Clifton (gas light) and Norwood input and advice please! (Cincinnati: middle-class, apartment)

[amstoica]

Hello everyone,

Could you all give me your honest opinions, good or bad, of the gas light district of Clifton as well as Norwood. I believe that Hyde Park/Mt.Lookout area is best fit for my family, however, I want to explore my options and these are 2 other areas I'm looking at. I am married w/ 3 year old daughter, plans for private school, so public schools aren't an issue of where we live, but we do want a kid-friendly neighborhood.

Thank you, looking so forward to the move.

[Wilson513]

Well, Amstoica, you liked my Hyde Park post, so I take a shot at this Gaslight Clifton thing.

First, my sainted sister, God rest her soul, lived her entire life in Gaslight Clifton and loved it, and would not live anywhere else until, as a retired widow, and her best friend moved to Greenhills, she moved out there as well. And, I am really good friends with a Gaslight landlord who owns several of the lovely old "turn of the century" Gaslight apartment buildings, including the beautiful Delmoor, The Marburg, and the Brenton.

Having said all of that, I can't think of any reason that a person should live in Gaslight Clifton instead of Hyde Park. You will find more crime, less restaurant and nightlife choices (unless you like college bars), and less child friendly neighborhoods in Gaslight Clifton than in HP. You might catch a whiff of some pot smoke in line at the Esquire threater on Friday night to remind one of the 70's when that was hip, but other than that, I see no more charm than you will find in HP.

Of course, if you work at the hospitals (Childrens, University, Shriners or Deaconess) or you work or attend UC, Gaslight Clifton is fine. Otherwise, put it in the "second choices" pile.

[amstoica]

Wilson1010: Well you are now 2/2 in the helpful posts category! I was distracted by some of the lovely apartment buildings that the gas light district had to offer. Then I saw "no pets" on almost every single one. Having a rather large dog, this was a deal breaker. But you answered my question. I'm not into college bars, having graduated several years ago, but I will be attending UC for graduate school. But that isn't something I care to center where I live around. Second choice pile, it is.

[Wilson513]

The dog park is on Wooster Pike (Otto Armleder Park). It is immediately to the east of Ault Park across Wooster Pike. You must drive there from from everywhere, but it is a good dog park.

Edit:

I re-read your original post. The large dog thing is a bit of a wild card for me. I don't know much about what is and isn't pet friendly. But, the Otto Armleder is a good dog park and its very close to HP.

[Cincy-Rise]

If I had a choice, I'd choose Gaslight, hands down. Hyde Park and Gaslight can be a little pricey, but proximity everything is in Gaslight's favor here. If you can afford it, this won't be an issue. My second pick is Mt. Lookout, even over HP. Thirdly HP, then Norwood. Unlike a lot of folks on here, I like Norwood. There's this ... Norwoodian spirit about it and I love character and personality in neighborhoods and cities.

[amstoica]

You know, I have read a lot of posts about Norwood and still can't seem to gauge what the consensus is as far as yay or nay (for me, that is). Sometimes it sounds promising, sometimes I cross it off my list. I think it's one of those things that I will have to see for myself and try to get a feel for the area. What works for some may not work for most. I definitely like the affordability of some of the homes that caught my eye in Norwood but I don't know if it's the "safe part" or not. I know that the question of safety is all relative so I will just go ahead and outline what I deem as safe. My idea of safety is when I can walk down the street and not have strange men try to pick me up or ask me "how much?", not being afraid to walk down the street because I will be hassled for money by homeless people (or even one or two homeless people), not being able to walk down the street after a certain time of day, being able to send my kids out to play without them running back into the house screaming. That being said, would most of Norwood be safe?

[Wilson513]

I always try to be charitable toward Norwood, but it is pretty challenging. It has a reputation as the 12 Step capital of the US because it is said that there are more redneck bars and AA meetings in Norwood than any place on earth. Norwoord was, until one generation ago, a company town consisting of the Chevrolet Assembly plant and the US Playing Card plant and thousands of men, sometimes with families, often without, came from Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina and West Virginia in the 40's and 50's to work in the plants. The plants are closed now and only the families of those retired workers remain. Good people for the most part, and welcoming of the new folks who are moving in here and there. Although it used to be said that there was not a single black family that resided in Norwood. That's a thing of the past, but you get the picture. For some inexplicable reason, Cincy Rise seems to think fondly of Norwood. I respect his knowledge, but that choice? Not so much. The sad fact remains that Norwood is not a town on the rise or one where you will meet many graduate school educated persons. I will be amazed if there is one practicing physician who lives within the city limits of Norwood. That doesn't mean that there are not a lot of nice people there. Interestingly, it is completely surrounded by the City of Cincinnati.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by wilson1010

Cincy Rise seems to think fondly of Norwood. I respect his knowledge, but that choice? Not so much.

No, you're confusing me with Huskerdo. You know me and you know I like my diversity.

[goyguy]

By now I didn't think Norwood would still be off the collective radar. For a long time it was the laughingstock of the self-styled elite, after the Appalachian influx shifted its tone from German middle-class Protestant to "Nortucky." Now a house flipper I know can't buy property there fast enough. Much attention was paid during the long-running battle to defend an eastern neighborhood of the city, already physically severed from "Norwood proper" by I-71, from mallification. Evidently folks liked what they read about that neighborhood and its residents; that and/or the developers' win by default (still more office buildings and national-chain stores to augment Rookwood Commons and the nearby big-box collection called Center of Cincinnati) has spurred move-ins and speculation across 71. And the grandiose plans of XU along the city's southern flank haven't hurt either. The generation succeeding the one which snickered at "brars" has members who crave a living environment where people are salt-of-the-earth types who know and care about who dwells around them. For every household that aspires to a Mason McMansion there's another which is looking for old-school qualities. It's the same phenomenon at work in yet-to-be-mentioned-in-this-thread OAKLEY.
I'd be more comfortable with letting kids play outside in Norwood or Oakley than in certain necks of the woods where the adults flaunt their money and overeducation and scream bloody murder at the thought of a single family "on assistance" gaining access to housing along their precious street. Finding playmates would be a lot easier in the laughed-at locales as well, where the parents lack the inclination let alone the funds to send the offspring to tennis camp or what have you. And the grown-ups wouldn't be snubbed for not summering on Nantucket, golfing on Hilton Head, skiing at Breckenridge, etc etc ad nauseum.

[Sunnydee]

Originally Posted by wilson1010

Well, Amstoica, you liked my Hyde Park post, so I take a shot at this Gaslight Clifton thing.

First, my sainted sister, God rest her soul, lived her entire life in Gaslight Clifton and loved it, and would not live anywhere else until, as a retired widow, and her best friend moved to Greenhills, she moved out there as well. And, I am really good friends with a Gaslight landlord who owns several of the lovely old "turn of the century" Gaslight apartment buildings, including the beautiful Delmoor, The Marburg, and the Brenton.

Having said all of that, I can't think of any reason that a person should live in Gaslight Clifton instead of Hyde Park. You will find more crime, less restaurant and nightlife choices (unless you like college bars), and less child friendly neighborhoods in Gaslight Clifton than in HP. You might catch a whiff of some pot smoke in line at the Esquire threater on Friday night to remind one of the 70's when that was hip, but other than that, I see no more charm than you will find in HP.

Of course, if you work at the hospitals (Childrens, University, Shriners or Deaconess) or you work or attend UC, Gaslight Clifton is fine. Otherwise, put it in the "second choices" pile.

I love the Clifton Gaslight area as well, but have to agree with wilson on this one.