Eastwood - Syracuse, NY

Until 1926, Eastwood held status as its own village separate from the city of Syracuse. In 1926, Syracuse absorbed the neighborhood, making it one of its eight districts within the city limits. Since then, residents of the community have worked hard to preserve the cultural, social and economic well-being of their "Village within the City."

Central New York has a widely popular arts scene that heavily penetrates the Syracuse/Eastwood area. An organization designed to cultivate arts and culture in Central New York, CNY Arts hosts plays, concerts and other events throughout the year that promote the arts as well as the Michael Harms Theater Festival and the annual Holiday Ballet. As part of the NY State Council of the Arts, CNY Arts also provides grants for various programs and activities.

The Museum of Science and Technology provides a kid-centered learning environment for children to explore the wonders of science.

Due to the small nature of the neighborhood, most bars and restaurants sit in a generally centralized area. James Street serves as the main artery through the neighborhood and houses many of these establishments. However, the quantity of restaurants and nightlife in the village of Eastwood leaves something to be desired as it focuses more on business than entertainment.

Mother's Cupboard Fish Fry and Diner on James St. provides a traditional diner feel and serves large portions at a low price. Open from 6 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. daily, Mother's Cupboard has both breakfast and lunch items that arrive quickly, giving you a high-quality yet inexpensive diner experience.

Also in the neighborhood, Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza creates authentic New York-style pizza. Gianni's has a wide array of menu options, including wings, subs and appetizers, but you simply can't leave without trying one of the traditional or specialty pizzas. Gianni's delivers in the area and prices sit slightly higher than an average pizza place, but the quality and authenticity make these pies worth the added expense.

To stay in or at least near Eastwood, head to Shifty's on Burnet Ave. Live music almost every night, cheap drinks and some of the best wings in town make Shifty's a popular spot for Syracuse east-siders. For a more upscale experience, downtown Syracuse houses a couple wine and spirits bars — AL's wine & whiskey or bitterSweet cafe, to name two.

Due to its small size and minimal traffic, getting around Eastwood proves simple. Only about 2 miles long in any direction, residents can walk to most destinations within the city limits. Even though there are no roads with bike lanes in the immediate Eastwood area, biking still proves possible in this area. However, Downtown Syracuse features many available bike lanes in the metropolitan area.

Many taxi companies service the area, including Bellavia Transportation and CNY Green Taxi among others, if called upon. Hailing a cab in downtown Syracuse proves possible, but unlikely in the Eastwood neighborhood. Public transportation travels downtown from Eastwood via a number of lines in the Centro Transit System. The Red 23 Series Bus (23, 123, 223, 323) or the Yellow 20 Series (20, 120) make the most sense when traveling from Eastwood to downtown as both run directly down James St. through the heart of the neighborhood. Uber presents a cheap option, with estimated fares of around $5 to $7.

Eastwood sits just a mile from I-690 and just 2 miles from the I-690/I-481 Interchange, providing easy highway access and maximum mobility around central New York.

The city of Syracuse as a whole has one of the largest park systems in the state, aided by the large amounts of space available in Central New York. The Eastwood neighborhood alone houses six parks with different amenities for residents to enjoy. Each of these parks varies in size and features a combination of exercise facilities, fields and courts between them. All parks welcome children and pets, provided dogs remain on a leash. The largest of the area parks, the 45-acre Sunnycrest Park houses lighted softball and baseball fields, tennis and basketball courts, two full-size turf football fields, an Olympic-size running track, a nine-hole golf course and an ice rink. Small fees apply for use of the ice rink and a round of golf.

At each of these parks, the city of Syracuse hosts youth and adult sports leagues and skating classes and organizations at the ice rink. The city along with outside sponsors also hosts an annual series of races around the parks called the Syrathon. This set of eight races serves as a way for the community to unite in fitness as well as tour the Syracuse park system.

The cost of living in Eastwood sits right at the average for the city of Syracuse and well below that of the state of New York as a whole. The cost of a one-bedroom rental in Eastwood averages $587 per month, on par with Syracuse.

The bus system to downtown Syracuse from Eastwood costs $2 per trip, with free bus transfers when needed. Weekly and monthly bus passes can also be purchased as can passes with a specific number of rides on them. The price of gas in Eastwood sits about 10 percent above the national average and 15 percent below the New York average. The average price of a domestic beer in the greater Syracuse area comes in at roughly $3.25.

The greater Syracuse area houses two major shopping centers, Armory Square and Destiny USA. Armory Square holds 17 unique shops to go along with restaurants and nightlife in the area. Armory differs from the average shopping mall in that it features a variety of small, local shops, stores and boutiques instead of the typical big-box mall stores.

Eureka Crafts collects the work of artisans from around the country and sells a variety of handmade jewelry, ceramics, glass, wood, metal and more that epitomize handmade craftsmanship. Bounce Boutique sells clothing and accessories, from sweatshirts and jeans to dresses, purses, jewelry and more.

The shopping at Destiny USA provides a more traditional mall experience with much more. The stores within the shopping center fit the mold of a usual mall — Apple Store, Best Buy Abercrombie and other brand-name shops — but the other amenities within make Destiny USA unique. Find entertainment for the whole family with attractions, such as OptiGolf, Lazer Tag, go-carts and bowling, that make Destiny USA a one-stop trip for a day of shopping, fun and entertainment.

ALDI on Erie Blvd and Wegmans on James Street serve as the two closest grocery stores to the Eastwood neighborhood. In addition to these traditional grocery stores, Eastwood boasts a wide availability of international and specialty markets. Along Erie Blvd sit a variety of these stores, including Eastern Supermarket, Asia Grocery and Polonaise Premium European Foods. For local products, The Central NY Regional Market Authority on Park Street hosts both a farmers market and a flea market year-round. The farmers market runs from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and the flea market sets up shop at the same time on Sundays. A Thursday farmers market also opens during these hours from May through November each year.