Raising a Family
The Southern Tier "offers affordable housing and one of the lowest costs of living in the country." As opposed to the stigma of rural area school districts, all schools in the area provide a high quality education because of New York's Regents standards. Meticulous standards and bountiful attractions combine with the comfort of small town conveniences, including the numerous small businesses and boutiques on Historic Market Street in downtown Corning. The attractiveness of the area, not only in physical beauty but also in cultural diversity and educational richness, helps organizations recruit needed personnel. "These people come for the quality of life and the schools. They want to bring up their children here."

Attractions: Art/Music
Visitors and residents who thrive with the arts will be enticed to the Southern Tier's offerings of two opera companies, the Orchestra of the Southern Finger Lakes, and the Clemens Center for Performing Arts. Regional art museums include the Rockwell Museum of Western Art, Arnot Art Museum, and the Schein-Joseph International Museum of Ceramic Art. Local artisans take advantage of The ARTS of the Southern Finger Lakes and its supporters to demonstrate their creations during the Corning ArtsFest Weekend, an annual July event. Several venues exist in the area, and larger venues within a two hour driving distance, that host national touring bands and shows. This area has a solid appreciation for the arts, and it gets instilled in our children to pass it along to the next generation of professionals.

Attractions: Science/Aviation
Located in the Ceramics Corridor, and with such a strong emphasis on engineering, science, and discovery due to the industries in the Southern Tier, it is no surprise that the region boasts several scientific attractions. For the astronomers, the Kopernik Obervatory, and the Planetarium at CCC take advantage of the clear evening skies of the Southern Tier. The National Soaring Museum, National Warplane Museum, and Glenn H. Curtiss Museum provide amateur and professional aviators the chance to mingle and learn history with those who would love to dominate the skies.

Attractions: Sports
Many sports in all seasons are well represented in the Southern Tier. PGA and LPGA tournaments as well as strong and well respected high school lacrosse teams delight many in the spring, while summer sports fans are treated to minor league baseball and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in the summer. Racecar enthusiasts flock to the area to view events at Watkins Glen International Race Track, and the fall is dominated by exciting high school football rivalries. Those who prefer winter sports can engage in numerous downhill and cross country skiing associations and races, while hockey cans cheer on our American League hockey team. Whatever the season, indoors or out, sports enthusiasts will find a team to root for in the Southern Tier.

Attractions: Glass/History
When the weather gets too hot or too chilly, residents and visitors have many museums they can visit. Most well known is the recently renovated Corning Museum of Glass, which highlights 35 centuries of glass, and includes art, culture, science and technology. The Steuben Glass Gallery is located within the Corning Museum of Glass, and demonstrations are scheduled throughout the day, year round. Other local artists have their own studios along Market Street or in close proximity, including West End Gallery, Whitehouse Books, the Hands-on Glass Studio, Lost Angel Glass Studio, Noslo Glass Studio, and the Glass Menagerie. History buffs can find their fill at the Benjamin Patterson Inn, located less than 5 minutes from downtown Corning. Several Old Order Amish communities reside in central Steuben County, and these residents are known for their excellent furniture craftsmanship and culinary delights. The area recognizes the strength and history in the companies and people of the past, and invites you to celebrate it with respect.

Attractions: Outdoors
The area "encompasses 9000 square miles of stunning natural beauty, including 25 state parks, a national forest, a national wildlife refuge, strings of river gorges and 1063 waterfalls," which allow for camping, hiking, biking, and breathtaking scenery. The largest park, Adirondack State Park, is only three hours from the Southern Tier. Dozens of lakes and streams provide ample fishing, boating, sailing, canoeing, and nature trails to immerse you in the crisp fresh air. Hunting is allowed in specified areas, and the region has an ample population of white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and other wildlife. Watson Homestead, a 600 acre park which can house conferences or retreats, is located 20 minutes from Corning. The variety of activities available is limited only by your imagination and the weather - the Southern Tier experiences the full swing of temperatures and precipitation of the four seasons, from chilly snowy winter mornings excellent for downhill or cross country skiing, to balmy summer days more apt for boating or swimming. Finally, New York is "nationally recognized as a golfer's paradise" with many opportunities to take the clubs out for a drive.

Quality Health Care
The area is serviced by several health care providers out of numerous hospitals and branch offices. Finger Lakes Health services the northern portions of the area, including Geneva, Penn Yan, and Waterloo. Guthrie Health services the majority of the Southern Tier area, and includes three hospitals, four nursing homes, a senior care community, a hospice service and a state of the art wellness and fitness center, HealthWorks. Guthrie Health also includes the more than 250 physicians of the Guthrie Clinic, which is a "regional office network encompassing subspecialty and primary sites in 23 communities throughout PA and NY." The region has well respected physicians and specialists, and individuals requiring medical services can be assured that they will receive high quality care in comfortable and encouraging surroundings.