The Armchair Urbanist goes to Syracuse, New York

[@Pterynxlei]

Regular City Reviews

[@EmyrDerfel]

Which transport system is best transport system?

[@pieyield2255]

I was thinking the same thing

[@jonytube]

I swear

[@gabriell.4440]

Exactly. The same exact line delivery. I love it.

[@liamconley9486]

Just what I was thinking

[@Cornllama]

I can imagine an awful 1960s pitch guy arguing how the platform on the interstate "symbolically represents railways passing the torch on to the new beautiful freeways of our city's future"

[@Westerner78]

The station was first sold to a car dealer then their friend Greyhound. Bus companies learned to dump heat, light, cleaning on cities. And how to avoid fuel taxes and get grants to run. And lots more! Greyhound at one time was a American owned company.

[@Westerner78]

@@aabb55777 Rewrite you post so I can understand it

[@ohjahohfrick9837]

@@Westerner78 What the fuck did you mean by "Bus companies learned to dump heat, light, cleaning on cities."???

[@EmperorNefarious1]

I almost cried when I saw the train station platform on the highway.

[@Westerner78]

That is the platform used for the North Trains to Watertown and Massena and Montreal.. I caught many a train there and the now gone too EAST SYRACUSE station. That is until I found the Lackawanna which I liked better than the New York Central.

[@sethtriggs]

I was exploring Google Earth and I never knew that was there! And I thought, "why is that platform up in the air!" If only I looked south to the 690.

[@comrademartinofrappuccino]

I feel the same man

[@davidlandon8404]

I drive past there everyday. Always thought it would make a nice bar/restaurant

[@vinnyfluffs]

Yeah, and I have to pass it every day. It’s just depressing 😢

[@doctorguss]

Roast more cities please!

[@judepeppers1206]

Agreed I need more

[@joekenny6160]

Rochester pls. RIP light rail

[@uhhmanda]

Omg. This was fantastic. 😆 Come roast DFW. I hate it here. Lol.

[@BokBarber]

This was barely a roast though. Did Syracuse a favor if anything.

[@Daniel-hj8el]

​@@joekenny6160Actually they kinda used to have a metro system

[@jeffreymilliman2306]

I was born in Syracuse and lived in the area until I was 11 (though I was on of those suburban people who actually lived in nearby Liverpool); I have a lot of fond memories of the Onondaga Lake Park, but they were always punctuated by my parents making it extremely clear to me that we were absolutely not to even touch the water under any circumstances.

[@Westerner78]

Solvay Process water. Lackawanna RR had 5 beach stops on it on the way to Oswego. Until the chemical dumping by Process. Honeywell did try to clean it up .

[@nygreenguy]

@@Westerner78 Honeywell has cleaned it up, there is still remediation work going on around the shores (I did some of the restoration work)

[@austinsmith5782]

It used to utterly stink there when I went running on the Shore Line Trail at Long Branch a few years ago, but I think the Honeywell treatment made it a bit better. But yeah that lake is a lost cause lol

[@johnrobinson4259]

Well you do realize the water itself is not the issue? It’s the sediment in the bottom of the lake, which if it gets disturbed will disrupt mercury sediment. The water itself won’t do anything to you, if you were in the middle of the lake where it’s deep, you could swim and be okay. The rowing teams have gotten in the water many times, it’s just a little nasty.

[@conroads2626]

I grew up knowing the legend of the time that no native would step in that water but every white person there loved it

[@TheFourFoot]

That platform overlooking the interstate made me sad. The rest of the video was excellent, but I still gotta give it a thumbs down...

[@alanthefisher]

Eventually I'll do a more serious video on Syracuse, but goddamn has this city been cursed by highways

[@TheFourFoot]

@@alanthefisher for sure lol. I could feel the rage radiating through the screen lol

[@walterbordett2023]

@@alanthefisher Cursed and blessed both.

