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Ok, here's an area I don't hear about much. One bus route convenient to work is the 41, which cuts from Oakley all the wayish West across the metro area. It primarily follows North Bend Rd once the bus gets west of 75.
How's the, say 1/2 mile on either side of North Bend for safety? Looks like part of that is around a Cincy children's campus, but not the main one? There are several small apartments complexes on North Bend, which all look pretty run down. But how about the neighborhoods of small houses? Any parts to avoid? When we visited last month we never made it west of 75.
And for those who've been following, I think I'm finally winning the pre-1978 battle! His future coworkers have been giving him blank looks when he tries to talk lead exposure in their houses. Yay! It just opens up so many nice areas like Deer Park! Also, Monday is the official day they commit to sending us to Cincy as opposed to Atlanta or a few others spots. It's been a long wait for the official order! Fingers crossed.
Ok, here's an area I don't hear about much. One bus route convenient to work is the 41, which cuts from Oakley all the wayish West across the metro area. It primarily follows North Bend Rd once the bus gets west of 75.
How's the, say 1/2 mile on either side of North Bend for safety? Looks like part of that is around a Cincy children's campus, but not the main one? There are several small apartments complexes on North Bend, which all look pretty run down. But how about the neighborhoods of small houses? Any parts to avoid? When we visited last month we never made it west of 75.
And for those who've been following, I think I'm finally winning the pre-1978 battle! His future coworkers have been giving him blank looks when he tries to talk lead exposure in their houses. Yay! It just opens up so many nice areas like Deer Park! Also, Monday is the official day they commit to sending us to Cincy as opposed to Atlanta or a few others spots. It's been a long wait for the official order! Fingers crossed.
North Bend is a long secondary artery which goes through a wide range of neighborhoods. I think as your question is posed, it's pretty much impossible to answer. If you want to give us some specific addresses, I and probably some other people might be able to comment. Best wishes as you continue planning your move.
North Bend is a long secondary artery which goes through a wide range of neighborhoods. I think as your question is posed, it's pretty much impossible to answer. If you want to give us some specific addresses, I and probably some other people might be able to comment. Best wishes as you continue planning your move.
Well, that's sort of the problem, I guess. Since I haven't been over there at all, but have had multiple "no West side" type comments, both in person and on here, my first response is to lump the whole stretch in to the questionable category.
So, I'm just kinda making this up given that I don't know if or what will show up on the rental lists along there...
1. Is there a stretch of North Bend where it is decidedly unsafe to wait for a bus in the dark?
2. What neighborhoods, if any, along there would you describe as a settled mix of blue and white collar? For example, I've seen some about College Hill, which seemed generally a poor fit for a family with small kids. I've seen a mixed report on Finneytown. But North Bend goes south of Finneytown in an area I can't clearly see a name for, so I'm not sure how to even ask about it--what's between Carthage and College Hill south of Finneytown?
3. How trafficky is North Bend during commute hours? It seems just far enough off the cross country freeway to maybe be used heavily, but I have a hard time getting more than a basic sense of that using only the bus schedule.
Does that help at all? I think we've pretty much settled on keeping very close to Pleasant Ridge unless a great deal shows up in Madeira at the perfect time, but I love the freedom of being on a bus route and the west is unexplored territory.
Speaking of which, there is a little pocket of new construction right by Cincinnati Gardens. Looked like a nice option still very close in. We didn't drive over there, but I get the feeling it's similar to Montgomery Rd at Ridge---rough on the main drag, but quiet once you're back a block. Does that sound right? Thanks!
The "little pocket of new construction" is a generic development, the type which you'll find in many a more suburban and far safer area. It's called Villages of Daybreak, and went in to replace a huge post-WWII complex of brick apartment buildings which had done worse than simply fall on hard times. The intent was to stabilize and perhaps revitalize the surrounding neighborhoods, something I'm 1000% in support of, but although the jury is still out the effort seems to have fallen short. Although tax abatement is a tempting carrot, the stick is Cincinnati Public Schools plus high crime in the neighborhoods to the south and northeast. NOT WORTH IT.
Short of consulting the Metro system map (because that would be too easy), I believe the 41 terminates in Mt Airy along North Bend Rd. That's a decidedly mixed-bag area thanks to large apartment complexes which have slid from trendy in the '70s and '80s to Section 8 pits of crime and decay at present. Yet there are quite a few pleasant residential streets thereabouts, north of North Bend in particular (e.g. Vogel Rd.) Of most concern about Mt Airy is that it doesn't seem to have much if anything in terms of a strong neighborhood advocacy group - as opposed to many other "challenged" sections of the city. No one is going to bat for business incubation along vacancy-heavy Colerain Ave, or to stem the tide of voucher-friendly apartment conversions.
