SCHENECTADY COUNTY, NY
County Offices
620 State Street
Schenectady 518-388-4220
www.schenectadycounty.com
The Chamber of Schenectady County
1473 Erie Boulevard
Schenectady 518-372-5656
www.schenectadychamber.org
Schenectady County is located just minutes from New York’s Capital of Albany and the ever popular Saratoga Springs, Schenectady County boasts a diverse culture and lifestyle, superior educational institutions and an array of shopping, dining and entertainment. It is home to more than 155,000 people.
Lifestyle
The areas architecture and landmarks highlight three centuries of community. Scenic farmsteads, manicured suburban communities and bustling urban streets are just minutes from work and play. Along the streets, you’ll find homes of every type in diverse neighborhoods served by top-ranked schools, scenic parks and recreation areas. The region enjoys a true four-season New England climate with scenery to match. Rolling hills, woods and farmlands paint the landscapes surrounding small towns and villages. Minutes away are majestic Adirondack Mountains and lakes, skiing and horse racing, museums and outlet shopping. A center for the arts, Schenectady is home to legendary Proctors Theatre, celebrating the best live theatre, dance, music and comedy, history and art.
Schenectady County is just minutes from worlds of recreation, adventure and exercise among the mountains, waterways and woodlands of upstate New York its four-season climate offers almost every activity under the sun. World class ski resorts, crystal lakes and rivers, breathtaking mountain trails and scenic bike paths are all within easy reach. Schenectady County is home to its own resident ballet and symphony orchestra, film and live theater venues, the new GE Theatre featuring giant Extreme Screen motion pictures, and the Proctors main stage, a restored 1926 Vaudeville theatre. There are an endless array of performances throughout the arts district, including shows direct from Broadway, international ballet and opera, and nationally known performers. Catch a play at the Schenectady Civic Players, or just up the street at the Schenectady Light Opera Company. The county is home to numerous movie theaters, art galleries, special events, museums and historic sites.
Outdoor sports are a way of life in the county regardless of season. Winter brings ice fishing, snowmobiling and endless ski trails. Spring offers nearby hunting and fishing, picnicking and spacious parks. Summer sun worshipers will find endless fun in the region’s lakes and amusement parks, and nostalgic family fun at county fairs. The waterways of the area were once major transportation routes, so it’s no wonder boating has endured as a popular pastime. Boaters enjoy access to the New York Canal System, the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, and hundreds of lakes within a short drive of home. Sportsmen can challenge themselves with kayaking, canoeing and competitive rowing, while recreational boaters can choose to spend their hours enjoying everything from dinner cruises to motor boating. Springtime brings white water rafting in the Adirondack and Catskill mountain streams, followed by the calmer waters of summer—just right for a lazy day of fishing and picnicking in the mountains.
Services
The County affords outstanding educational opportunities at all levels. Public and private schools offer strong college preparatory, vocational and technical programs. The schools located throughout the county offer a variety of enrichment programs which take students beyond the normal curriculum. Academic enrichment in music, drama and art broaden the cultural awareness of local students and community. Accredited private schools that offer classes in kindergarten through grade twelve are also available.
Health care is a priority in the County and is well represented by an excellent full-service hospital, healthcare facilities and human service agencies that offer a continuum of care, resources and support to meet the physical, mental and developmental needs of the community. The County is home to an excellent health care system, a continually expanding and improving hospital staffed with outstanding physicians, support by a dedicated emergency medical service staff. The main healthcare provider in the county is the Ellis Medicine systems three campuses – Ellis Hospital, Ellis Health Center and Bellevue Woman’s Center.
Duanesburg
Town Offices
518-895-8920
www.duanesburg.net
Duanesburg is the westernmost town in Schenectady County and is a predominantly rural and farming community. It is home to more than 6,000 residents. It is bounded on the north by Montgomery County, on the west and southwest by Schoharie County and on the south by Albany County. Many residents were born and raised here and are now raising their own families within the community that offers rural, village and lake property living. There are quaint colonial homes dating back to the 1800s that line the village streets as well as newly constructed houses in developing subdivisions nestled among the vast open spaces of the country. Located just 20 miles from the cities of Schenectady and Albany and with easy access via Interstate 88 to other nearby cities such as Troy and Saratoga Springs, the close proximity to educational, cultural, social and outdoor activities makes Duanesburg a suitable place for families to settle. There are many annual community events, such as the Memorial Day Parade, Fourth of July Fireworks, the DACC Triathlon, the Village Trick or Treating event, and the Canadian Pacific Railways Holiday Train that stops in the Village of Delanson where residents participate in outdoor activities to kick off the start of the holiday season.