[@phishlipsable]

the saddest part is the statues were still wearing their winter scarves and temps were reaching 99 F last week, poor perpetual commuters...

[@Osimidas]

No not cursed by highways. Cursed by scumbag politicians who try to blame the highways when in reality they funnel all the money into their pockets. And flood the city with refugees. Over 15k on the Northside alone. Estimated 40k to 60k refugees for the entire city. 1960s was syracuses peak at 220k population. When it got near 100k they started dumping refugees. Cause once a city goes below 100k they are no longer get major city funding. Average median income is/was $15k. A city named after an Italian city because it reminded the man who named it of his favorite poem that talked about an ancient city of Italy. He was the pioneer of syracuse. His grandson invented the Franklin automobile. Which was considered the first air cooled production automobile. This city has been bleed dry and is a prime example of what happens when corrupt politicians take over and citizens fall asleep at the wheel. They don't call it sleepy cuse for nothin. Worlds largest pillow can be seen up on SU.

[@ganginfr4923]

they left the platform visible from the highway to remind you know who's boss. car's boss😔😔😭😭

[@Miss.C.]

I wish the vandals would leave the statue people alone.

[@daveharrison84]

I-81 goes around the edge of Watertown, around the edge of Cortland, around the edge of Binghamton, around the edge of Scranton, around the edge of Wilkes Barre, around the edge of Harrisburg. But it cuts through the middle of Syracuse.

[@Westerner78]

Ride you are! Glad I rode in on many a train before 1963 when it was ripped up and paved.

[@austinsmith5782]

To be fair, at the time of I-81's construction, Syracuse was the more bustling city in its NY route, and as of 2021 is still the most populous city on the entire route. They probably thought it was a good idea to have a commuter route in the middle and it also stemmed from two things: Syracuse University and Onondaga Hill, two major education sectors. They're now trying to think of a way to tear down that stretch between the Post-Standard Building and ESF and make it like a tunnel of sorts. There's no way they could re-route an artery like that in my opinion.

[@Miss.C.]

81 is dangerous in the city section and should be dumped into Onondaga Lake along with the Columbus Statue.

[@Awkward_Shark]

@@austinsmith5782 The current plan seems to be to re-route I-81 through the current path of 481, which I think would work but I know that a lot of the suburbs hate that because 81 is "too important" for their economy that they need traffic going straight through the city (bleugh).

[@Dan_isreal.08]

The state and the city is removing that particular part of I-81 through Syracuse and re-routing the highway on what is now I-481

[@paperaviation147]

"CSX Goddamnit" 😭😭 Also the RCR tease

[@stevetree7249]

This entire Video watches like a RCR video. Its Great

[@jonathantang6414]

I was just looking for RCR references!!

[@coastaku1954]

@@stevetree7249 I love Regular Car Reviews, but this was just overly harsh to a city that just so happens to like cars. I want him to say one nice thing about car-centric development

[@peskypigeonx]

@@coastaku1954 there is *_NOTHING_* good about car-centric development

[@coastaku1954]

@@peskypigeonx It exists and continues to exist. There has to be something good about it. Something that is nothing good about it never lasts, even things that did have some good things didn't last, like the USSR. Yes it does have it's flaws and we need to move away from it, but we can't retrofit what is already built, not without tons of destruction and going against the will of the people. Ironically, car centric development did the exact same

[@volt4ire]

This has to be the best travel documentary I've ever seen

[@user-gu9yq5sj7c]

I like NHK Japan and Japanology more.

[@sachideshmane5088]

When car enthusiasts are pushing for a less car-dependent society, you know things have gotten bad.

[@kb0x]

Jeez I'm a car enthusiast and I agree with you.

