse neighborhood and good generational diversity. * Good for sale diversity ranging from around 75K-350K depending on size and condition. * Rentals are a bit more expensive but good amount of product. 1-bedrooms rent in the low $1,000s and 2-bedrooms in the mid $1,000s. Several aff. hsg towers mixed in as well. * Good park amenities including the Hudson walkway, Pulaski Park, Upper Landing Park and several other smaller parks. * Cultural amenities include: a good array of restaurants, bars, and cafes clustered at several nodes, a couple community theaters, the Mid-Hudson Children’s Museum, and convenient access to Downtown’s cultural amenities * Solid Tree canopy. |
URBAN WEAKNESSES:
| * Connectivity is the not the greatest as the street grid is pretty erratic. * Retail amenities are limited in the Historic West End. One generally needs to good Dwtn for this. The MidHudson Hospital is just north of the neighborhood. * Some blight and crime is higher than the national average in Poughkeepsie. * No schools in the Historic West End but a couple dwtn. * Sidewalk infrastructure is good and consistent but up to date ADA curb cuts is rare. |
Evaluating our Urban Communities [with a focus on America] 