Cincinnati is known for the architectural distinction of having the largest collection of nineteenth-century Italianate architecture in the country, primarily concentrated in the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, just north of downtown. With 52 neighborhoods, from the row houses of Mt. Adams, the skyscrapers and Swiss chalets of East Walnut Hills, the Victorian houses on the slopes of Columbia-Tusculum, the mansions of Hyde Park, the Midwest styled wood frame houses of Oakley, to Mt. Lookout and Paddock Hills gigantic collection of Tudor homes, Cincinnati is a city of variety.
Cincinnati’s unique geography nestles its neighborhoods in small basins and the hillsides that overlook them. Because of this, many of the city’s neighborhoods developed very strong identities. Today’s outer neighborhoods such as Clifton, Hyde Park, Mount Washington, Westwood, College Hill, and Carthage originally were settled as their own villages, with individual downtown sections of their own. Over-the-Rhine was an important neighborhood in German-American history. Northside also has its own identity.
Also highly important to the city’s landscape is the division into “East Side and West Side.” The division came about after the construction of Interstate Route 75, which runs North from Kentucky towards Dayton. The rivalry has been intense at times (limited violence or reported discrimination), but is considered mostly light-hearted, although a good number of city residents take the division more seriously. Accents, fashion, attitudes, city planning (i.e., the way the houses are laid out), financial demographics, and other items are some of the stereotypes and behaviors that separate the two distinctions. One description of such differences that many locals refer to is that East Siders are \”fake” and West Siders are not. Another description of differences is the statement that the East side \”has the money and spends it,” and the West Side, “has the money and doesn’t spend it.” Though this division is often pointed to as a point of contention in the city, it has only led to limited incidents of violence or litigious discrimination, and is considered more of a “charming quirk” than a divisive hindrance to society.
Each neighborhood, from Westwood with 36,096 people to California with 571, claims its own identity. Here is a sampling.
East End
The seven-mile strip of land along the Ohio River from the foot of Mt. Adams to the Little Miami River has generally been known as the East End since the late 19th century. This growing community is a haven for sports lovers, with its numerous baseball fields, tennis courts, boat ramps, soccer fields and other sports complexes. This growing community is a haven for sports lovers, with its numerous baseball fields, tennis courts, boat ramps, soccer fields and other sports complexes.
East Walnut Hills
What it lacks in square mileage, East Walnut Hills makes up for in character and charm. A small neighborhood just off of I-71, East Walnut Hills is known throughout the city for its historic mansions and multi-acre plots of land. The housing stock of East Walnut Hills is undergoing a rapid renovation. With their historic character and river views, houses range from $40,000 starter homes to $2,000,000 mansions.
Mt. Adams
Located on Cincinnati’s most famous hill, it offers a fabulous view of the city. The quaint, unique neighborhood has many brownstones and condominiums designed to take advantage of the spectacular views. Mt. Adams is the best known of Cincinnati’s seven hills. Winding streets crisscross the hillside creating unparalleled views of the downtown skyline and the Ohio River. Many of the homes in this neighborhood, built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, reflect the architecture and character of the city’s past. Homes that have been refurbished are highly desirable, selling in days.
Oakley
Oakley offers home buyers a wide variety of styles and price ranges from which to choose. Residents are within walking distance to parks and shopping centers, including Oakley Square. Oakley is a growing neighborhood that offers both older and newer homes. Colonials are as common as older brick and frame houses. With an active business district and easily accessible shopping, parks, churches and schools, all within walking distance, Oakley is popular among families.
Over-The-Rhine
Once the home of thousands of German immigrants, Over-the-Rhine maintains its turn-of-the-century aura. The neighborhood earned its name because residents had to cross over the canal that ran through downtown, reminding them of the Rhine River in their homeland.
Located on the northern edge of the Central Business District, Over-the-Rhine is the largest national historic district in the nation. Numerous architectural styles are at play on the streets of Over-the-Rhine, including the largest collection of urban Italianate buildings in the United States. As the nation’s largest national historic district, the homes of Over-the-Rhine range from small two-bedrooms to five-story residential buildings with the character that comes with years of aging. Many architectural styles including Italianate design make low cost properties a real opportunity for renovation and refurbishment.
Paddock Hills
Paddock Hills is a family neighborhood. It’s not uncommon to learn that young adults who spent their childhood years in Paddock Hills have purchased a house on the very same street where they scraped their knees decades before. Singles, families, young and old all enjoy the quiet comfort and peaceful serenity offered by the Avon Woods Nature Center, where neighborhood meetings and social gatherings are frequently held. Quiet cul-de-sacs and tree lined streets isolate Paddock Hills’ residents from the noise of city streets. Tudors are the predominant architectural style, although diverse architectural styles can be found bordering the golf course and Paddock Hills’ picturesque wooded hillsides.
Westwood
Westwood’s secluded streets offer a serene environment not typically associated with city living. Procter & Gamble founder James Gamble and many other wealthy industrialists built their homes in Westwood. Neighboring Mt. Airy Forest offers the city’s largest park and wooded area. On streets lined with tall shade trees, you’ll find older Tudor homes mixed in with traditional brick and frame homes of every size. Duplexes and multi-family homes are also available in quantity. Single family homes make up a third of the more than 16,500 housing units in Westwood. Housing prices run the full range, from condos and starter homes to large estates.
Main Street
Main Street wears many faces. It’s an entertainment district, with trendy dance clubs, restaurants and bars. It’s an artist area, with popular “Final Friday” parties and art gallery openings. It’s a culture and hobby area, with specialty, antique and music stores; a hub of Cincinnati Internet, with several Web start-ups and a \”Silicon Alley” tag. And it’s a historical landmark, with some of the city’s most impressive architecture.
But it’s also the main vein of one of Cincinnati’s worst neighborhoods: Over-the-Rhine. Main attracts Cincinnati suburbanites, hippies and yuppies, but many, unless they are doing volunteer work, never see the drag’s surrounding areas. It’s an interesting dichotomy: flashy entertainment and food investments on one end, and poverty on the next.
The area is striving for improvement, though, made obvious by the several neighborhood associations located on the street, as well as the number of Internet offices moving there. The bars often change ownership and names, as well as the restaurants, but many antique shops and galleries have withstood the test of time.
Regardless of Main Street’s revolving economic door, the strip is known city-wide as the place to go for a wild Saturday night, after a ball game or to find great art.
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