Poughkeepsie

There is a Town and City of Poughkeepsie. The City of Poughkeepsie is like any other city, it has pros and cons. Poughkeepsie is neighbored by the Town of Wappinghers Falls. Plenty of shopping and restauants. I work in Poughkeepsie.

The City of Poughkeepsie is the seat of Dutchess County, located right along the Hudson River. The city proper has a population of about 30,000 people at last check and is mostly urban throughout its borders.

If I am going to be honest, there are some places of the city I like and some places I don't -- hence, it's "hit or miss." For example, there are some side streets of the city in the vicinity of Vassar College/Hooker Avenue/Wilbur Boulevard (which I hope to review later) that are very pleasant. From first-hand experience, a few of these neighborhoods have a great feel and are very welcoming. On the other side of the coin, there are some parts of the City of Poughkeepsie that I would consider almost to be "no-go." Not every neighborhood is the best, the nicest, or the cleanest, and unfortunately that is the case here. Some lack greenery and you will probably see some buildings that are not kept up well in those "miss" areas. Unfortunately, crime is also not completely unheard of in Poughkeepsie in general.

As far as modern conveniences, they're here. You have an excellent hospital in Vassar Brothers in the city, with many other medical facilities, clinics, and specialists nearby. There are also nightclubs, restaurants, places to shop, concert halls (such as the Bardavon and the Mid-Hudson Civic Center), and bars (a local favorite is Mahoney's, right near the train station). There are also places to exercise in the nearby area, and you're not very far from the big shopping malls in the Town of Poughkeepsie.

Speaking of the trains, there is public transportation. Not only does the Dutchess County bus system pass through here, there is also a City of Poughkeepsie bus system that operates with several different routes, giving residents a few options. Further, the Metro North train to New York City comes through here, and it doubles as an Amtrak station which I have taken advantage of in the past.

There are a few parks here, but the biggest attraction of them all (literally) is the Walkway Over the Hudson, the former railroad bridge which was converted into a pedestrian walkway and state park with majestic views. Since opening a few years ago, it has been an important draw for the area, and on weekends, you're likely to see pedestrians, vendors, joggers, and so forth.

I did not attend Poughkeepsie city schools, for full disclosure, but there is somewhat of a local reputation for a few not being very good. This does not necessarily apply to all, but there have been a few over the years with lower test scores and such. That is something for you to look into further.

I know some folks who are happy living here, but then again, they're in some of the more quiet residential neighborhoods (and there are a few). Otherwise, it's not really my favorite place in Dutchess County, though there are plenty of things around and it's not without its history.

If you're very familiar with US geography, you may know of the "Land Between the Lakes" in Kentucky. Fairview is kind of like the "Land Between the Colleges" as you have Marist on one side and Dutchess Community College on the other. In the middle you have homes, local businesses, medical facilities, and much more.

Being a part of the Town of Poughkeepsie -- none of which is isolated in any way, shape, or form -- Fairview houses a decently-sized population and plenty of modern conveniences. Being wedged in between two colleges, you'll find lots of things that college kids might enjoy, notably restaurants, bars, stores, and gyms. Furthermore, you're not that far of a drive from the malls in Poughkeepsie (around which there are many more restaurants and restaurant types), so if you want greater options, they're reasonably close.

Driving through here on Route 9, it can get irritating, especially during rush hour. The problems are exacerbated by Marist College foot traffic: the crosswalks are part of the traffic light cycle, and some traffic lights are FOR crosswalks in this area, so add an extra 30 seconds to a minute each time you sit at a light and watch the college kids walk through. I used to thoroughly despise this part of my late afternoon commute, but on the bright side, there are stores and restaurants on the other side of the street, which is probably appealing to many.

Both major hospitals in the Poughkeepsie area are very close, with Saint Francis Hospital practically visible from Marist College and Vassar Brothers Hospital only a few minutes away by car. As you might expect, there are a number of clinics and doctors offices near the hospitals, so medically, you're pretty well covered in Fairview. You won't have far to go in an emergency.

With the population being what it is, there are schools nearby (and not just the aforementioned higher education) at all levels.

Some parts of this neighborhood are nice and suburban, while others are a little more urban getting in towards the City of Poughkeepsie. On the northern end of it, there is some nice parkland and very nearby Fairview is the entrance to the Walkway Over the Hudson, one of the more popular and notable state parks around.

There are some things to do here, and even if it's not enough, you're close enough to big population centers to be able to get to more. It's not as quiet and peaceful as some areas outside Poughkeepsie, and it's definitely not secluded, but there are worse neighborhoods around.