HGTV Home Town Takeover -- Why not Elmira, New York?

[@JeffMillerCreative]

My family hails from Elmira, so I wish the video creators and contributors luck on their mission. If HGTV doesn't bite, consider the value of what you've created here and how more work like it could inspire growth and new ideas.

[@silentprophecy013]

I almost cried! Elmira needs this so badly. Since I was a kid I've just have been forced to watch this proud city slowly die. I remember being able to walk downtown and go from shop to shop with my Grandmother and now it's just mostly empty real estate, when it could be much more. The beautiful homes are crumbling because no one makes enough money here to build them back up again. We have a great library that is focused on the community which is wonderful. We also have a ton of creative and thoughtful giving people that would surely come together and help their community if given the chance. Elmira needs this.

[@MrGlenspace]

Blame the Democrats who sold out NY and industrial cities. With cold weather and taxes people open businesses and jobs elsewhere.

[@anatejada1100]

Moving to Elmira from NYC, they have gorgeous homes that just need love! Several of my friends and I decided to go, hopefully this city makes a comeback ❤️

[@_pebbled4741]

You must be crazy :skull:

[@anatejada1100]

@pebble1001 😩😂 is it that bad?!

[@Esha911]

@@anatejada1100 no it’s not that bad at all. I’ve been looking at houses there for the last 5 months. Just try to get a place that’s not in a severe flood zone

[@ericalomoriello3788]

I have been looking into doing the exact same going from Yonkers NY to Elmira! Seems like a great place

[@rhtball]

Elmira is the home of the first Black College Football player to ever win the Heisman Trophy....Ernie Davis went to Syracuse and was drafted by the Browns but died of Leukemia before he even played a down in the NFL...He will never be forgotten....

[@samanthafullwood2851]

I was born in Elmira, NY and loved that city but it does need some cleaning up. Only you guys can make a change and bring this city back to life. I still have family here and I always visit. I wish the city has more to offer and a better look at least. Please save ELMIRA, NY

[@TheCowboysdude]

It's wayyyyyyyyy past 'cleaning up'......

[@catw6998]

Another native here but had made several moves because of Dad’s job and then mine. I still have some family in Elmira though. I’d appreciate if HGTV went to Elmira if it would truly help. I’ve heard of fixit uppers and then they do so much that it raised prices of appraisals and taxing that the homeowners were unable to keep up with the price. Wishing for the best.

[@pmariec1]

12K views in less than 24 hours! Amazing work putting this together, thank you Alex!

[@michaelcamel3247]

I think elmira corning and Horseheads should merge into one municipality for starters, then build off of that. I live in Ithaca 45 minutes away and we used to be a sleepy town when the students left. the past 15 years we've had a HUGE transformation downtown and collegetown with no signs of stopping. Ithaca is rooting for you😎✊️

[@starburstfan101]

Was great working with you Alex! Beautiful video. 🤞 that we get picked.

[@brittachu]

I grew up here. Great video. Best of luck. It would be nice to see some help for Elmira.

[@jefflamoreaux7118]

Awesome video! Wow! Come on, HGTV!

[@davidjackson1462]

Being a survivor of the 1972 flood, and knowing how nice Elmira was prior to that devastating flood, I think this would bea wonderful HGTV makeover candidate!

[@mosaicmortgageokc]

Great job on this guys! Very proud

[@Urjstmad]

This video is amazing. Great job!

[@distractedbylife3165]

Great Job! HGTV should definitely come to Elmira!

[@lunatictumor]

The whole time, I knew I knew this song from somewhere. Then at the end with the credits, I saw it was a great local band. Good choice.

[@Blogofoa]

Nice job by all involved!

[@misskeisha8770]

This is awesome, really well done!

[@paulszczech791]

Nicely put together.

[@djchillsbx1]

WE ARE ELMIRA, GREAT PLACE GREAT PEOPLE.

[@eabird4358]

Elmira was nice in the early 80s when I was a young teen. Shopping in downtown was the thing to do. This brought tears to my eyes. So many memories. So many changes.

[@mj101inf9]

Lived in the Elmira area for 9 years, was so glad to leave. A fancy video can make any shithole look nice, it's just like putting whipped cream on a bowl of turd - it'll look tasty until you take that first bite.

[@16x-dog79]

I grew up in Elmira my whole life all the way up until almost 20 the city was really great but it definitely needs better and I always come back to visit for once though it would be nice to see the city cleaned up and doing better for itself

[@scottown]

Great job and good luck!

[@ceejay7147]

Beautiful job Alex. Wonderful memories for me.

