Young people are choosing to stay in CNY despite Brain Drain talk.

Even with all the talk of brain drain in Central New York recently, it might not be as bad as everyone thinks. NCC News Reporter Ashley Kalena says some professionals are actually choosing to stay here despite the area's economic problems.

When most people think of Syracuse, New York... they think of a "a depressing, cold place" and that "you learn to get used to it snowing like every other day."

So why would anyone want to live here? Well there are some people who've decided to take the good over the bad and make Syracuse their home.

New development

Merike Treier works for the Metropolitan Downtown Committee. She says there is actually a lot development going on and young people are taking advantage of the new living situation. Treier says "the past 18 months there have been over 200 apartments built actually in Downtown and a lot of people don't see that because it's taking place within existing buildings." Buildings like the Wilson building and the Lofts on Willow have been transformed recently into trendy new apartments geared towards a younger, professional crowd.

Old time feelings

But there are some people who have lived in Syracuse for a long time and say they don't see much of an incentive for young people to stay or come to the area. People like Doc Good who has been here through it all. He's owned Doc's Little Gem Diner for the past 10 years and he says the high cost of living is driving people away. Doc says "the taxes are too high and the cost of living is too high for what you get for the energy you put into it, we're getting short changed."

Entrepreneurship opportunities

Times have been financially hard here in Central New York. Lindsay Wickham works at Syracuse University in the entrepreneurship center. She says that entrepreneurship program is trying to turn that around the economic problems here by shaping young people's business ideas into realities. Wickham says "if people want to stay here and make the region economically sufficient and they want to stay in Syracuse, then they'll find a way and they'll do it through entrepreneurship."

Job offerings

Good says he still doesn't think young people want to make a career in this Salt City landscape. He says young professionals want a career and lifestyle that is comfortable and Central New York just does not offer that right now. He says "it's highly improbable that most people can come out of SU, find a job here equal to their intelligence level."

Young business

While Good is 74 years old, over half the people living in Syracuse are under the age of 35. People like the owners of Funk 'n Waffles. Kyle Corea is the co-owner of Funk 'n Waffles. He first got the idea to start a restaurant while studying at Syracuse University. He says part of having a successful restaurant in Syraucse is knowing your demographic. He says "I think it's really understanding what people want here and what people need and providing that for them."

Corea and his business partner Adam Gold decided to eventually call Syracuse their home after winning the Panasci Award in 2006. The Panasci Award is an award given out by the Syracuse University Entrepreneurship Center to students who pitch business plans and then the judges decide who's plan could be the most successful. Even though they're not originally from the area, Corea and Gold decided their business would be most successful in Syracuse, particually in the campus hill area. Corea says "that competition gave us the confidence and the resources to stay in Syracuse after we graduated and pursue the idea."

40 below

40 Below is a group of professionals under the age of 40 that Treier says will turn the city's future around. She says "it's (40 Below) a group of young professionals that are interested in making a positive impact, you know, on their community."

Good says he is not too sure on what this idea. He notices that the most people who come into his diner are older and not young like they used to be. He certainly notices a change.

The Future

Corea just tries to stay positive throughout all the bad news. He says "don't discredit this place just because you went to school here and you just feel like you gotta go and take the next step, but your next step can be here."

So what does the future hold for Syracuse? The Greater Syracuse Growth Council says the number of people moving outside of Syracuse is supposed to level off in the next five years.