Oakley? (Cincinnati, Mason, Norwood: apartment, violent crime, roughest)

[kbpaulie]

We're west-siders (OK, please still like us) considering an Oakley home. Sorry, other than quick restaurant trips, haven't ventured over that way....

What can you tell me, what do I need to know, and what parts are better/ worse? What about around 31st Ave - Verne? Also, we LOVE the library, how big is this one?

What have you seen the housing market do? What would you say is the average age and income? What if we're middle aged, middle income w/ kids and am a no-frills sort of family? (Like we don't even have cable)

Thanks!

[t45209]

Oakley is a wonderful neighborhood. No other neighborhood in the city has seen such a dramatic positive uptick over the last 20 years as Oakley has. There are many great families that in the Oakley Park subdivision, which generally includes the numbered streets that you are referring to, although that area is not as "upscale" as some other parts of Oakley.

The area around Verne, Brownway, and Robertson does define one of Oakley's troubled spots. The intersection with Dillinger's Tavern and the row houses on Robertson Avenue have a history of drug activity and violent crime, but the police do a decent job of trying to keep a lid on it. I'd say the further south you go on the numbered streets, away from Robertson and closer to Markbreit things get better, but there are always exceptions one way or another.

The best streets in Oakley are Eileen, south of Markbreit, Drakewood, Drake, Hyde Park Avenue and surrounding areas. The Pillars subdivision also has some nice streets, with cozy post-war Tudors, which can be found between Paxton and Brotherton. On the other side of the neighborhood along Edwards Rd, there's been some concern about the impending Rookwood expansion, and the impact of traffic, noise, light pollution, and all that comes with commercial development. There's little the city can do, since all of that is occurring in Norwood, but there are some street calming initiatives being discussed to minimize cut through traffic and such.

With all of that in mind, it's really hard to go wrong in Oakley. Property values have skyrocketed over the years, so there aren't as many bargains as there once was, but you are buying into a great neighborhood. I have argued on this board in the past that Oakley is Cincinnati's most walkable neighborhood, with more restaurants and bars than you can count, the church of your choice, three grocery stores, the library, banks, two old fashioned hardware stores, Aglamesis ice cream parlor, book stores, toy stores, nearly any kind of store, for that matter, all within a reasonable walk from many parts of the neighborhood.

The library is a smallish, but busy branch, and centrally located right next to St. Cecilia.

Oakley has a diverse age group in it, but the population of younger, professional 20-30-something couples has grown a lot. Oakley doesn't have the young frat party atmosphere of Mt. Adams, however. These are couples buying their first houses and trying to settle down, but are attracted by the lively culture of Oakley. Still, there are a lot of families who trace their roots to the old mill days of Oakley, when everyone who lived there worked in the surrounding factories. There is also an active group of Oakley seniors, so you will find every age group represented.

Oakley is a solidly middle income neighborhood, but has become more prosperous over the years. Historically, Oakley has been very blue collar, but that obviously has waned a bit as those jobs no longer exist in the area. The younger group mentioned above is a bit more well-to-do, but it all blends nicely.

If you have kids, the educational choices look to be improving as well, because I believe that some Oakley kids will benefit from the reopening of Hyde Park School, instead of being banished to John P Parker in Madisonville. There are also some Kilgour streets in Oakley. St. Cecilia also has a school. This improvement in the school situation may reduce the turnover in families as people have more confidence in the education system. However, if your kids are older, none that may be an issue.

I think you'll really enjoy Oakley. I know of other families who have made the west to east jump and landed in Oakley and they are doing great. Good luck with your search.

[cali3448893]

Oakley has people from every part of the world, this area is more expensive then most areas in cincinnati, and proverty levels here dont exist other then that the man above me anserwed the rest nice post man!

[badguykc]

Originally Posted by t45209

The area around Verne, Brownway, and Robertson does define one of Oakley's troubled spots. The intersection with Dillinger's Tavern and the row houses on Robertson Avenue have a history of drug activity and violent crime, but the police do a decent job of trying to keep a lid on it. I'd say the further south you go on the numbered streets, away from Robertson and closer to Markbreit things get better, but there are always exceptions one way or another.

