Questions About Golf Manor (Cincinnati, Green: low income, appointed, crime)

[bpreger]

Hey everybody,

I've been reading these forums a lot on a many different cities, and I would like to say that they have been very helpful for me. After looking through many Orthodox Jewish communities, I am strongly considering golf manor because of its cheap housing prices. It may be even possible that I can move in to the area when I start college, and have a place to live in while going to graduate school in the area. Because of the field I am going to, I am likely going to be going to school and living in the same area, so the area to live in is a big choice for me at this point.

In regards to the area, both me and my parents had some concerns about it. Even looking at finding reasonably priced starter housing (under 75-80k) near the golf manor synagogue, we were concerned about the large minority population and low per-capita income. It is not that I mean to be racist by any means, but coming from Los Angeles, high-minority, below-average income areas are generally well-correlated with being high-crime areas (I have one 2 miles from my house FYI.) I'm wondering, since large Jewish populations generally live in safe, economically well-off areas, if you can tell me about the quality of the Golf Manor neighborhood around the synagogue (6244 Stover I believe) and to the north of it (because of proximity to Amberley village.) Any opinions and info is greatly appreciated.

[Kat_Woman36]

Originally Posted by bpreger

Hey everybody,

I've been reading these forums a lot on a many different cities, and I would like to say that they have been very helpful for me. After looking through many Orthodox Jewish communities, I am strongly considering golf manor because of its cheap housing prices. It may be even possible that I can move in to the area when I start college, and have a place to live in while going to graduate school in the area. Because of the field I am going to, I am likely going to be going to school and living in the same area, so the area to live in is a big choice for me at this point.

In regards to the area, both me and my parents had some concerns about it. Even looking at finding reasonably priced starter housing (under 75-80k) near the golf manor synagogue, we were concerned about the large minority population and low per-capita income. It is not that I mean to be racist by any means, but coming from Los Angeles, high-minority, below-average income areas are generally well-correlated with being high-crime areas (I have one 2 miles from my house FYI.) I'm wondering, since large Jewish populations generally live in safe, economically well-off areas, if you can tell me about the quality of the Golf Manor neighborhood around the synagogue (6244 Stover I believe) and to the north of it (because of proximity to Amberley village.) Any opinions and info is greatly appreciated.

Golf Manor is very nice community for the most part. It is situation in an area that has a small population of low income housing but crime is low in Golf Manor overall. My mom lived there for 15 years without any incidents, it was always very quite and peaceful. It's a few years since i've been in the community but I do recall the jewish community being close and I would often see groups walking to the synagogue from home. Amberley village borders golf manor and it's farther away from the synagogue and a little more pricey but a very nice area as well with larger homes and wealthy resident of course there are no low income areas in amberley village it's one of cincinnati's best kept secret off the beaten path. Good luck!

[bpreger]

Kat_Woman36, I appreciate the response. I had a pre-conception that most Jewish communities are almost stand-alone and generally in wealthy areas, but Cincinnati may be different. It may be a lot like the Milwaukee Jewish community, where you have a growing Jewish community coupled with a AA migration into the area (areas Jews choose to live in are generally more safe.) I'm still trying to get a feel for the area, and I was wondering if anyone knows if the Jewish population lives primarily in Roselawn, Golf Manor, or Amberley village (or some combination of the three.) Also, if much of the Jewish community lives in Golf Manor, it would be good to know if they live in one general area or all over Golf Manor. I also hope that people posting later on can confirm Kat_Woman36's observation that its a quiet suburban area, but please express any opinions (positive or negative) you have about the community. I look forward to hearing more information which would help me paint a picture.

[Ohiogirl81]

Golf Manor is a pretty solid community, with mostly owner-occupied homes (in my opinion, one good indicator of how safe and stable a community is). Many people are working class -- social service professionals, community service workers, health care workers, etc. I have no negative impressions at all. I have friends who live there -- a mixed race couple -- and their neighborhood is well-kept and quiet.

Cincinnati overall is an area of housing pockets -- you can parachute down into any neighborhood in the city, walk 5 minutes in any direction, and be in a completely different place than you were before. One section of a neighborhood may seem rundown, but walk two blocks and the same neighborhood looks completely different.

The Jewish community, once heavily concentrated in Roselawn, Golf Manor, etc., now seems to be heading toward Blue Ash -- the Jewish Community Center moved out there -- with wealthier people living in and around Amberley.

