Schenectady, NY—A Journey From Industrial Innovation to Cultural Transformation

I love under-the-radar destinations. Schenectady, a sweet balance of history and modern multicultural flair, is a prime example of why. Upstate New York’s original “Electric City” sits only 15 miles from Albany, the state’s capital, but a world away. Settled by the Dutch in 1661, it played a crucial role in the development of early American industry and innovation, primarily in electronics and locomotion. Thomas Edison founded General Electric at Mohawk River-hugging Schenectady. It’s also where I found a surprising urban-pastoral balance of early-U.S. architecture, inviting parks, scenic bike paths, welcoming restaurants, and engaging locals.

A city of multiple-storied districts, including the Stockade Historic District, New York’s first, which shares free self-guided walking tours. Here, a community centerpiece is the legendary Van Dyck Building. It houses three businesses under one roof, all family-run: Stella Pasta Bar, a bistro-style Italian restaurant, Seven Points Brewery, a craft microbrewery, and the Van Dyck Music Club, an entertainment venue hosting everything from music and burlesque to comedy and weddings. Formerly a legendary hotel and jazz music lounge that opened in 1947, this multi-level, multi-room dining, drinking, and cultural center is a Capital Region star. The owner and unofficial local ambassador, Chris Sule, testified that “The spirit of jazz is deeply embedded into Schenectady’s DNA.” He then added, “My Noni, whose family was full of hospitality veterans, thought I was crazy to buy this place!” He was not.

Union Street’s End-to-End Personality

Union Street is this town’s vital spine, spanning the historic district, including the Van Dyck Building, a thriving downtown, offering a front-row view of historic Union College, and then leading into suburbia and Schenectady’s version of Central Park. The local architecture is also frequently spiced up by gorgeous churches.

Talk about the ideal, pictorial college campus. Chartered in 1795, Union College, offered the first nondenominational institution of higher education in the U.S.. Alumni include Jimmy Carter. Its centerpiece is the landmark Nott Memorial, a rare 16-sided building melding eclectic architectural styles. Also splendid is the eight-acre Jackson’s Garden, the oldest garden on an American college campus. Midway between the two is the college’s farm-to-fork and open-to-the-public cafeteria, where $12 means all you can eat.

Downtown’s Heartbeat

A highlight of one of the country’s most ethnically diverse cities is its multihued entertainment and foodie scene. The population of 67,000 is uniformly dispersed in spirit, art, and cuisine.

Schenectady is also home to Proctors Theater, a premier cultural landmark that’s been a downtown cornerstone of creativity since its opening in 1926. Once on the original Vaudeville circuit, this entertainment hub is actually four venues, and the Art Deco lobby is a haven for history buffs and pre-show snackers. I saw Mustard Retreat, a straight-ahead folk duo and a married storytellers wish come true! Proctors turns 100 next year, and there will be celebrations galore.

A stone’s throw away, the 100-year-old Backstage Pub, an unofficial community center, is quaint but hearty. It offers zero artificial ingredients, in every sense. Don’t let the word pub deter you as this is also a prime dining destination. Nearby, is a main-street standout, The Nest, a sleek Southern-style restaurant where the short ribs and mac-n-cheese knock it out of the park (er, nest)!

Adjacent to downtown’s handsome City Hall, the Jay Street Marketplace, a quaint pedestrian-only block, featuring 20 truly local businesses–and not a franchise in sight! Try Simone’s Kitchen for Mediterranean-inspired salad and grain bowls and The Whistling Kettle, a tea shop and cafe.

Ramble on Rose

Schenectady also boasts a breathtaking 250-acre Central Park. One of the park’s gateways is the fabulous Rose Garden, where you can stroll among 2,000 bushes (PS, thorns have roses!). Nearby is the park’s Music Haven amphitheater. The Central Park neighborhood includes the inviting City Squire Pub, the Wasabi Asian Bistro, and Ritz on Union, another Italian dazzler.

Yes, you can hike and bike clear across New York State on one continuous trail system, the statewide 750-mile Empire State Trail, the longest multi-use path in the U.S. We cruised a blissful Schenectady-area stretch of the 360-mile Erie Canalway Trail, an offshoot that links Albany to Buffalo along the Mohawk River. Bike rentals are made a cinch thanks to CDPHP Cycle. Ps, Check out the full map of the sideways-T-shaped Empire State Trail.

Brainy Attractions

Exhibitions and educational programming at miSci–The Museum of Innovation and Science focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM, take that STEM!). This place can’t have a boring moment if it tries. The inhouse planetarium features Rockin’ the Dome (think Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin in spacey mode) as well as sound baths, meditations, and Beautifica 360. The planetarium’s 5k digital projector can show the sky from any location on Earth 100,000 years in the past or in the future. The general exhibits include Measure Up (math made fun), and Eye Candy’s interactive design zone.

Armory Studios NY, a handsome red-brick venue, was built in 1936 and is, among other event personalities, the Capital Region’s ultimate film-making and TV production sound stage. There, we beheld The Art of the Brick: An Exhibition of LEGO Art. The exhibit’s 100 works use more than a million bricks and has toured 100 cities in 24 countries. Re-imagined sculptures include Michelangelo’s David and Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The sole creator’s inspired backstories enhance the stunning showcase. We especially enjoyed giving peace a chance via the LEGO-style PEACE BY PIECES (pictured above). Its brick count is 3,720, but the message is everlasting.

Derived from the Mohawk word skahnéhtati, Schenectady means “beyond the pines.” It’s still beyond the pines–and now beyond expectations. Go check it out. Like the multi-use Van Dyck Building owner, Chris Sule, concluded, “They say a rising tide lifts all boats, and the tide in Schenectady is certainly swelling. I’m honored to captain one of its most iconic ‘ships’!”

Tips: Make an Upstate New York getaway plan via Discover Schenectady. Amtrak conveniently serves downtown Schenectady. The centrally located DoubleTree by Hilton Schenectady has a lobby large enough to fit a 747, and your crew.

 

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