[@tom4324]

A shout out from Augusta Georgia. I graduated in '79 from Southside - with a class of over 500! I'm so glad things are looking up for a city with a great past. It was the ideal place to grow up. I love coming back to visit.

[@brettbaker8130]

Awesome video! I think the real problem we have in upstate NY is the dam tax issue we use to have ibm and alot of other big business in the state and we need some to keep the growth coming to are state and I'm worried with are governor no matter what town gets the make over we will have some issues keeping everything flowing bc of the uphill battle we face against are Governor

[@aps7000]

Great job! Loved it!

[@mashiurchowdhury8536]

Can someone tell me please, is this Elmira, the home town of Tommy Hillfiger??

[@michaelcamel3247]

yes it is

[@ABeautifulMess75]

Great job Alex!!

[@meljane8339]

This is a much better idea than urban sprawl into wildlands and drought (+quakes) here in Southern California. But, we hired your trees for our early houses... so...

[@InvictusAmicitia]

It was nice to see you out filming this bud, I so want that spot you got of me making a heart :)

[@fazeperfect7540]

Ay we need this so bad

[@MrGlenspace]

The major NY cities and suburbs take most of the economic drive. Too much of upstate NY gets ignored by politicians.

[@sherrynotah1448]

I was born and raised in Elmira and I used too love it so much. I left in my late teens to early 20's, I go back on occasion to visit family but I see that it has really gone down hill and I know that I couldnt see me going back there to live from how it is today. It isnt the same as it used to be I used to feel safe there but as I go back to visit it isnt the nice safe place it used to be.

[@bilalhassan9119]

Awesome place lovely environment

[@cloudberry7065]

I always had a nice time here...

[@LazlosPlane]

Great place to open a hoodie store. Yeesh.

[@MissRailfan]

Born n raised. I always tell ppl Elmira is CURSED! Southside is a joke, the politicians esp the mayors dont care about that part of the city and the people. I left Elmira in 2013 for the last time. We need a big boost to help fix my hometown. If Amtrak came that would really help, connect the city to the rest of the state for transportation. 5:30 is Ms Eldridge she was my music teacher in middle school. :D

[@RussellNelson]

Nick! RC! Brent!

[@eddiejazz2133]

Great place to live until the early 80’s

[@jamesmlynch1369]

For those of you interested in the music.. Groton Ave Music Video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6athnaXd5iZe5I Groton Ave Interview: kzbin.info/www/bejne/amHGo4OtpdikrZY

[@elmiraelmira2220]

Elmira for someone is a homeland but for me is my name 😊

[@manueltene1132]

, New York is a beautiful place

[@neithlittle4348]

Well done!

[@Hannah-lq2ps]

They need industry to return to the area and they've got the right guy coming into office to make it possible.

[@davidfoulk3078]

Nice video thank you for making it. I was born and raised in Elmira and now I live in Florida, and why I live Florida you ask?? Cuz Elmira was taken over and not in good way!

[@cooper7031]

Because it snows heavily, no palm trees, no beach nearby

[@captainlongjohnson9743]

no palm trees or beach in upstate new york wow that was a hot take

[@detomasopantera1966]

There are so many why not...where to begin

[@Tooextrememx]

Throwing a coat of paint on a town that has a huge drug and prostitution problem that is controlled and run by the city and county police along with a small number of correction officers won’t do anything to make that place better. Heck even when someone from government tries to clean up the problems they mysteriously die.

[@mindoongie]

great place terrifying people, i can't wait to leave. there has been 2+ deaths in/near my apartment complex. one was a stabbing right on my porch i hate it here :(

[@dannyb115]

We are down love u all

[@AngelaMastrodonato]

Is this the home of Elmira College? If yes, then why would the video leave that out? I would think being the location of a liberal arts college would be a sign of something positive that demonstrates potential. I think the HGTV show was looking for declining towns that still have potential for revival? That makes the video submissions hard because you want to show your town needs the makeover and at the same time show your town has enough potential to make the most of the makeover. I mean, if your town gets a makeover but town management is corrupt and makes no effort to get rid of crime what’s the point? Then I saw a video from some town along Lake Erie in Ohio that made their town look too good. That town didn’t look like they needed a makeover. I would like to visit the town as-is.

[@cellguru78]

EC was literally in the first moments of the video - 14 seconds in?

[@tabethakelsey2136]

Okay so how many people watched this looking for themselves in the background.. their car, their house? 🤣

[@jaelynrae5493]

I watched it hoping to catch a glimpse of a property (not mine...yet!) there that I have had my eye on...no such luck. But I LOVED seeing the strong sense of community being showcased, a very welcome surprise!

