Ideal Location for University of Cinci Students (Cincinnati, Norwood: apartments, rental)

[jbdet20]

Hi all,

I`m a student that will be attending Graduate school at UC in the fall and I`m looking for off campus housing. I've driven through Cincinnati several times(if you consider going up I-75 as through the city) and I've been to the campus but that's the extent of knowledge of the city.

Can any of you help me out as far as locations to look for apartment housing that's somewhat affordable and safe? I don't mind not living right next to campus as long as there is a bus route nearby but I`d like to be fairly close.

Thanks in advance

[goyguy]

The gaslight district of Clifton (north of Ludlow Ave, as well as some streets immediately south of the Ludlow/Clifton Ave intersection) would be your best bet. Don't go between Terrace Ave and West McMillan St unless you have to fall back on that area, as many of the apartment buildings and complexes are looking the worse for wear. South of McMillan, your best bet would be to confine housing searches to the section between West Clifton Ave and Vine St - the farther up the hill the better. Forget about Corryville, the community east of campus which starts at Jefferson Ave and MLK Dr.
Moving a bit farther afield, Northside is just across the expressway via the Ludlow Viaduct from Clifton and is well served by buses that go by UC. It's a community in an ongoing gentrification phase, popular with artsy/trendy/progressive types but still somewhat rough around the edges in parts. There's also St Bernard and Norwood, cities unto themselves that are close in to town and have a stable and secure feel about them.
Believe it or not, you might end up living downtown and liking it! Numerous former department stores etc have been converted into loft-style and "conventional" apartments. It's one of the few parts of the city where somebody can actually live a full life without a vehicle; by and large the Metro service is pretty atrocious. North of 7th St there's a noticeable presence of street people, but they're only harming themselves for the most part - which is why they're street people to begin with.
Over-the-Rhine ("OTR") has its cheerleaders, but I'm not in that contingent. It lies between downtown and the big hill atop which sits UC, and was never affluent but has been on a steady skid since WWII if not before. Main and Sycamore St's are where a restaurant and entertainment district has taken hold with mixed results, and in hopes of lasting gentrification the section immediately north of Central Pkwy has been rechristened the "Gateway District." The Cincinnati Art Academy relocated to OTR, the city's acclaimed public School for the Creative and Performing Arts will soon open in new quarters there, and "our" beloved Music Hall has never left. But poverty and its close relative, crime, are deeply entrenched and won't be eradicated any time in the near future.
Other neighborhoods worth consideration are East Walnut Hills (minutes away via McMillan St or Wm Howard Taft Rd), Hyde Park, Mt Lookout, Oakley, and Mt Adams (the latter if your budget would allow.) Just to name a few.

[jbdet20]

Originally Posted by goyguy

The gaslight district of Clifton (north of Ludlow Ave, as well as some streets immediately south of the Ludlow/Clifton Ave intersection) would be your best bet. Don't go between Terrace Ave and West McMillan St unless you have to fall back on that area, as many of the apartment buildings and complexes are looking the worse for wear. South of McMillan, your best bet would be to confine housing searches to the section between West Clifton Ave and Vine St - the farther up the hill the better. Forget about Corryville, the community east of campus which starts at Jefferson Ave and MLK Dr.
Moving a bit farther afield, Northside is just across the expressway via the Ludlow Viaduct from Clifton and is well served by buses that go by UC. It's a community in an ongoing gentrification phase, popular with artsy/trendy/progressive types but still somewhat rough around the edges in parts. There's also St Bernard and Norwood, cities unto themselves that are close in to town and have a stable and secure feel about them.
Believe it or not, you might end up living downtown and liking it! Numerous former department stores etc have been converted into loft-style and "conventional" apartments. It's one of the few parts of the city where somebody can actually live a full life without a vehicle; by and large the Metro service is pretty atrocious. North of 7th St there's a noticeable presence of street people, but they're only harming themselves for the most part - which is why they're street people to begin with.
Over-the-Rhine ("OTR") has its cheerleaders, but I'm not in that contingent. It lies between downtown and the big hill atop which sits UC, and was never affluent but has been on a steady skid since WWII if not before. Main and Sycamore St's are where a restaurant and entertainment district has taken hold with mixed results, and in hopes of lasting gentrification the section immediately north of Central Pkwy has been rechristened the "Gateway District." The Cincinnati Art Academy relocated to OTR, the city's acclaimed public School for the Creative and Performing Arts will soon open in new quarters there, and "our" beloved Music Hall has never left. But poverty and its close relative, crime, are deeply entrenched and won't be eradicated any time in the near future.
Other neighborhoods worth consideration are East Walnut Hills (minutes away via McMillan St or Wm Howard Taft Rd), Hyde Park, Mt Lookout, Oakley, and Mt Adams (the latter if your budget would allow.) Just to name a few.

Thanks a lot, I read that the Fairview area has affordable housing but I don't know anything about the area. And my experience has been that the "affordable" label usually comes with other adjectives right after.