[@Metal0011]

I didn't know I needed an Armchair Urbanist RCR crossover till this EP

[@jenniferflynn4948]

I’m dyin! I live in Onondaga County and the majority of us agree wholeheartedly with everything in this video. And I’m still pissed the commuter train failed! I could walk from my house to the station and ride to work. Such a novel F’ing idea!! Grrrr id even ride the bus if it came to my freaking town. I’m shocked you didn’t mention that Onondaga Lake is considered to be one of the most polluted lakes in the country, if not the world

[@vetboy627]

It's getting a lot better though. Also ironically Cuse get's its water from Skaneateles Lake which is one of the cleanest in the country

[@Westerner78]

On Track was never finished, and Centos Ciy bus hated it. It was competition. The bus industry has alot of mob people in it. Just like the oil industry. They are the same people caught selling polluted motor fuel from rigged pumps!

[@Miss.C.]

I also was shocked he didn’t mention our polluted lake that I will never be able to swim in. So much more to slam like I81.

[@johnrobinson4259]

Who agrees? I live up the road from the regional transportation center and I haven’t used it once in my entire life. I agree the commuter train was a good idea, but they made the hub downtown for a reason.

[@johnrobinson4259]

Honeywell also spent billions cleaning the lake. It’s absolutely disgusting but it’s not nearly as bad as it use to be. It’s probably 1000 times better.

[@MaceeTheToast]

Onondaga Lake(shown at 2:32) used to be on of the most polluted lakes in all of the US. it's currently still in a clean up, but it still has a looooong way to go

[@nygreenguy]

Not really, the main inputs now is sewage. That's due to water flow during high rain events. It's why we have the "save the rain" program

[@TheGreatBigMove]

I just spent a couple of days in Syracuse and I found it fairly pleasant for the most part. We stayed downtown, so we could walk to bars and restaurants and the people were very friendly.

[@theurbandoctor787]

This video is a masterpiece.

[@Lactuca]

Syracuse commuter rail makes me so sad

[@alanthefisher]

I'll do a video on it eventually, it has an interesting history

[@Lactuca]

@@alanthefisher i wish it had worked out i have such a soft spot for Syracuse it's had a rough go

[@austinsmith5782]

I heard they're trying to bring it back which would be incredibly interesting

[@Lactuca]

@@austinsmith5782 oh hell yes

[@leek6927]

@@alanthefisheryou definitely should

[@johnrobinson4259]

*goes to Syracuse* *doesn’t step a foot on Syracuse University*

[@johnrobinson4259]

Truthfully botched doing anything meaningful in this city. It’s like you’ve never traveled outside of big cities before and experienced quaint lifestyles.

[@austinsmith5782]

I think it's a slighty jokey video (right??) but yeah this has NYC/Westchester vibes all over it lol. I'm used to Downstaters though making fun of my hometown.

[@johnrobinson4259]

@@austinsmith5782 Yeah I understand but the condescending comments are a little much. The places that he went to are ridiculous and no one in the city really pays attention to.

[@aaronmorton5427]

This is actually really crazy, I am actually going to be moving to Syracuse soon to start grad school studying urban economics!

[@christopherschlacter4953]

I graduated from Syracuse, its a great school, the city has gone downhill but the surrounding areas like the finger lakes,Oneida lake, and the hills to the east that lead to Cooperstown are magnificent.

[@-Subtle-]

Perfect timing. I-81 is in its death throes. Suburbanites are crying that it will be taken down.

[@caprimerrifield3647]

Welcome!! Lived here all 46 years of my life. Its a complicated city. It will give back what you put in. If you want to experience what old school red lining tactics can do to a city, you can find that here. If you want to see the power of what a community can do when it pulls together to improve itself, you can find that too! We are a very diverse community. So if you bring the right energy and outlook, you will have a wonderful stay!

[@difencrosby]

@@caprimerrifield3647 and bring the right colour

[@difencrosby]

@@-Subtle- they don’t care about the development of the city, they care about not having to mix with certain people.

[@SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand]

I love your channel dude, I just found it the other day and I’m like obsessed. I like your based views on urban planning.

