Woodlawn, Schenectady, New York
Encyclopedia
Woodlawn is a neighborhood of Schenectady
, New York
and occupies the entire southeastern section of that city. The neighborhood developed as a suburb
of the city of Schenectady in the first two decades of the 20th century and was annexed to the city in 1923. Consisting of mostly single family detached houses it is only one of three neighborhoods in Schenectady to post an increase in population during the 1990s; Woodlawn's median population is also the oldest of Schenectady's neighborhoods.
along the south side of the Albany-Schenectady Road, which at that time was a two-lane road. The railway along the Albany-Schenectady Road (now State Street) was abandoned in 1933 and State Street was expanded to its current spacious size of a four-lane road with a center turning lane. Also in 1901 Parkview Cemetery was opened and in 1912 Central Park was constructed as the jewel of Schenectady's park system. From 1910-1915 one of the earliest airfields in the Capital District
was located in Woodlawn along Eastholm Road. After World War I
Woodlawn began to become a true suburban environment and residents began to push for annexation to Schenectady so as to receive municipal services such as sewers, fire hydrants, paving, and trash collection. In 1923 Woodlawn was annexed to the city.
Where the Stadium Golf Course is today was once the Schenectady Stadium, which housed the minor league team the Schenectady Blue Jays from 1946-1957.
The median age in Woodlawn is 40.6, which is the oldest in the city and the senior population has increased more in Woodlawn than any of the other Schenectady neighborhoods. The 0-4 pre-school population in the neighborhood declined by 15% between 1990 and 2000 while the elderly population increased by 46%. The school age population increased by 10.6% and the adult population by .5%.
The median income for Woodlawn was $36,931 in 2000. 57.1% of neighborhood residents were considered low-income, while 37.6% were very low income and 12.0% lived below the poverty level. Minorities comprise 16.3% of the residents.
, bungalows, and Colonial homes.
Single-family detached homes make up approximately 63.4% of the housing units which is the highest among Schenectady's neighborhoods and 29.6% of structures were built before 1939, which is the lowest percentage in all of Schenectady's neighborhoods. The median gross rent for the Woodlawn neighborhood was $607 in 2000, the second highest among the neighborhoods and the median value of owner-occupied homes in the neighborhood in 2000 was $72,580.
is a forever wild preserve of rare Albany Pine Bush.
and the children attend either Paige or Woodlawn elementary schools in the community then go on to the Central Park Middle School and Schenectady High School
. There are two private schools in the neighborhood, the Brown School, a K-8 school and the Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons High School
.
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and occupies the entire southeastern section of that city. The neighborhood developed as a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of the city of Schenectady in the first two decades of the 20th century and was annexed to the city in 1923. Consisting of mostly single family detached houses it is only one of three neighborhoods in Schenectady to post an increase in population during the 1990s; Woodlawn's median population is also the oldest of Schenectady's neighborhoods.
History
Around 1900 Woodlawn was a series of large and small farms along the Albany-Schenectady Road, in the towns of Niskayuna and Rotterdam. One of the large landowners was Jacob Fehr who owned an expansive farm in the vicinity of the Schenectady Municipal Golf Course, Fehr Avenue through Central Park is named for him. It was around the turn of the 20th century that Woodlawn began to become a suburb of the city of Schenectady. In 1901 the Schenectady Railway Company built an interurban line to AlbanyAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
along the south side of the Albany-Schenectady Road, which at that time was a two-lane road. The railway along the Albany-Schenectady Road (now State Street) was abandoned in 1933 and State Street was expanded to its current spacious size of a four-lane road with a center turning lane. Also in 1901 Parkview Cemetery was opened and in 1912 Central Park was constructed as the jewel of Schenectady's park system. From 1910-1915 one of the earliest airfields in the Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
was located in Woodlawn along Eastholm Road. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Woodlawn began to become a true suburban environment and residents began to push for annexation to Schenectady so as to receive municipal services such as sewers, fire hydrants, paving, and trash collection. In 1923 Woodlawn was annexed to the city.
Where the Stadium Golf Course is today was once the Schenectady Stadium, which housed the minor league team the Schenectady Blue Jays from 1946-1957.
Demographics
In 2000 Woodlawn had a population of 8,564, which was an increase of 1.9% from 1990, it was only one of three neighborhoods in Schenectady to post an increase in that decade. There are 3,902 housing units in the neighborhood (a 5.9% increase from 1990–2000) with an average of 2.36 residents per household. 62.1% of the housing units are owner occupied while 37.9% are renter occupied. While the percentage of owner occupied housing has declined in Woodlawn it remains the second-highest owner-occupied percentage in the city.The median age in Woodlawn is 40.6, which is the oldest in the city and the senior population has increased more in Woodlawn than any of the other Schenectady neighborhoods. The 0-4 pre-school population in the neighborhood declined by 15% between 1990 and 2000 while the elderly population increased by 46%. The school age population increased by 10.6% and the adult population by .5%.
