<p>Ok...here's the thing...I'd like to go to a top school in a town (or area) that is geared toward college students. I'm interested in Yale (and they have shown interest in me) but I have heard that New Haven is not a great college town. Is that true? What are the best things about New Haven? What are the worst?</p>
<p>Finally, how much air pollution is there? That may seem like a pointless question but I ask due to health reasons.</p>
<p>cue posterX</p>
<p>New Haven is easily one of the best college towns on the East Coast, although it is not your traditional "college town". It used to not be so great, so there are definitely people around who still like to put it down (many of them from rival schools, actually). But, the downtown area - which wraps around the Yale campus - is remarkably gentrified now, and many people call it a miniature version, or a neighborhood, of New York City. There are million-dollar condominiums and thousands of luxury apartments that are under construction and recently completed, many 24 hour stores, tons of nightlife, and even a new 7-screen movie theater. For the 50,000 or so college students in the area (Yale isn't even the largest university in New Haven - CT's largest public university is), it's the only place to be on a Friday or Saturday night, and the area right by Yale is packed with so many students that you can't walk down the street. In terms of other young people, I actually know a bunch of Cornell graduates who live in New Haven proper, and work for various engineering firms or large aerospace companies about a half hour drive from the city. They do the reverse commute because New Haven is by far the most happening place in Connecticut.</p>
<p>I think people are drawn to the area because of the combination of city life, and all the cultural activities going on at the Yale campus, including over 1,000 annual concerts, events and shows just at the Yale school of art, school of music, drama school (which itself has 5 theaters) and architecture school. Most of these events are free. It really is a cultural mecca. In recent years, hundreds (yes, literally hundreds) of new restaurants, stores, art galleries, bars, 24-hour diners, clubs and the like have moved in, and sidewalk cafes are now sprouting up pretty much everywhere. Because of all this activity, it is very safe and walkable. </p>
<p>Yale is unique in the sense that it is one of the only schools in the world that is at the exact center of its host city. The City Hall, which employs hundreds of people including many Yale students studying how government works, is right across the 400-year-old town green from the freshman dormitories. There are tens of thousands of office workers, plus public libraries, courthouses and all sorts of other businesses right around the town green. The Yale Medical School and hospital is a few blocks from the central campus, unlike most of the other top universities in the world, making it very easy for students to walk there and work on research projects. The medical center has spun of dozens of new biotechnology companies into local office buildings, which have brought in billions of dollars in investment - one of the main reasons why so much revitalization has occurred. It also creates a great synergy for the town, because the streets are flowing with Ph.Ds, doctors and medical workers during lunch time. All in all, the combination of college town life and campus life is great - since the college is at the center (kind of like Oxford, if you're ever lucky enough to visit Britain), the life of the town does not detract from Yale's campus life, which is amazing - visit for a few classes and a weekend when school is back in session, and you'll see no place else really compares.</p>
<p>You also asked what are the worst things about New Haven. Despite New Haven's status as one of the great college towns in the country, and one with a thriving downtown and many wealthy neighborhoods (including some that are full of gourmet grocery stores and very, very rich people), it obviously has poor neighborhoods just like any other major city. It's not as poor as most other major cities, but clearly there is a proportion of the population that lives in relative poverty, which is a challenge for any city to grapple with. Luckily, Connecticut is a very liberal state and redistributes wealth accordingly, so there aren't any desolate, boarded-up, "disinvested" areas like the ones that you find in cities in the Midwest, or even closer places like Providence and Syracuse. Anyhow, Yale students, and most New Haven residents, typically do not go through all the poor neighborhoods on a regular basis. But if you're used to a quiet suburb, New Haven has about the same ethnic makeup as New York City, and there is a learning curve for living in a city as well as learning how different groups interact with each other. Differences cause tension in cities - even though they also contribute to fantastic local culture and exciting points of view - and that can lead to conflict. For example, there are Puerto Ricans living in New Haven who resent that fact that many Mexicans, Asians and South Americans are pouring in to take advantage of the very low unemployment rate. Of course, that really applies to all cities in general. Other than that, the biggest complaints you might hear from other people might have to do with weather and access to camping areas. I wouldn't say weather is a downside, because New Haven, being on the coast, actually has a very moderate climate, and is pretty warm even in the winter. If you're used to San Diego or New Orleans, obviously it is a change, but that's more a matter of personal