[@freedomanddemocracy7842]

If you could do more cities that would be genuinely fantastic

[@chrissutera7769]

Love this 😆, I was born here but grew up in Rochester, you should roast Rochester next.

[@tony_sheppard165]

That was a punch to the stomach, seeing that trainstaitions use blocked by a highway...

[@joemayo8254]

Glad to see you love on Upstate New York! I grew up in Rochester, so it's always nice to see people visit the region and enjoy themselves, because we've got a lot going for us that doesn't get talked about enough.

[@mbrproductions160]

The dislikes on a video like this are proof that some car guys are still enraged by Alan's last video.

[@arifakyuz7673]

maybe some cuse residents thought he was talking crap about their city

[@coastaku1954]

Hey, Cars are fucking cool, okay?

[@onelyone6976]

Even though I’m a petrolhead I’m sane enough to know that no city should ever be designed around the car in any circumstances

[@thomasaly7624]

From a fellow petrolhead, I couldn't agree more.

[@user-bv7um1ds7y]

Loving this RCityR style

[@lakefern1]

"wtf is this building" I think that's a prison based off the windows

[@Ex-WolfandFox]

thats not the prison, ive lived here all my life and i GENUINELY do not know wtf this building is. chances are its downtown cause of the skybridge, but it might have been renovated.

[@themagicboy6548]

2:57 rotary jokes coming out of NOWHERE

[@FredIsMyName22]

Wow i kinda wanna go to syracuse now

[@panachevitz]

This actually makes me want to visit Syracuse. They have some good things going for them.

[@dilliam1702]

Those poor forgotten apex seals.

[@ISOwren]

Nice video to watch after my 1-hour commute by car to work.

[@StatsMass]

Getting some regular car review vibes. :D

[@MariMiniattL]

The comment about the flags in the RTC was right on. At least you didn't film that monstrously that is Destiny. The worse part about the train platform along 81, they used to have statues there, looking like people waiting for the train. They were really cool. Then they were removed...

[@robertkirchner7981]

Aside from the addition on the opposite side of the street, the NiMo building is awesome. Excessive, but awesome. Fight me.

[@Westerner78]

We used to go there to pay our power bill, inside is a visual knock out!

[@DMTruckSpotting]

One of if not the best Art Deco buildings

[@crazymike7883]

"Welcome to the land of traders rattle snakes and alligators run away" I almost fell off the couch laughing so hard.

[@coasterfreak007]

Nailed it but only scratched the surface :) I lived in Syracuse for 9 years, ran a warehouse that was across the tracks from Armory Square before we moved to a bigger space near Dewitt Yard. Was a very bicycle friendly place since the city was small enough you could get across all of it in less than a half hour. Traffic was low enough & there were enough alternative routes to the stroads outside downtown you could be decently safe without dedicated bike lanes. Heard it's changed since I left in 2018, but it was easy to live decently without much money. The student neighborhoods east of SU campus had plenty of permanent residents as well, good place to live. Cheap housing, tree lined streets, multiple parks & corner shops within walking distance

[@vinnyfluffs]

Listening to someone making fun of my hometown is very fun 😂

[@jlutz5469]

this is so wonderful, like RCR and Well There's Your Problem produced a video together.

[@ReliableDragon]

Loved this video!! Really fun to see these little humorous bits about random cities. :)

[@ccityplanner1217]

0:46: That's a copy of the museums in Vienna.

[@PlanesPlease]

This is like my internal monologue when I visit cities.

[@coobdoesithimself]

Honestly the Erie Canal being open downtown right now would’ve been a BEAUTIFUL attraction for downtown tourism and activities now especially with the slow down of the actual trade transit

[@Ex-WolfandFox]

1:12 THIS FUCKING RESTAURANT IS AMAZING I LOVE IT

[@trainluvr]

Now this is the type of unique and engaging content I'd like to see more of. Excellent!

