Get to Know Your Neighbors

Living in the neighborhoods surrounding the Syracuse University campus can be difficult for long-term residents. Harry Lewis, 935 Lancaster, has lived in the university neighborhood with his wife for 49 years.

As treasurer of the South East University Neighborhood Association, Lewis has seen changes in the university neighborhoods in his almost 50 years as a resident.

“There used to be a lot more residents than students [in the neighborhoods],” Lewis said. In the past ten years, students have migrated closer to the university, and away from the further neighborhoods where many lived when Lewis first came to Syracuse.

Lewis does his best to remind the students to respect those who do live permanently in the neighborhoods. He always introduces himself to new students and is more than willing help them when they are in need.

“This is the type of thing we try to foster as much as possible,” Lewis said.

Though Lewis loves living in area surrounding the university because it is “vivacious, beautiful and you can walk to many venues,” the Mayfest party that occurs in April on Euclid is one of its neighborhood’s main faults.

Lewis lives just a block from the party. SUENA has petitioned the city for various barriers to lessen the partying.

Despite the lack of help SUENA gets from the University, the City Police are very helpful Lewis said. SUENA would “like them to arrest [students],” Lewis said.

Aside from Mayfest, the students are decent neighbors, Lewis said. “Students who live off campus are more mature, they know what they are doing and they behave themselves. They are good citizens."