To Live and Walk in Cincinnati (Reading, Ada: sublease, apartment complex, rental)

[wrmeyer08]

So I have been lurking on these forums for a while trying to decide where to live in Cinci. I am a mid twenties guy, looking for a place in the 1000 and under range, apt., condo, sublease, anything really. Most people seem to be reccomending Hyde Park, OTR, Mt. Adams, etc. all the "young professional" areas.

I am trying to narrow this down a little further, I am wanting to find out where is the most conducive to walking through your daily life (aside from work). Where would I be most able to walk from my abode to a grocery store/food market, a night club, a bar, a good italian restaurant (any sit down restaurant really) and genereally be able to do just about everything without having to step foot in my car.

I ask because my job will entail being in my car 90% of the day, I dont want to get back in to got to the grocery store for milk, or to grab a good beer.

Any ideas?

[goyguy]

Pleasant Ridge
Pleasant Ridge
Pleasant Ridge
Pleasant Ridge

[Wilson513]

The best overall quality of life for you will be found within 1 mile of Hyde Park Square in any direction. Try that in any other neighborhood other than a bedroom or rural community. There are 62 respectable eateries within that 1 mile radius and a similar number of other amenities of every kind.

[fluorescent]

I would highly recommend my neighborhood, Clifton near ludlow. I am within walking distance of a grocery store, a lot of restaurants (including a really good Italian restaurant; Biagio's Bistro), a library, an indie movie theater, a park, coffee shops, grocery store, pharmacy, some bars (1 gay bar, and 2 neighborhood hangout bars), excellent bus service to downtown, etc. There's a lot people in their mid twenties living here (including me). Although it is close to the University it is not really a college town atmosphere, most students here are graduate students (including me).


Although I don't live in Hyde Park, it seems to be a lot more family oriented. Hyde Park is also much more expensive, especially if you want to live somewhere within walking distance of the square (much of Hyde Park is not convenient walking distance from the square).

[Sarah Perry]

Of the three postings above, I vote with flourescent, although if you can find something to rent within your price range near Hyde Park Plaza, you'd have a lot of access to the kind of everyday shopping most of us need to do.

Am I forgetting grocery stores near Hyde Park Square or the commercial district of Pleasant Ridge? Because I can't place anything within a distance that I'd think even someone the OP's age would want to tote groceries home from.

Sadly, Cincinnati is not terribly walkable.

[Cincy-Rise]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

Sadly, Cincinnati is not terribly walkable.

As much as I harp on our lack of bike lanes and public transit options, if there's one thing we do right - this is a walkable city. Not in the suburbs, but in the city. I don't think I can name one street that isn't covered by sidewalks? Repairs and usually done and everything is usually trimmed down.

Check out Clifton, Prospect Hill, OTR, Downtown, Mt. Adams, Hyde Park, Mt. Lookout ... all very walkable.

[progmac]

here is what you have in walking distance if you pick pleasant ridge

staples (milk, bread, eggs, bacon, pop, beer): walgreens, UDF, or sunoco
food: p-ridge chili, pleasant perk coffee, gaslight cafe, loving cafe, emanu ethiopian, la-rosa's pizza (pickup only, no dining room), molly malone's, donut shop, burger king some others
night life: gaslight cafe, molly malone's - no clubs though
recreation / amenities: pleasant ridge library, recreation center (tennis courts, organized leagues, pool, etc.), pleasant ridge park

within one mile drive you have full-on grocery stores, home depot, big box, mcdonalds etc - you also have French Park about a mile away, a fantastic and large park but unfortunately you need a car to get there. within five miles you have kenwood mall, the biggest shopping destination within the outerbelt.

it is a good location. there is a nice apartment complex on woodford across from UDF and la rosa's. 60s beige brick place, but it is well-kept and nicely managed. a 1BR is probably about $700.

pleasant ridge is the only place i've lived (i've lived in four locations in the city - mt lookout, norwood, walnut hills), where i have most of what i need in walking distance (and what i really need, not boutique shops and pricey restaurants i go to twice a year) and the trips that need a car are almost all under five minutes one-way.

[Chemistry_Guy]

I would throw Oakley into the mix. Most of Oakley is a short walk from the square, Hyde Park Plaza, Rookwood, or Target/Meijer. In that area, you have 4-5 grocery stores (Kroger, Remke, Meijer, Whole Foods, Fresh market, etc) a ton of bars (Habits, Animations, The Oak, Oakley Tavern, The Edge, The Pilot, RP McMurphy's, The E, Harp's, and more) a lot of restaurants including indian, mexican, thai, japanese, pizza, and many others. A friend of mine lives on Markbreit halfway between Rookwood and the square, and I do not know if there is a more walkable affordable location in Cincinnati.

[goyguy]

An outside possibility would be Reading, "outside" because it's not oriented toward young singles at all. But it does contain a centrally-located IGA and a UDF (United Dairy Farmers) as well as a great (so I'm told) Italian restaurant - Sorrento's - which has been around "forever." There's also a fair number of non-trendy watering holes along Reading Rd and some side streets, along with KT's (for when nothing will do but barbecue) and some fast-food places.
You'd also be well situated for car travel around the region, since the Cross-County Highway brushes Reading's southern boundary and there's easy access to I-75.
In addition to the star-crossed Lakeshore Drive apartment complex ('60s vintage, struck by tornadoes on THREE occasions), Reading has a large supply of rental housing both in older homes and small buildings and in more recent "brick boxes." The cost and quality reflect the predominant blue-collar population - inexpensive and well-constructed, but lacking in "amenities" like stainless steel appliances and granite counters. So you might like to tack Reading onto your list if "unpretentious" and "walkable" trump "dating opportunities galore" for criteria.

[Sarah Perry]

[quote=goyguy;16632038]An outside possibility would be Reading, "outside" because it's not oriented toward young singles at all. But it does contain a centrally-located IGA and a UDF (United Dairy Farmers) as well as a great (so I'm told) Italian restaurant - Sorrento's - which has been around "forever..."

Reading IS walkable, and a pretty outside-the-box idea.

Sorrento's isn't bad, although I wouldn't call it great. The best thing about it is the feeling of stepping back right into 1965. That and the fact that the average age of the other customers makes me, at 60, feel like a kid again.