Looking to relocate and some questions about Cincinnati, Oh :-)

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by restorationconsultant

Its getting increasingly harder to find things in OTR under 600 these days, and I see rents getting very expensive over the next few years. Clifton is getting pricey because of student rentals, unless you want roomates, I would suggest Price Hill, parts of Fairmount and you might try across the river in Covington/Newport.

You are going to find some diversity in those areas, they are all reasonably serviced by public transportation (in case you have car problems). People will tell you on this board that these areas are "crime ridden' but there are some good respectable areas where you wont have any problems.

I think you will like Cincinnati, I know I do.

Also in the category of called crime-ridden but with large, respectable areas are many parts of Westwood. I know this has been discussed to death on other threads, but bears repeating for the OP's information.

[Terra_lioness]

thankyou again everyone!!! I really appreciate the responses!!


I realize that no place is exactly like NYC, and honestly I HATE it here even though I was born and raised. I doesn't match my frequency or spirit. I believe that each person can find a geographical location on this planet that MATCHES not only their practical needs but their SPIRIT also, if you get my drift.

[Mircea]

Originally Posted by Terra_lioness

On some websites, Ohio ranked 13th for lowest cost of living

That's true. $24,000 per year in Cincinnati is equivalent to $60,000 in LA, Chicago and New York.

Originally Posted by Terra_lioness

(1) Im poor, so I would most likely live in a low income/working class area. Book stores, cultural centers, access to gyms/recreation centers and museums are nice.

No museums in Cincinnati. You'll have to do what I do and pay $10 and ride the MegaBus to Chicago to visit the art museum and do other fun things.

Clifton or Fairview for you. Fairview would be cheaper but it's only a stone's throw from Clifton.

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

One thing you should know about Cincinnati is that public transportation options are limited, ponderous and difficult to use. Life here without a car is pretty difficult.

Well, then maybe you might actually want to use the bus system once in a while. I lived here most of my life without a car, and I do just fine.

Being in Fairview you get central access to buses: 16/39 to Northside, 17/18/19 up Colerain or up Hamilton Avenue to College Hill/North College Hill/Mt Healthy, 78 to TriCounty, 46/4 to Montgomery/East Side and the 31/51 Crosstown buses.

If you want a New York/Chicago style neighborhood, then its Clifton or Fairview. Clifton you got the cinema show, Thai, Indian, Italian and other restaurants, ice cream, a chili parlor, pizza parlor, dry cleaners, wine shop, several hair stylists, library, post office, clothing, bank etc.

IGA is closed permanently so you'll have to bus over to Kroger's in Corryville for grocery's.

If you choose Fairview, you'll have ice cream, Indian, Italian, Thai, Chinese, etc etc, pizza, hair stylist, Duttenhoffer's Books (lots of books, lots of old out of print books), banks, clothing, but no dry cleaner or wine shop. You can walk, bike or bus to Kroger's in Corryville. Near campus, diverse population, lots of parks in walking, biking distance Bellvue, Fairview and the Fairview overlook.

You'll have to walk, bike or bus the half-mile (about 6 blocks) to Clifton from Fairview to get to the cinema show. I know you don't like bars, but you never been to Sitwell's. It's not really a bar it's a coffee shop (but serves alcohol) named after Edith Sitwell.

Originally Posted by flash3780

You should be able to find an affordable place to live in either neighborhood, and they've both (especially Northside) got pretty good art scene. Main Street in OTR is pretty artsy as well (although the riots a decade ago hurt that area a bit).

Uh, wut? Do you have any clue what you're talking about? You haven't been to OTR or Main Street in 10 years.

What's "artsy" in OTR? Suder's? The art supply shop? Are you serious? Because that's it, unless you think Kroger's on Vine is "artsy."

Alright so there's the Senate and the other bar that just opened. What's artsy about that? Nothing. She doesn't even like bars.

And she's going to eat where? Tucker's greasy spoon? That's artsy/eclectic? Not.

Um, I live in the heart of OTR, right at 12th and Race, but not by choice. I live here because I came from Romania to have a series of medical procedures done at the VA Hospital and I met a vet who knew someone who knew someone else who got suckered into buying a condo and hated it but can't unload it so I'm not so much renting it as guarding it from home invasion and keeping the crack 'ho's and winos all over OTR from boogeying on in and turning it into a party place.

And Main Street? Dude, that died 10 years ago. Maybe you think the Salvation Army and the Homeless Coaltion are "artsy" but they ain't.

Originally Posted by restorationconsultant

Clifton is getting pricey because of student rentals

Pricey? A 1 bedroom for $400/month heat and electric included is pricey? Wow. You people are really out of touch with reality.

Um, she's from NY, and how do you find apartments? Well, you don't read the Cincinnasti Enquirer and or the goof-ball free magazines.

You ask people or get out and walk/bike around. 80% of the apartments for rent in Clifton/Fairview are not advertised. It's just a sign in the window "For Rent" and a phone number.

You need to get out and pound pavement up and down Tafel, Marshall, Ohio, Morlein, Whitfield and those places off of Ludlow and see the vacancies.

Of course, you could always pay $515 for a 560 sq ft 1-bedroom with heat/air included, balcony, pool, weight room, laundry and such at Clifton Colony and with first months rent free on a "move-in" special that actually comes out to the outrageously so-expensive that only Bill Gates could afford it $472/month.

[progmac]

Regarding museums. There are none. There is not the 60,000 piece Cincinnati Art Museum, the Museums of Natural History and Science, the Cincinnati History Museum, the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, the Taft Museum, the John Hauck House, the Betts House. None of those are real. Similarly, there is no art activity in OTR. There is no Pendleton Art Center or Solway gallery. Final friday isn't real. Music Hall - what a poor excuse for a venue. There are no chamber orchestras or symphonies based in OTR. There aren't dozens of other art organizations and groups in OTR, from the ink tank to the Shakespeare group. The country's only k-12 school for the creative and performing arts isn't even in OTR.

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by progmac

Regarding museums. There are none. There is not the 60,000 piece Cincinnati Art Museum, the Museums of Natural History and Science, the Cincinnati History Museum, the Harriet Beecher Stowe House, the Taft Museum, the John Hauck House, the Betts House. None of those are real. Similarly, there is no art activity in OTR. There is no Pendleton Art Center or Solway gallery. Final friday isn't real. Music Hall - what a poor excuse for a venue. There are no chamber orchestras or symphonies based in OTR. There aren't dozens of other art organizations and groups in OTR, from the ink tank to the Shakespeare group. The country's only k-12 school for the creative and performing arts isn't even in OTR.

Thanks for writing what I didn't have the time and energy for.