When Will My Up and Coming Poughkeepsie Neighborhood Finally Arrive?

Up and coming neighborhood. You hear it all of the time. When I bought my house in the City of Poughkeepsie 22 years ago, it was in what was considered an up and coming neighborhood. The problem is that it’s been up and coming for 22 years. When does it actually get there?

All the pieces are in place. History, some great restaurants and bakeries, it’s close to the Walkway Over the Hudson, and we even have a new pricey apartment complex. Yet, there is something missing. And I have a feeling I know what it is. Pride of ownership.

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When I first moved in there were a lot of older people who owned their houses and had been there for years and years. Well, they moved on in one way or another. A lot of those houses sat in disrepair for a while. And the neighborhood didn’t look so up and coming. But I still had hope.

Investors came in, fixed up some of the houses and promptly rented them out. We’re close to both Marist College and the Culinary Institute, so a lot of the renters are students. They don’t care if they bring their garbage cans in or clear their sidewalks of snow. And it seems the owners of the buildings don’t care either.

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I own and love my house, and I do my best to keep it maintained. In my neighborhood, people like me are few and far between. So, how do you take an up and coming neighborhood to the next level? I’m honestly not sure, but if you’ve got any ideas, I’d love to hear them. I’m getting a little tired of saying up and coming.