Downtown On The Way Up! (Cincinnati, Washington: hotel, price, stadium)

[cdcdguy]

Having spent very little time there in the last 30 years, I returned for a visit and was floored how nice it has become. We splurged and stayed at the Cincinnatian. Great Hotel, well located. We had lunch in Over-The-Rhine and walked through Washington Park. I would have NEVER been caught there growing up in Cincinnati years ago. And it was enjoyable! They are restoring so many old buildings. And the view of those buildings from Washington park. It looks like Europe!

Then we walked down to the to the baseball stadium and looked at all the neat statues. The one of Joe Morgan really looks like him. We then strolled along the Riverfront boardwalk type thing. How lovely! There was never much to see along the river. Then we walked through the bank section between the 2 stadiums. Mostly chain stuff, but still nice. People were sitting out enjoying their drinks. Then we wandered over to Fountain Square. Big change here. Used to be a bunch of concrete that you passed by on the way to somewhere else. Now It's a destination. We went to Graters and got some ice cream and sat outside at a table. Very enjoyable.

This downtown has come way up. I hope the restoration continues!

[Scott SW Ohio]

Cdcguy, I am glad you enjoyed your visit. I have been here since 1986 and most workdays I am downtown. I agree, there has been a lot of improvement and it has been fun to watch.

I am from the small city of Jackson, Michigan, whose downtown has been declining for 50 years and is starting to seem like a terminal case. Cincinnatians may not realize how good they have it unless they get out to the also-ran cities once in awhile. There still is a lot to do here, but it does seem to get better every time you look.

[kjbrill]

cdcdguy ... Glad you were surprised at how far Cincinnati has come.

I think a lot of people who have not been here in awhile are taken back by what is going on downtown. At my age and with my wife's mobility problems I get downtown very seldom, let's be frank and say virtually never. But everything I read and see pictures of indicates good things are happening. When someone like yourself who grew up here comes back and says good job it gives me confidence the hype is for real.

[cdcdguy]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

cdcdguy ... Glad you were surprised at how far Cincinnati has come.

I think a lot of people who have not been here in awhile are taken back by what is going on downtown. At my age and with my wife's mobility problems I get downtown very seldom, let's be frank and say virtually never. But everything I read and see pictures of indicates good things are happening. When someone like yourself who grew up here comes back and says good job it gives me confidence the hype is for real.

Oh, It's no hype. I was blown away with how nice it has gotten. They just need to keep going. I am partial, of course, but Cincinnati is a real nice city. Perfect, no. But it is getting better.

[natininja]

We need a Qualls win to keep up the momentum. Downtown is doing great, and the success is already spilling over as far as Fairmount, East Price Hill, and Walnut Hills.

[neilworms2]

^-Agreed completely. Cranley is a return to the status quo.

Cincinnati mayors don't have much power btw, but they have much influence in setting the tone and selling the city - Qualls is doing a much better job of that than Cranley is.