[@BlakesTrainsandMore4014]

The one guy on the train "CSX GOD DAMMIT!"

[@paxvictori2385]

Poggers video, that place looks nice I might visit someday.

[@claudiadarling9441]

Which Richardsonian-Romanesque is best Richardsonian-Romanesque?

[@nullifye7816]

I loved the art-deco stuff, but lots of other cool places. I got pretty jealous when I saw they used to have ferries/boats.

[@justinwilliams3927]

I'm from Brooklyn but I live in Syracuse right now and I most say I prefer Brooklyn

[@arielleking5673]

I've seen and enjoyed a few of your videos, but this is the one that made me sub. Loved it.

[@m1k3_laboom82]

I've lived in and around Syracuse for along time. Downtowns pretty nice usually but you don't have to go far to find the bad neighborhoods

[@jdillon8360]

This was hilarious, thank you. That building at the end aged badly in a few seconds, not 20 years.

[@IanZainea1990]

1:30 I actually effing love buildings like this. The central court-yard is awesome... I've seen a number of new builds built in this way

[@phishlipsable]

the real treat is 150 ford ave- tomatoes to the ceiling, tender okra longer than your fingers, and watermelons sweeter than you've ever tasted. come kick it southside style with soft serve ice cream, some bottle rockets, and a motor bike ride

[@dominicgagliardi5864]

This video is everything I could have asked for and I didn't even know I needed it.

[@jaxon_iz_kool8971]

Very surreal to see my home city on this channel. You were 100% spot on with everything, btw.

[@patring303]

3:33 I ALWAYS FUCKING WONDERED WHY THERE WAS JUST A RANDOM TRAIN STATION NEXT TO THE HIGHWAY

[@mattylite7]

So excited to see content on my home 😭

[@drewwadsworth3285]

The Clinton Exchange building was originally the U.S. Post Office. When the water feature was built in Clinton Square, one of the city's councilmen said the fountains were going to be like the ones at The Bellagio!

[@ayindestevens6152]

Ok fair point to the bad checkerboard color scheme but FFS if I have to look at either another glass or monochromatic building, trying to be Apple Store hip I’ll scream.

[@gunnerysergeanthartmann7454]

1:46 looks like Pioneer Square Seattle before the homeless crisis.

[@FalconsEye58094]

Has all the right pieces, just needs to put them together

[@MaceeTheToast]

yup pretty much all of syracuse tho i am surprised you didn't mention Destiny USA, our mall. it is pretty big and has gotten some good updates in the last decade

[@alanthefisher]

There are alot of things in Syracuse that I didn't include because I didn't have the time to film them (I was there visiting family). Otherwise I would have included alot of the University, the state fair grounds, the mall and other neighborhoods

[@Sebasstiano]

3:19 Is that a car window? Should’ve experienced the Centro bus instead

[@Daniel-hj8el]

Yes, That's what I'm saying, but also they get stuck in the same traffic as the cars, but they do have few dedicated Lanes for CENTRO bus.

[@blu0065]

"The later day church of his holy viscera of his once forgotten apex seals"

[@Gempalace]

The next city you should visit is definitely Buffalo, ny.

[@Moltar_Railfan]

When you come back to Syracuse be sure not to miss the CSX yard in Dewitt!

[@finalformluigi]

As a kid I never understood why they replaced the trains with a highway (which is being destroyed soon)

[@flotix_3704]

Would love to see more like this

[@conroads2626]

3:20 That’s also where Spectrum News is

[@nolimitscoasterguy4813]

“He’s sus cause he’s Columbus.” Armchair urbanist

[@Matty002]

'make blade runner but you have five dollars' love it

[@generalelectricmotor9084]

1:28 Doctor Strange was definitely not here

[@extrastuff9463]

The red white blue lines on the Amtrack locomotives will never stop being funny to me, almost as if New York and that small area around it never gave up being a Dutch colony? I know it's probably a reference to the red white and blue used on the US flag but the way its orientated on those locomotives is almost exactly like our flag (example at 4:30 in the video).