preference. I know many people who think New Haven is too hot in the summer and refuse to live south of Maine! As far as camping areas go, New Haven is obviously not in the middle of the boondocks where you can camp basically behind your house, but relative to any other major city, it is in a really good situation - since it's not surrounded by endless urban sprawl like other cities, it is very easy to drive 10 minutes and get out to the countryside. There are great camping and hiking areas right around the city. You can even take your bicycle, ride along the coastline from downtown New Haven, and be on a beautiful oceanside beach in just about 20 minutes. There used to be other things that would make this list, such as the lack of a supermarket or theater downtown, but lately those things have been added as part of the massive revitalization taking place in the area.</p>
<p>As far as your other question goes, air pollution is not any more of an issue than anywhere else on the East Coast, though New Haven does have an active environmentalist community (just as you have in other liberal cities such as New York and Boston) that tries to blame everything on the air pollution that is there. I've lived for periods of time in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere, and every time I go through New Haven it's like being in a mountain resort, the air seems so clear. Of course, it's relative, so if you're used to Vermont you might notice some ozone pollution on the worst days in the summer. There are a few localized pollution sources (mainly the ships sailing into the harbor, and the highways in the area), but none of them are close to the downtown area or the Yale campus.</p>
<p>Okay. So PosterX has spewed his normal "New Haven is the greatest college town in America, and is just behind Paris as the world's most desirable place to live" thing, and Byerly will likely throw in his link that shows Cambridge as the #1 college town and New Haven placing a distant 10.</p>
<p>I live in CT, and so have been up to Yale / New Haven a bunch of times. Other than the normal college visiting stuff, I used to go up to New Haven for some dates, too. I'd say the area around Yale is a lot of fun. There are a bunch of great restaurants, cafes, etc. Pizza is always what you hear about when you talk about food in New Haven (and deservedly so... I loved Yorkside Pizza, and people rarely even reference that one when talking about the top 3 or 4 pizza joints in the city), but there are plenty of ethnic restaurants and greasy spoons, as well as Claire's, a vegetarian restaurant that makes a mean Lithouanian coffee cake.</p>
<p>I think Yale recognizes that New Haven has traditionally been a major deterrent to potential applicants, and so has done a lot to reinvigorate the local economy. Gentrification has resulted, and, whatever you think about the social consequences of gentrification, it has definitely been a boon to Yalies themselves. You've got a mix of local businesses (like Cutlers, a record store) and national chains (J Crew, Au Bon Pain) that I think contribute to a really upscale yet still friendly ambience. </p>
<p>I got the feeling that New Haven, if you know your way around, can be a great, warm place to be. That being said, if you walk three blocks outside of where you want to be, you could get into some distinctly uncomfortable surroundings. While New Haven as a whole is getting better from what it once was, but I definitely think the "Yale bubble" is alive and well, and most of the time you want to stay in that bubble.</p>
<p>New Haven is no Cambridge. It is no Morningside Heights. I can't imagine it ever will ever offer all the opportunities that those neighborhoods provide, nor will it ever be a mecca for college students like Boston or NYC. But one of the upsides of New Haven is many of its attractions are within a short distance of campus, meaning that while you can still venture outside Yale and enjoy a diverse range of restaurants, clubs, and theater, the student body isn't going to disperse over the whole city on the weekends. And I think that helps contribute to Yale's community vibe.</p>
<p>If you get the chance, come visit and check it out for yourself.</p>
<p>Best, and goodluck with this whole process,
DMW</p>
<p>uh. I live in new haven. no one comes here for the night out in town, but that said, you'll be fine with even the faintest twinge of street smarts.</p>
<p>That's because Yorkside's pizza tastes like posterior.</p>
<p>New Haven is a fabulous place to be young. I moved here not for school, but of my own choice. It's reasonably priced and in fact just dandy. I will expand more when I'm not so sleepy.</p>
<p>haha, shucks, pip-pip, you think so? I feel embarassed. I had a slice of their mushroom pizza and really liked it. My companions seemed really pleased with their cheese and vegetable slices as well. Plus we needed to get out of there fast, and the waitress managed to get us in and out of there in like, 10 minutes. I was very impressed. But maybe after I try Pepe's / Sally's I will never be able to go back?</p>
<p>Best,
DMW</p>
<p>P.S. Of course, saying that something tastes like posterior makes me wonder how in fact you know what posterior tastes like... ;)</p>
<p>but did you notice this :</p>
<p>every time I go through New Haven it's like being in a mountain resort, the air seems so clear. </p>
<p>Our posterx on the exterior = posterior</p>
<p>So the consensus is that the area immediately around campus makes it a college town, and it seems that everyone seems to enjoy it. Thanks everyone for your responses!</p>