In College Hill - again, largely north of North Bend - there are appealing streets such as Oak Knoll Dr and Larry Ave YET close by are troubled blocks. The business district served by Hamilton Ave does still hold popular mainstays like College Hill Coffee Co and Red Rose, but here again vacancies are numerous and once-beloved places like Angert's Appliances and the Hollywood Cinema are only memories. More than a couple of blocks south of North Bend and you experience a steeply escalating "sketch factor" until you reach the southern reaches of the community around the Presbyterian church.
Finneytown has experienced slippage in school quality, but not to an alarming degree. However, with so much of its housing stock consisting of dated ranch/split-level/Cape Cod/colonial homes and with Winton Rd a perpetually congested mess of mostly declining strip malls the prognosis is mixed at best.
When the 41 passes along Seymour Ave it goes near a couple of pockets of Roselawn which - in true urban-community tradition - improbably stay nice and even desirable. Houses are well-kept and many carry unique architectural details, whether west of Reading Rd in the "Garden District" (heavy with large "mock" Tudor houses) or to the east in the "Gaslight District" with its numerous sturdy little Capes and the occasional Colonial. There is also a small degree of "diversity" to be found, though relatively speaking it's far from a multi-cultural environment - some streets have a roughly 25% White population, while on a few it's closer to zero. No one would feel conspicuous or "out of place" on the one hand, but on the other the neighborhood schools are terrible and almost entirely comprised of impoverished "children of color." Sad reality - educational quality always corresponds with income levels and "paleface" representation.
Best that you stay in the Oakley/Pleasant Ridge area IMHO.
Well, that's sort of the problem, I guess. Since I haven't been over there at all, but have had multiple "no West side" type comments, both in person and on here, my first response is to lump the whole stretch in to the questionable category.
So, I'm just kinda making this up given that I don't know if or what will show up on the rental lists along there...
1. Is there a stretch of North Bend where it is decidedly unsafe to wait for a bus in the dark?
2. What neighborhoods, if any, along there would you describe as a settled mix of blue and white collar? For example, I've seen some about College Hill, which seemed generally a poor fit for a family with small kids. I've seen a mixed report on Finneytown. But North Bend goes south of Finneytown in an area I can't clearly see a name for, so I'm not sure how to even ask about it--what's between Carthage and College Hill south of Finneytown?
3. How trafficky is North Bend during commute hours? It seems just far enough off the cross country freeway to maybe be used heavily, but I have a hard time getting more than a basic sense of that using only the bus schedule.
Does that help at all? I think we've pretty much settled on keeping very close to Pleasant Ridge unless a great deal shows up in Madeira at the perfect time, but I love the freedom of being on a bus route and the west is unexplored territory.
Speaking of which, there is a little pocket of new construction right by Cincinnati Gardens. Looked like a nice option still very close in. We didn't drive over there, but I get the feeling it's similar to Montgomery Rd at Ridge---rough on the main drag, but quiet once you're back a block. Does that sound right? Thanks!
I really think you need to choose a couple of neighborhoods and focus your search on them. That said, I also think it's unfortunate that you've apparently been given the impression that the entire west side of Cincinnati is an area to avoid. It's not where the "cool" people live, but given everything you've said about your circumstances, wants and needs, you aren't looking to impress anyone with your address and don't really have the financial resources to do so anyway.
Although Goyguy didn't say anything I'd specifically disagree with (and he is spot on about the new construction you asked about), he doesn't actually live in the general area of North Bend Road like I do, and I doubt if he has, even in the past. I travel parts of it daily and other parts as often as several times a month. I'm going to stand by the advice that if you see something that looks like it might meet your needs, post about it here for more specific advice. Finneytown is not on an upward trajectory, but is hardly an area anyone needs to avoid. Same for parts of College Hill, but the apartment complexes on North Bend in College Hill are distinctly NOT something I would recommend. See the problem?
North Bend is as I said before a secondary artery. It gets some fairly heavy traffic during peak hours, but not the kind of stop-and-go congestion you'll find in other places.
Thank you both, this was exactly the kind of discussion I find helpful! We try to stay very open to all possibilities until we've researched extensively and make our final choice. We planned to come up next week and basically stay until we find a place, but it looks like we may have a little bit more freedom on our move date, so we may wait and continue to watch for new postings. In addition, next Monday we will finally have our orders in hand so we can begin to involve a realtor in our search.
I live in Mt Airy off Kipling which comes off North Bend. There are several newer (less than 25 years) subdivisons along Kipling that might fit the bill. Kipling is also on the bus line. We have lived there for about over 20 years and I'm also a member of the (not so )strong neighborhood advocacy group. We have started what they are doing in College Hill Business district to just tear down older, empty businesses. The Klosterman Dry Cleaners was the most recent example. We hope to put in a parking lot to help the current stores. Its a shame that these places are empty but those types of businesses that used to fill those store fronts just don't exist anymore.
I don't know much about the stretches of North Bend Rd. to which you are referring, but I will be watching your thread to see what exactly the others come up with.
Best of luck with the move!
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