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by jbdet20

Thanks a lot, I read that the Fairview area has affordable housing but I don't know anything about the area. And my experience has been that the "affordable" label usually comes with other adjectives right after.

My 86 year old aunt who lives in Fairview spent a half hour last month lecturing to me about the differences between Fairview, Clifton, Corryville and University Heights. She has lived in Fairview Heights for about 60 years and unlike the other areas, it has changes relatively little.

In general, the area is pretty quiet with LIMITED street parking. The houses are "shotgun" houses - generally 800-1200 square feet with very NARROW lots. If you have a large car, you have to park carefully so you don't block a driveway (yer, it is that bad).

The houses are all nearly 100 years old and are in various stages of condition. Some are in very good condition, others are well, more rugged, depending on the landlord.

The UC campus is very large so that it may be a bit of a long walk to your house.

I last walked through the area 6-8 years ago and was surprised that area was fairly well maintained unlike some of the areas off of McMillan Ave.

[Didamc]

Fairview and Clifton Heights are pretty nice areas with affordable housing. Like jlawrence said, how nice the place is will depend on the landlord. Lots of college kids in the areas between Ohio and Ravine south of McMillan and north of Klotter. In that area, you're about 10-15 minute walk to the west side of campus (CCM, Law, McMicken). I've lived in Clifton Heights for 3 years now, it's pretty safe. You'll see glass from a broken car window or bottle every so often, but no one is ever attacked and I've not heard of any robberies. Nice thing about those neighborhoods too is that they are well served by both the Metro and UC Shuttles. If you can find something on Fairview Ave or just off it, you'll be on a good street but the apts tend to be a bit more pricey compared to the surrounding streets.

Good luck in your search and Welcome to Cincinnati!!

[goyguy]

Another vote for Fairview Hts. I was off my game leaving it out in my last post.
To eliminate any possible confusion, here's the deal with Clifton Ave. It originates on the northern fringe of OTR and runs northwestward across Vine St, and is therefore known along that stretch as East Clifton Ave and West Clifton Ave. (Vine bisects the city, more or less anyway, meaning that 'most any street crossing it from the river to Avondale is automatically prefaced by "W" or "E." This holds true all the way through town to some extent, with E/W Galbraith Rd and W/E Mitchell Ave but two other examples.) Anyway, I digress; as it ascends, West Clifton Ave veers northward from its northwesterly path to make the rest of the climb to McMillan and Calhoun St's. It then "jogs" to the west, and resumes its way along the western borders of UC and Burnet Woods now known as Clifton Ave without the "West." As a Cincy native, I accepted that along with many other quirks of the city without thinking anything of it, but I've seen some newcomers befuddled over this.
I need to leaven the happy talk about the various "Heights" areas strung along McMillan with a shot of reality. The parts around Fairview Ave + Ravine St, and also between Ohio Ave and WEST Clifton Ave for the most part, keep a high quality of life. Aside from rowdy revelry now and then they're quiet and secure. But there was a spike in street robberies and car break-ins this spring, enough beyond the occasional "part of life in the city" incidents to make the papers and cause talk in the goyguy family. Most but not all of this occurred between the two locales mentioned. Others can attest along with me that crimes against property - right down to brazen B & E's committed while residents are home - are on the upswing in the Riddle/Probasco/MLK/Dixmyth/Lowell part of Clifton. And it's because of Short Vine's ongoing death spiral coupled with shooting after shooting at any time of day that I steered the TO clear of Corryville.
Not that I mean to bring on fear and loathing, lol...just check extra carefully to see that any place you potentially rent has good security measures in effect. Alleyways have to be floodlit. Apartment doors should be made from steel or solid wood, with at least one strong deadbolt. (Chintzy plywood doors with doorknob latches and those comical lil' chains ought to have gone out with the '60s, but you'd be surprised.) Every window needs to have good locks, and preferably constructed so that they can't be raised beyond a certain height by would-be burglars. Plexiglass as opposed to the old-fashioned kind that smashes and shatters? That's a no-brainer. IMHO "motion detector" lights are a joke, and so are noisy home and car alarms. Every time a cat or raccoon walks by, those lights are liable to click on. No one pays any mind to them, and evildoers know this. Ditto for those alarms that can jolt the neighbors awake for blocks around. If somebody's looking to score a GPS left in sight, or a car stereo, they'll have done the deed in seconds flat. And enough burglar alarms start whooping and shrieking before the rightful tenant can punch in the code to shut them off that nobody comes running when they hear them either. Think of urban living in terms of, er, "non-procreational intimacy." Protect yourself and enjoy.

[Sunnydee]

Have you checked out the new apartments just above the Panera Bread store near campus? They are really nice and within walking distance of all your classes and everything you'd need.

[mohogany3]

jbdet620,

I graduated from UC in 2004. The campus has changed a lot since I graduated. I stayed on West Daniels St. which is the side some say is dangerous. The rent at my place was like 400 a month but, no central air. I may have a old number to my landlord who owns quite a few rental properties in the area. Anway if you worried about safety/crime i would stay on the fraternity/soroity of campus. Anyway if you need anything hit me up via direct message.