<p>new haven has an unfortunate bad rep, but it is undeserved! its actually a very charming college town, with tons of fun bars and clubs, tons of great restaurants, cute boutiques, first rate theater productions and concerts, and the beach is like 5 minutes away. plus if youre dying to get to new york, the train is like $13 and ~100 minutes. there are some issues in the outskirts of the city, as there are bad parts of every city. but the area around yale is awesome. im a tiny white girl and i walk alone at night all the time without feeling threatened. there are always TONS of students walking around, always things to do.</p>
<p>Keep saying it, and somebody will probably believe it!</p>
<p>DMW, relative to Connecticut, New Haven is already a "mecca" for college students. College students from all over the state flock there for the nightlife. I guess they didn't used to, but with the opening of hundreds of student-oriented establishments, including 24-hour diners, massive sushi palaces, multiplex theaters, and nightclubs, they now come in droves. As you know, Yale isn't even the largest university in New Haven - two miles away, Connecticut State University (Southern) is an even larger school. Within a half hour, there are over 50,000 college students. Because New Haven is more compact, it seems like a better college town than any of the larger cities you mentioned.</p>
<p>I forgot to mention, another possible "worst thing" about New Haven is the highway system, it definitely draws its share of complaints. I don't mean complaints about the roads themselves, although, a massive construction project that is creating the first Japanese-style cable stayed bridge in the Western Hemisphere, over New Haven's harbor, is slowing down one of the roads a bit. Overall, commuting times in New Haven are much lower than they are in larger cities. The complaint I have is how the roads go sort of "around" the city. Luckily, New Haven did not demolish its city center and build highways through it to the same extent that other cities did in the 1950s and 1960s. Actually, it wanted to, but community protests and Yale refused to allow the highways to be built. It made a few mistakes but overall the historic areas are very well preserved, and everyone wants to live in them. But, as a result, the highways were routed a bit outside the city, through areas that don't give any indication of what the city itself actually looks like. The outer areas with the highways are flatter and more industrial, whereas the city itself has huge trees along every road, historic buildings, canopies of leaves over the streets, tons of pedestrian life, cafes, beautiful plazas and a gently rolling landscape.</p>
<p>no... the worst thing about new haven is its homocide rates. posterx you are so full of it.</p>
<p>Boston has a much higher per capita homicide rate. A dozen homicides per year, 100% of them among people who knew each other beforehand (e.g., girlfriends/boyfriends), is really low for a city the size of New Haven. I would be more worried in Boston, where there were 80 murders and only 30% were solved because so many were random.</p>
<p>And besides, unless you are a drug dealer or prostitute, you are about 200 times more likely to die in a car accident than in random violence (one reason why cities are significantly safer than suburban or rural areas).</p>
<p>from wikipedia:
"At present, New Haven has stabilized. The city has engaged in efforts to attract and encourage biomedical and pharmaceutical research facilities to locate in-town, and many have done so to take advantage of the city's connections with Yale. Downtown New Haven is revitalizing itself as a center of shopping, and Crown Street and Chapel Street are becoming centers of regional nightlife and a burgeoning bar scene. Thousands of luxury apartments, including million-dollar loft condominiums, are now under construction in the downtown and have sold rapidly. The university, and other local schools, also continue to draw in many young people from around the world."
New Haven has experienced major economic growth in the past couple of decades, turning it into a major cultural center and hub for travel. In the past decade, technology and biotech firms and investment by Yale have put a new face on this colonial city. In 2003, New Haven was selected as an All-America City, in recognition of its immigrant neighborhoods, city parks, and blocks of old mansions, quaint stores and big chains, and one of the world's pre-eminent universities.</p>
<p>"Yale's urban surroundings add to its students' education and entertainment: Yale students run for alderman, work in City Hall, and launch non-profit organizations; the downtown features an array of clubs, theaters, and restaurants; Yalies go to Toad's Place to hear bands like Built to Spill and Rufus Wainwright, enjoy cheap martinis at Hot Tomatoes, or buy home-brewed beer and brick-oven pizza at BAR; and, visitors check out exhibits at the Peabody Museum before taking in a show at the Shubert Theater."</p>
<p>AND MOST IMPORTANTLY:</p>
<p>The 1970s and 1980s saw poverty and violent crime rise in New Haven, dampening Yale's student and faculty recruiting efforts. Since that time, Yale has emerged as ONE OF THE SAFEST CAMPUSES AMONG THE IVY LEAGUE and other peer schools according to U.S. Department of Education statistics [61]. During the most recent three years of data available (2002-2004), YALE reported 14 incidents of violent crime (defined as homicide, aggravated assault, or sex offenses). By comparison, during the same period of time, HARVARD reported 83 incidents of violent crime, PRINCETON reported 24 incidents, and STANFORD reported 54 incidents. Yale's incidence of nonviolent crime (defined as burglary, robbery, arson, and motor vehicle theft) was also lower than most of its peer schools</p>
