wild mansions (Cincinnati, Green, North College Hill: receptions, condo, house)

[skippercollector]

Someone asked about Laurel Court in the North College Hill thread, and I gave a brief answer. It gave me the idea to start a separate thread about some of the (I think ugly) mansions around here.
Another one I've been in besides Laurel Court is what I believe was called Werkcastle on Fleetwood in Westwood. It was a huge mausoleum with walls made of stone several feet thick. It was 2 1/2 floors plus a cellar. At least 20 years ago, the guy who was restoring the place took a group of us down there and man did we all get claustrophobia! You could feel the weight of millions of tons of rock on top of you.
I think the guy who was restoring it gave up and sold the house again. I assume it's still there.
Has anyone been in the Gamble House?

[skippercollector]

What was that huge creepy building on the eastern end of North Bend Road around Christmas Lane? I think it used to be a school. I always thought it would have been a great place to film a horror movie, but the building has since been torn down. I've not been past it for years, so what is there now?

[skippercollector]

This is a third house, one that I've never been in:

The Diehl House

Green Township adding sixth park to commemorate bicentennial

[Wilson513]

Laurel Court is now owned by a wonderfully committed couple who have made it their lives' work to restore Laurel Court to what it was before it was degraded by decades of disrespectful ownership. They have opened it up to the public for events such as tours, weddings, receptions and charity events. I would urge anyone to make arrangements to see it:

Laurel Court | Cincinnati, Ohio | The Gilded Age home of Peter G. Thomson

[mike1003]

Originally Posted by skippercollector

What was that huge creepy building on the eastern end of North Bend Road around Christmas Lane? I think it used to be a school. I always thought it would have been a great place to film a horror movie, but the building has since been torn down. I've not been past it for years, so what is there now?

Isn't that the home that Buddy LaRosa (LaRosa's Pizza) owned at one time??

[skippercollector]

The LaRosa home was Laurel Court. The building I'm asking about was much farther down on North Bend, past P&G.

[sandasene]

Originally Posted by mike1003

Isn't that the home that Buddy LaRosa (LaRosa's Pizza) owned at one time??

Buddy LaRosa did own Laurel Court.

Are you talking about the building that was across from St. Xavier High School on North Bend? It was Girls' Town:
Goodbye to Girls' Town

[skippercollector]

Thank you!
Yeah, it was the Girls Town building. I never knew what it was called. I only saw it after it had long been abandoned. The times I drove past it, it made my hair stand on end looking at it. Very Dark Shadows.

P.S. I am well aware that I am showing my age by mentioning Dark Shadows!

[Sarah Perry]

The Diehl House is looking really nice, pretty much completely restored at least from the exterior at this point.

Was there a large mansion on North Bend just east of Colerain Avenue, where a condo development now sits?

[skippercollector]

I shall have to go past the Diehl house sometime soon. It's very near where my mother lives.
I think the house you are talking about on North Bend was the Powel Crosley house. Are you referring to the house that had the banana trees in front of it?