[@bobquattrini1787]

The city that was destroyed by Scumbag Politicians.....From the Mayor's to the Corrupt police chiefs..That city is a joke...I know a corrupt cop there, that at any moment his day will come...lol

[@MatthewCuda]

Very poor political decisions from Elmira to the state level.

[@dannyb115]

Yes we are

[@rodneymullek4900]

I'm glad they got u tub my home town GRUL H P G

[@bettybeiling7791]

why not Elmira---reason---Elmira has turned into a the biggest slum lord town welfare capital and section 8 all the only 40% of homes are owner owned,all others have been turn into slum rentals..the crime is at 100% at a all time high with shooting and drugs..all- most every day.the town of elmira.so many drug houses ..3/4 of the houses in elmira should are in need of repairs, and code enforcement just turns a blind eye and lets these sulm lords ruin whats left of elmira..my street WAS,, once a street of tidy old homes all owner owned,about 21 homes today apri2021-- only 4 are privite owned all others have been bought up slum lords, rented by trash and drugs.Ive watched each home turn into dumps.shame on code for turning a blined eye.this the whole town of elmira.it will never go back to what was...untill the code informent and city council get off there lazy asses. and enforce the laws and stop wasting tax payers money.for being on the payroll they work for the working class people of elmira whats left of the working class,

[@goldenbrown439]

Is the prison still there?

[@evanescent662]

@@goldenbrown439 , yes both of them up and running

[@limadaniel9096]

Nice place

[@Tylermanguy58]

I live in horseheads, A town in elmira!

[@MJ-qd8oh]

Don’t know much about Elmira but thought most towns upstate were safe since it is away from NYC and reading comments about drug dealers and section 8- I’m wondering how did they get there. I thought drug dealers and section 8 tenants would mostly be in NYC.

[@captainlongjohnson9743]

why would you be surprised about section 8 tenants in a region that’s economically depressed. if there’s not enough jobs to go around then how else do you think people are surviving there?

[@eg8945]

👍

[@battlerapfan7340]

I'm from the el used to live next to elmira college it's a great place couldn't ask for a better place to be born and raised in

[@endless013]

These comments make me so sad, I've been dreaming of moving back home since '94 (long story short I didn't leave by choice, I lost the biggest gamble of my life) and I haven't been back since '98 and to hear that it's become a rotting corpse of crime, drugs and slumlords makes me think maybe I shouldn't. I'm def gonna need a good ugly cry after reading these comments and remembering what used to be.

[@SFLLives]

The real question is why Elmira? Have you seen the crime? Do you realize drug dealers are taking over the place? Have you seen the people who hang out at the viaduct? I was so happy to get out of Elmira because it is not safe there anymore and I know many people who couldn't wait to get out of there.

[@nancyparsons2093]

Alex... please see email “Elmira Makeover” dated 2/3/2020

[@MatthewCuda]

And now it is a city of prisons and crime. I grew up there and I am now 46 and live in North Carolina. When the prisons are gone and Eldridge Park comes back, I'll know they have done it. Lower the taxes for businesses and see what happens. There are some great folks who still live there, but they are going fast. The 72 flood was devastating, but that is not what has killed it. It was killed by politicians who would not offer incentives to businesses. When they did act, it was to build a prison in Southport which only brought more crime. We also lost several big factories due to terrible union management. One of the biggest was A&P. It actually makes me sick to think how good it could have been!

[@autumnfreeman813]

girl why they include the cops. acab ???

[@dannyb115]

We got OUR OX FAMILY ASIAN BOYS Japan BRIGHT,s

[@mosaicmortgageokc]

#HGTVhometown

[@dannyb115]

Makes me home sick ASIAN BOYS GRUL Jim chrisy BRIGHT

[@Watersart___]

There is nothing there. Elmira survives off human service funds from the government. Crime is high, sandwiched between two major Prisons. Sounds good, won’t happen.

[@RCourt-fz2mr]

You forgot to mention the two prisons that occupy the once beautiful city, and the not so lovely crowd of people who come to Elmira to take advantage of the wonderful welfare programs provided. Left in 2003, been back a few times to visit, most recent in the fall of 2019...not convinced things are getting better. You've been duped by Democrats for tooooooo long. Good luck with those property taxes. Sunny Florida----no state tax, low property tax and no snow. Republican Governor, Senators, State House and Senate.

[@weareallbrainwashed5101]

Up state by , and pa is beautiful to visit, and watch. But to live there he’ll no, the people in these areas are so backwards. Teen moms, small bars, a lot of drugs, a lot of drinking, truck drivers, military people, none stylish men, and women. It’s just not attractive for investments, investors, and money like to go where is a good diversity at, specially around European , and Middle Eastern, and Asian immigrants.