[@MrCzechTexan]

Can we please get some "CSX Goddamnit" merch? I'd wear it religiously EDIT: and also "he sus cos he culoombus" please and thank you EDIT: and also "I NEED A CATHEDRAL RIGHT NOW" also please and thank you EDIT: screw it i think i speak for all of us in saying we'll pay you to quote the whole episode and put it on a tshirt

[@ericsilkworth6248]

Shittin all over my city 😂😂😂

[@joshhorvath4984]

I was in Syracuse a while back, the Salt City Market, seen near the end of the video, is actually pretty cool.

[@MrLarrythehacker]

What we need: more trains.

[@MrChristheWise]

I'll pop for a good 'ol yes chant

[@robburgess2864]

You have too do more of these love the rcr references 😂😂

[@shanequajohnson8409]

I used to have so much fun in Syracuse, but now, it's not like it use to be when I was growing up in Syracuse, R.I.P Syracuse but it still hanging in there even looks so deadly, and even during this pandemic going on and I still miss a lot of people's used too hang out with other people's....

[@-Subtle-]

That must have been a long, long time ago. I grew up here in the 80's and 90's. Dangerous, boarded up stores, downtown was empty, gangs ran everything. It's so, so much better now. Still not enough to keep kids out of trouble. But, then again, the last Superintendent closed one of the high schools.

[@AEtherealGoddess]

The disrespect for the train.

[@TruthIsTheNewHate84]

As someone who lives on the North side I approve thus message.

[@halotubb1110]

Clinton and armory square are great if you avoid the panhandlers

[@flamingcacti]

During the intro I’m like “oh hey that one steam locomotive on display in Utica to the east of the platform!” I spent a lot of time at that station...

[@TommyBNSF]

He's yelling at buildings, meanwhile I'm yelling at CSX at 4:26 with that signal cantilever replacement. WTF

[@alanthefisher]

I'm guessing its a replacement or old one that they moved out of the way

[@lauraalexander2508]

Thank you for roasting the city that I live closest to it really unironically deserves it

[@ronsblahblah]

Gotta love a rotary engine insinuation

[@dimarscars329]

Well that was kind of fun! Although it looked pretty deserted. I’ve never been to Syracuse, New York City is the only city in New York that I know!

[@SohcSTi]

He must have shot this on a Sunday. During the week it's quite busy.

[@timlilijinsheng4070]

2:52 What you see everyday in downtown Shanghai but at least we have a BRT system underneath one of those...

[@arifakyuz7673]

That trackless platform in the NYC station reminds me of that one steam engine that got turned into a generator in TTTE

[@MrGollum27]

In the last shot I find it hilarious that the only other people getting on the train are also filming the train. ah america

[@Noel_13]

Beautiful, incredible architecture. I loved your comments too hahaha.

[@callumd.4585]

Inspired my day trip to Rochester

[@robert9016]

One of these in Cincinnati would be great

[@MyRandomboy]

I really enjoyed this do more!

[@alanthefisher]

I plan on doing more cities like this in the future!

[@MyRandomboy]

@@alanthefisher awesome!

[@MyRandomboy]

@@alanthefisher also love the content spent the whole day binge watching pretty much all your episodes! Only dislike is you are a bernie bro but i can over it ;p

[@Westerner78]

Very funny, I loved it having lived in the Salt City my teenage years. (Solvay) Mile Post S3 on the New York Central Auburn Road. First trains pulled by horses! The Lackawanna was there too. On the other side of the Solvay Process. Milton Avenue was on the corner. I really enjoyed your video.

[@Banom7a]

this channel have strong RCR energy to it combine with Not Just Bikes content (not that it's a bad thing really)

[@NewHavenRailroader]

20% of comments: This video was great! The other 80%: RCR GOD DAMN IT