<p>-The beach is <em>not</em> 5 minutes away (unless you're driving), but there are loads of great parks. New Haven, in fact, was the first city in the colonies to practice urban planning. </p>
<p>-OK, the worst part: the nightclubs and "lounges" are a little too try-hard and skeezy; there is some crime but it is concentrated in a handful of areas that you would never have any reason to enter as a Yale student. Those "sushi palaces" posterX talks about? Try food poisoning shacks. And, if you live downtown, then the only 24-hour places within walking distance are an obscenely overpriced market, a tiny (equally overpriced and mediocre) pizza place, and a Walgreens. </p>
<p>-The best part: if you're a laid back individual, New Haven has some of the best dives around, close to the Yale party houses; Yale does contribute alot to the surrounding environment; and while the sushi is questionable (and definitely not served in anyplace resembling a "palace"), fantastic Indian, falafel, and pizza joints abound; many with student-friendly (if not round the clock) hours. </p>
<p>-DMW: Pepe's/Sally's are great, but they totally think they're god's gift to pizza. For better, fresher toppings, but literally the same recipe, go to BAR.</p>
<p><<"I've lived for periods of time in New York, Los Angeles and elsewhere, and every time I go through New Haven it's like being in a mountain resort, the air seems so clear.">>
posterX, when you say "mountain resort", are you referring to Yucca mountain? Come on. New Haven County got an "F" from the American Lung Association for air quality. As did every other county in CT, even "ooooh la la" Fairfield County. Look, when you have as many highways converging in one city as you do in New Haven, the air quality will not be fantastic. However, that being said, I have been incredibly, severely asthmatic since I was about 6. My asthma was worse living in Fairfield County than it has been since I moved to New Haven.</p>
<p>Pip-pip, I doubt that every single one of the dozens of sushi restaurants there are great (for the reasons you cite, I don't just go to any old sushi restaurant no matter what city I happen to be in), but Hama and Kudeta downtown, among others, definitely qualify as palaces. Also, there are more 24 hour places than you mention, plus many open until 3 a.m. or 4 a.m., which is later than almost anyone stays up.</p>
<p>As far as air pollution goes, like you said, it's pretty much the same everywhere on the East Coast - I know very few people outside of NYC who consider it an issue, no matter what state they happen to be in. Have you ever looked at a map of say, Nashville? New Haven has fewer highways converging into it than most cities - because it's on the coast, you don't have any highways from one direction. The ALA is not exactly an impartial source on these issues. And compared to Manhattan or Los Angeles, trust me based on the fact my throat was literally burning up last time I was there, it's very clean.</p>
<p>pip-pip: your asthma has gotten better since moving to New Haven?</p>
<p>My asthma is quite bad, but I attribute that to being downwind from the Port of Corpus Christi and all the oil refineries in this area. What would you say would be worse on the lungs, living downwind from an oil port or living in New Haven?</p>
<p>It sounds like New Haven has all of the problems generally associated with a city, but there are plenty of places for a student to have fun, get something good to eat, etc.</p>
<p>Food question: How tomatoey (is that a word?) is the pizza in New Haven? I can't find tomatoey-enough pizza in Texas.</p>
<p>Pip-pip - what about "Miso" for sushi... that borderlines on palacial. Though that isn't exactly within a college students price range, and it's kinda way, way away from Yale.</p>
<p>Hmm... I will have to take you up on BAR. Thanks for the tip!</p>
<p>Best,
DMW</p>
<p>Living downwind from an oil port/oil refinery (in a much warmer setting) has got to be far worse on one's lungs than living by a few highways. New Haven's not a mountain resort. But it beats an oil refinery hands down. Esp. given that the cool air keeps most of the air pollution in check year round. So, while I would believe the American Lung Association (or any public health group) over posterX; the fact is that regardless of the actual air content, smog days are very, very few and have never happened during the school year in the years that I've been here. </p>
<p>It is quite tomatoey. In fact, it is quite fresh tomatoey. The crust is perfect; the cheese just right. I am like Goldilocks when it comes to pizza, and I'm certain I will never find better pizza anywhere else on the American landmass. </p>
<p>posterX, do <em>not</em> start w. me on the food. (Seriously. My dad used to teach at the Cordon Bleu. He won the James Beard award. My grandfather was a chef before him, too. I know my food.) New Haven, has some amazing food and restaurants, but its sushi leaves <em>alot</em> to be desired. Yes, including Kundeta--I have eaten at all their establishments; you're paying for an atmosphere there, not quality. Furthermore, how many college students can afford to live your lavish metrosexual lifestyle, posterX? Get real. Oh, and dozens of sushi restaurants downtown? Come on. There are maybe ten that serve sushi, and they are not even sushi restaurants.</p>
<p>Miso is not that away from Yale, dmw. It is, however, way way away from my budget. It does look nice from the outside, and does have a patio...I do wish there were more of those in New Haven. They were everywhere when I lived in Toronto.</p>