Try this website for more info: David's Voice

[jlrosen]

golf manor is a first ring suburb with no real future and is bordering on collapse

[franke01]

Originally Posted by jlrosen

golf manor is a first ring suburb with no real future and is bordering on collapse

Gee, I hope that's not true!

I grew up there on Elbrook right behind the synagogue on Stover (actually I remember it being built). Prior to the mid-50s it had been primarily Catholic (centered around OMS) but from about '55 onward there were a number of Jewish families who moved into the neighborhood.

My family left prior to the influx of Black families (so I really don't have anything relevant to add from that point onward) but I remember it as a great community of solid little houses that had a real feeling of community.

Hopefully some of those qualities survive.

[avondale]

I would agree with the posting of jlrosen dated 10/19. I wouldn't live in Golf Manor... period. The only thing to recommend it for you is the proximity to the shul. Most of the houses are tiny, crime in the village is rising, the tax base is declining, there's virtually nowhere to shop..for anything, public transportation is so-so at best. Golf Manor's a bad idea.

The Jewish community in Cincinati is totally decentralized geographically. The old Jewish neighboorhoods of 40-50 years ago, i.e. North Avondale, Bond Hill, and Roselawn ( as you move north), have largely lost their populations as white flight set in. A previous correspondent alluded to Blue Ash; this is only one of the new neighboorhoods. Amberley contains a majority of the synagogues, and I probably should have included it as an "old" neighborhood. Now, I would suggest Montgomery, Mason, Westchester are also part of the diaspora. There's no longer a kosher deli in the whole city. Wish you luck.

[cblanehill]

I lived on Graceland close to Langdon Farm Road in Golf Manor for 12 years, 1955-1967, and have fond memories of the Golf Manor Swimming Pool and Losantiville Elementary. I remember Golf Manor having a grid street layout with sidewalks and mom and pop corner stores. My big sister and I had both jewish and non-jewish friends to play with. On jewish holidays, as there were not enough students to hold classes, I got to spend most of the day in art class which I loved. Unfortunately, after a racial incident involving my sister while she attended Woodward High School my parents decided to move out to Green Township on the west side of the city. Our house on Graceland was a small 2-bedroom, so we had really outgrown the house at that point. At the time, I was all set to attend Walnut Hills Prep School and was very disappointed when they moved. I live in south Texas now, but went back last year for a visit after 40 years and the houses seemed very small and close to each other, but for the most part well-maintained.

[franke01]

Originally Posted by cblanehill

I lived on Graceland close to Langdon Farm Road in Golf Manor for 12 years, 1955-1967, and have fond memories of the Golf Manor Swimming Pool and Losantiville Elementary. I remember Golf Manor having a grid street layout with sidewalks and mom and pop corner stores. My big sister and I had both jewish and non-jewish friends to play with. On jewish holidays, as there were not enough students to hold classes, I got to spend most of the day in art class which I loved. Unfortunately, after a racial incident involving my sister while she attended Woodward High School my parents decided to move out to Green Township on the west side of the city. Our house on Graceland was a small 2-bedroom, so we had really outgrown the house at that point. At the time, I was all set to attend Walnut Hills Prep School and was very disappointed when they moved. I live in south Texas now, but went back last year for a visit after 40 years and the houses seemed very small and close to each other, but for the most part well-maintained.

You probably noticed when you were back that Obermayers is gone along with the little strip/retail building housing Boergers at one end and a drug store at the other (can't remember the 2 in between). Also I think the old Apollo S&L building on Losantaville may be gone and I don't think the Golf Manor Hobby Shop is still open but I may be wrong.

I, too, have fond memories of the park and pool ("the largest aluminum recirculating pool in the country", or something like that). I'm sure all the really fun things in the park (the monkey bars, the merry go round that I almost broke my foot on when it got stuck between the platform and the ground) are long gone.

[Box2565]

Originally Posted by franke01

You probably noticed when you were back that Obermayers is gone along with the little strip/retail building housing Boergers at one end and a drug store at the other (can't remember the 2 in between). Also I think the old Apollo S&L building on Losantaville may be gone and I don't think the Golf Manor Hobby Shop is still open but I may be wrong.

Wasn't the name of the pharmacy "Stanleys" and there was a business next door that was "Plotniks" (a dry cleaners?).