Why is Prospect Hill not on peoples relocation list? (Cincinnati: to rent, condo) - Ohio (OH) - City-Data Forum

Tex?Il? · 06-20-2011, 02:34 PM

I'm just curious why it is not recommended as an urban, walkable, eclectic, diverse neighborhood with the other suspects such as Clifton, Mt. Adams, Hyde Park, Northside, downtown, Gateway QTR of OTR?

Everyone says on this board that Prospect Hill is the best part of the greater Mt. Auburn neighborhood and checking the google earth streetview it seems like it. Sure it is not Mt. Adams, but it seems Prospect Hill has the well maintained 19th century row houses, with some recent townhomes filled in, great views of the city, and close to downtown and centrally located for many amenities and attractions.

Is it the simple fact that it is just a few blocks, and then it gets kind of rough quickly?? I could understand that, but OTR is even more like that, and it gets recommended.

Why is that, judging from what I see, (I haven't been to that specific neighborhood last time I went there) it looks like it would be high on many peoples list. Is it not that close to much basic shopping?

Chemistry_Guy · 06-20-2011, 04:21 PM

My wife lived in Prospect Hill for four years while we were dating, and I really liked the area. However, it is easy to see why many people would not like it. There is a rough neighborhood within 2 blocks in every direction, parking for more than one car is a real pain, and restored historic buildings are not for everyone. For me, it was a great place to rent but I wouldn't want to actually buy property there. Also, the neighborhood is a little different demographically. There aren't a lot of college kids, young families, or older couples but there are a lot of early 30s professionals, with older and younger folks mixed in. In my experience there were less children than even CUF or Mt. Adams. My wife described her neighbors as a lot of downtown waiters, hipsters, and forty year old men with twenty year old girlfriends. I don't know if this is characteristic of all of Prospect Hill or just the lower third of Milton Street, but I really did not see much in the way of families.

Wilson513 · 06-21-2011, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tex?Il?

I'm just curious why it is not recommended as an urban, walkable, eclectic, diverse neighborhood with the other suspects such as Clifton, Mt. Adams, Hyde Park, Northside, downtown, Gateway QTR of OTR?

Everyone says on this board that Prospect Hill is the best part of the greater Mt. Auburn neighborhood and checking the google earth streetview it seems like it. Sure it is not Mt. Adams, but it seems Prospect Hill has the well maintained 19th century row houses, with some recent townhomes filled in, great views of the city, and close to downtown and centrally located for many amenities and attractions.

Is it the simple fact that it is just a few blocks, and then it gets kind of rough quickly?? I could understand that, but OTR is even more like that, and it gets recommended.

Why is that, judging from what I see, (I haven't been to that specific neighborhood last time I went there) it looks like it would be high on many peoples list. Is it not that close to much basic shopping?

This is a complicated topic and I am typing on an I pad (can i just say that the I Pad is the stupidest device I have ever used. It has a software keyboard that they could program any way they wanted and it has neither a forward delete key nor arrow keys - Geez). , so I'll stop back and revisit this later, but this was the discussion that was had the other day to little avail.

A friend on mine, Julie Gerdsen essentially invented the rebirth of Prospect Hill. She was a UC professor and did the first 5 renovations up there. Its was utterly urban slum before Julie came. That was in the 80's. My nephew renovated and lived on Cumber.
Suffice it to say that while Milton and Boal have good views there is exactly zero shopping or amenities and there is no place to walk safely after dark. Because of that, it is not comparable to Hyde Park or Mt. Adams.
More later.

Prospect Hill is not part of Mt. Auburn, physically or socially. It is part of OTR and Pendleton.

I would add to GC's comment above that there is also a gay enclave up there with several guys concentrating on the beautiful architecture and the views. A close knit group however. Prospect Hill has some great houses with good views. There are a couple of anchors there. Ted Gantz, a renown architectural metal artist designing stairways and public sculpture is on Sycamore at Milton with a renovated museum like Victorian. There is a similar point at the intersection of Milton and Highland. And then there is Miltons. But cross Sycamore north of Liberty and head down McMicken and you are in danger.

There are only about 100 buildings of consequence up there. Everything else is urban slum.

progmac · 06-21-2011, 07:01 AM

prospect hill is awesome. it was a wreck in the late 60s and people turned it around. it is now a very stable and safe enclave.

some good reading:
Cincinnati Magazine - Google Books

abr7rmj · 06-21-2011, 12:33 PM

My favorite view of the city is coming down the hill from up near Christ Hospital. The skyline looks even more dominating and imposing than it does from the Covington I-75 hill. Prospect Hill really is one of the city's hidden gems and Milton's is about as perfect a neighborhood pub as it gets. It's straight out of Boston or Georgetown.

Speaking of driving down the hill, does anyone know anything about that flatiron-type building at the turn from Auburn onto Sycamore before you really start coming down into the city? I've always been intrigued by that building; it would be amazing to see it brought back to life.

Joeytraveler · 06-21-2011, 01:55 PM

As a prospect hill resident I like being in walking distance of Otr and downtown but being able to have my own building and not just a condo. Then again I'm towards the bottom of Milton and it would be a very different animal being at the top of the hill. There seem to be more families on my end lately but maybe I'm just noticing it more.

progmac · 06-21-2011, 02:10 PM

certainly it IS on some people's list. friends from new york have former brooklynite friends moving there. so maybe it just isn't on our list at city data. i'm guessing urban ohio talks about it a lot more.

Sarah Perry · 06-21-2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by progmac

certainly it IS on some people's list. friends from new york have former brooklynite friends moving there. so maybe it just isn't on our list at city data. i'm guessing urban ohio talks about it a lot more.

I was surprised to learn that the 60 or 70-something mother and stepfather of an acquaintence live in Prospect Hill and love it there. They're financially comfortable, and people I'd have pegged as outer suburbanites. So it's also on the list of people you'd never expect, too. Maybe actually qualifies for that extremely overused phrase around Cincinnati, "best kept secret."

Wilson513 · 06-27-2011, 07:34 AM

The first stop west of Boal and Milton streets is Grant Playground. This area is not safe for night time movement outdoors. Another example here:

12 Year and Teen Boy Shot Near Over-the-Rhine Playground - :: Cincinnati news story :: LOCAL 12 WKRC-TV in Cincinnati

Joeytraveler · 06-27-2011, 08:00 AM

I'm not sure what makes this the first stop west of here but it's a few blocks away and a somewhat steep walk up the hill to even get across sycamore. There's also another playground between this one and prospect hill. With the uptick in violent crime in Otr seems have been staying pretty quiet up on the hill. Hopefully it stays that way and calms down everywhere.