Glenville
Town Offices
518-688-1200
www.townofglenville.org
Incorporated in 1821, Glenville has grown to be a town of 50 square miles and more than 30,000 residents. Located across the Mohawk River from the City of Schenectady to the north and west lies the Town of Glenville, a quiet community of suburban and rural homes, minutes from the city’s hub. East Glenville is a cluster of denser development along Route 50 in the northeastern section of town. The Town Center at the intersection of Route 50 and Glenridge Road marks Glenville’s commercial center. West Glenville, a small hamlet in the northwestern portion of town, was settled in the early 1800s. The town is home to several parks, a vibrant and growing business community, and wonderful neighborhoods.
Niskayuna
Town Offices
518-386-4500
www.niskayuna.org
The population is 21,781. The town is located in the southeast part of the county, east of the city of Schenectady, and is the easternmost town in the county. The town is largely a residential community consisting of single-family homes, interspersed with a smaller number of apartments, town homes and condos. Niskayuna – Iroquois for “land of tall corn”– was settled in 1640. Although it is one of the region’s most densely populated towns, the community has ensured that a lot of green space has been preserved in this popular community’s 14 square miles of area. Niskayuna is home to GE Global Research Center, Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, Environment One, SI Group Headquarters, and the world’s first TV station, WRGB, now CBS 6. The community holds several annual events including the “Niska-Day” celebration. This community festival is traditionally celebrated on the second Saturday of May. The festival begins in the early morning with a family foot race. This is followed by a parade and a fair. The day concludes with fireworks. The festival aims to bring the town’s families together for a celebration that will help them recognize and appreciate their shared identity as residents of the town of Niskayuna.
Princetown
Town Offices
518-357-4045
https://townprincetown.digitaltowpath.org
This quiet town is home to more than 2,100 residents. It is in the central part of the county, west of the town of Rotterdam. Neighbor to Duanesburg, the Town of Princetown lies west of the City of Schenectady and borders Montgomery County to the north and Albany County to the south. Colorfully named hamlets such as Braman’s Corners, Rynex Corners and Kelly’s Station populate this hill town with homes in many architectural styles and extraordinarily beautiful farmlands and countryside. The town’s location affords its residents easy access to all of the capital regions many amenities.
Rotterdam
Town Offices
518-355-7575
http://rotterdamny.org
Rotterdam is home to more than 29,000. It was founded by Dutch settlers, who named it after the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Rotterdam is situated just 10 miles west of Albany. Toward the southern border of the county lies the Town of Rotterdam and hamlets of Rotterdam Junction, South Schenectady, and Pattersonville. A thriving community, it is home to agricultural, industrial, and commercial businesses, with quiet residential pockets throughout the township. The oldest house in the Mohawk Valley, the Jan Mabee homestead in Rotterdam Junction, is more than 300 years old. A working farm, it is a living museum, hosting hundreds of school groups annually as well as historical reenactments. Although the town was settled by the Dutch, Rotterdam is heavily populated by people with Italian heritage. Nearly 80% of all households have someone who is at least 25% Italian; because of this, Italian restaurants are very common in Rotterdam.
Schenectady
City Offices
518-382-5199
www.cityofschenectady.com
Schenectady is near the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. It is in the same metropolitan area as the state capital, Albany, about 19 miles south-east. The City of Schenectady is the hub of the county. It is home to more than 67,000 residents. The city offers a high quality of life. Residents enjoy all of the conveniences of a small city, and all of the great lifestyle options that brings. The city’s core is made up of a patchwork of historic neighborhoods and shopping districts, each with its own unique personality. From the Historic Realty Plot’s stately mansions to colonial era Stockade homes, the cityscape provides almost every type of urban architecture you can imagine. Bungalows, cottages and railroad flats are reminiscent of the working class that grew the city in the first half of the last century, while more eclectic architecture points to the innovation and creativity that followed. In recent years a dynamic, revitalized downtown has seen $150 million in improvements, historical façade renovations and new construction, hotels, restaurants and quaint shops. Schenectady is a city rich in history and accomplishment. It’s where Thomas Edison founded what would become the General Electric Company, where George Westinghouse invented the rotary engine and air brakes, where the American Locomotive Works once made virtually every steam and diesel locomotive to pull passengers and move freight across our country, and where New York State’s first historic district, the Stockade, was named.
Once known as the “City that Lights and Hauls the World,” Schenectady today is a growing small city experiencing growth and investment, and an influx of new residents who are discovering its charm.
Scotia
Village Offices
518-374-1071
This quaint and historic village is home to more than 7,700 residents. The village was founded in the 1650s when Alexander Lindsey Glen bought a plot of land from the natives along the Mohawk River and named it Scotia in memory of his native Scottish hills. Located within the town of Glenville, the Village of Scotia was not incorporated until 1904. A short hop across the river from downtown Schenectady via the Western Gateway Bridge will bring Mohawk Avenue, the village’s main thoroughfare, featuring a neighborhood cinema, restaurants, shopping, and a quaint village library, all surrounded by tidy cottages, homes and apartments. Local landmark Jumpin’ Jack’s Drive-In hugs the river’s edge alongside spacious Collins Park. Freedom Park offers free concerts summer.