The median income for Woodlawn was $36,931 in 2000. 57.1% of neighborhood residents were considered low-income, while 37.6% were very low income and 12.0% lived below the poverty level. Minorities comprise 16.3% of the residents.
Geography
Woodlawn occupies approximately 1239 acres (501.4 ha) of the southeastern portion of the city of Schenectady; Fehr Avenue is the western boundary, with Golf Road and the Crosstown Connection as the northern boundary, and the Schenectady city line serving as the southern and eastern boundary.Land Use
Of Woodlawn's approximately 1239 acres (501.4 ha) residential properties account for 44.7% of all land use with community service properties at 21%, recreation and entertainment properties at 20%, and commercial properties at only 9%. 6% of the land in Woodlawn is vacant. Woodlawn comprises 22.5% of Schenectady's land area, but generates only 17.9% of the city’s property tax revenue. Woodlawn generates only about 80% of the property tax revenue expected based on land area. About 17% of the neighborhood is tax exempt, which is the second lowest percentage among the city’s neighborhoods.Architecture
North and west of the Crosstown Arterial (NY 7) Woodlawn has an urban feel, with houses set close together on short streets with few trees, while the rest of Woodlawn especially near the elementary schools have similar styles to the suburban areas surrounding Schenectady. The suburban feel of the majority of Woodlawn is complemented by tree-shaded streets and landscaped lawns. Architectural styles include CapesCape Cod (house)
A Cape Cod cottage is a style of house originating in New England in the 17th century. It is traditionally characterized by a low, broad frame building, generally a story and a half high, with a steep, pitched roof with end gables, a large central chimney and very little ornamentation...
, bungalows, and Colonial homes.
Single-family detached homes make up approximately 63.4% of the housing units which is the highest among Schenectady's neighborhoods and 29.6% of structures were built before 1939, which is the lowest percentage in all of Schenectady's neighborhoods. The median gross rent for the Woodlawn neighborhood was $607 in 2000, the second highest among the neighborhoods and the median value of owner-occupied homes in the neighborhood in 2000 was $72,580.
Recreation
Woodlawn has many facilities for recreation including two golf courses (one public, one private), Woodlawn Park, and the Woodlawn Branch Public Library. The Woodlawn PreserveWoodlawn Preserve
The Woodlawn Preserve is the only patch of the Albany Pine Bush in the city of Schenectady, New York's Woodlawn neighborhood; it is home to some of the most biologically diverse parcels in Schenectady County due to the combination of swamp, wetlands, water bodies, and dune...
is a forever wild preserve of rare Albany Pine Bush.
Education
Woodlawn is a part of the Schenectady City School DistrictSchenectady City School District
The Schenectady City School District is a public city school district in the city of Schenectady in central Schenectady County, New York. The district has 20 operating school buildings and is a component district of the Capital Region Board of Cooperative Educational Services...
and the children attend either Paige or Woodlawn elementary schools in the community then go on to the Central Park Middle School and Schenectady High School
Schenectady High School
Schenectady High School is a high school located at 1445 The Plaza in Schenectady, New York, USA. It was founded in 1992 through the merger of Linton High School and Mt. Pleasant High School. It is the only high school in the Schenectady City School District....
. There are two private schools in the neighborhood, the Brown School, a K-8 school and the Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons High School
Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons High School
Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Schenectady, New York. It is located within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.-Background:...
.
See also
- Union Street Historic District (Schenectady, New York)Union Street Historic District (Schenectady, New York)The Union Street Historic District extends along a section of that street in Schenectady, New York, United States. Covering roughly two miles of both sides of the street, it includes 184 buildings in its ....
- Stockade Historic DistrictStockade Historic DistrictThe Stockade Historic District is located in the northwest corner of Schenectady, New York, United States, on the banks of the Mohawk River. It is the oldest neighborhood in the city, continuously inhabited for over 300 years...
- Hamilton Hill, Schenectady, New York
- Mont Pleasant, Schenectady, New YorkMont Pleasant, Schenectady, New YorkMont Pleasant is a neighborhood of Schenectady, New York, United States. It is located in the south central part of the city and is the most populated of Schenectady's neighborhoods and has the most housing units as well.-History:...