I used to live on the Norwood side of Robertson (a block west of Dorl Field), and would walk down Robertson into Cincinnati at any hour of the day or night and never had a problem. Nor have I ever heard of any murders in that area. Just saying.

[t45209]

Originally Posted by badguykc

I used to live on the Norwood side of Robertson (a block west of Dorl Field), and would walk down Robertson into Cincinnati at any hour of the day or night and never had a problem. Nor have I ever heard of any murders in that area. Just saying.

Then you should have paid more attention to the news, because there was a murder in the street there just a few years ago. The drive-thru gets held up. The neighbors have battled drug dealers...just saying.

For example:

Sept. 13, 2006

JOSEPH KREHYE, 18, was shot during a gunbattle in the 3000 block of Robertson
Avenue in Oakley. Police said a white van pulled up to a drug house when the gunfight
started. Krehye was shot and ran a short distance to Appleton Street, where police found
him. He died at University Hospital. A passerby in a car followed the white van to a
convenience store, where police found another teenager shot inside the van. The juvenile
survived. Three other people were in the van. Police have made no arrest in connection
with the killing.

Maybe you weren't walking through that day and missed it.

[progmac]

that area is probably the 'roughest' part of oakley. but it isn't really rough and it should be fine for you and in any case should be more or less totally cleaned up in the coming years. certainly a good place to invest, i'd say. i remember looking at a low-rent apartment in the area back in '03. it was like $250 a month for a one bedroom. the area is twice as good today as it was then.

[t45209]

Originally Posted by progmac

that area is probably the 'roughest' part of oakley. but it isn't really rough and it should be fine for you and in any case should be more or less totally cleaned up in the coming years. certainly a good place to invest, i'd say. i remember looking at a low-rent apartment in the area back in '03. it was like $250 a month for a one bedroom. the area is twice as good today as it was then.

There's not a corner of Oakley that isn't better than it was 10 or 15 years ago, but many of the residents of that side of the neighborhood who live it day in and day out say that it's never going to really cross over until the Robertson row houses are gone. Too many unsavory characters hang out there. More than a few residents would like to see the bar go, too.

As for drug houses in that area, they were there 5 or 6 years ago, but that seems to have improved.

Not far from that same area, about a block or so, is another attractive nuisance, the railroad tracks along Enyart. There are vagrants and druggies that hang out back there. It's well known to the police. There's some abandoned structure there that CPD has said is called "The Sugar Shack." The name sort of speaks for itself, I guess. It's not one of Oakley's best landmarks.

Another street to avoid, by the way, is Cardiff Avenue.

[deg1114]

I knew someone who lived in the area off of Marburg south of Paxton and north of Erie. The streets are Sterling, Ameliamont, Maplecrest, De Forest, and Glenhurst. Really loved the area and it was very affordable. Some of the houses may be on the small side but well in walking distance of Hyde Park Plaza.

[kjbrill]

I need to be filled in here. What has made Oakley such a popular destination? When I was young I traveled through Oakley on my way to work. It seemed then to be populated with blue-collar workers with jobs at the Mill, Williamson Furnace, LeBlond, and General Motors in Norwood. And the houses appeared to be modest on small lots. It was not an area I aspired to live in.

So what has happened? I know most of the blue-collar jobs have disappeared. So what has happened to make Oakley desirable? Are they doing tear-downs with larger rebuilds or what? I will admit I have probably been to Oakley maybe 4 times since my company LeBlond moved to Mason in the 80s. I did have a reason to go there about 2 months ago since a group of retirees I am part of has a monthly traveling luncheon and drink-and-drown. We went to a bar now owned by one of our former co-workers on Madison just east of Oakley Square. I did notice the work they have done around Oakley Square, quite nice. The bar we went to is a typical neighborhood bar for the City, furnished with a lot of cheap tables and chairs. Their claim to fame was grilled wings, which I will admit were quite good. But transport that out to Mason and they will die, why?, looks like a Goodwill store.

So plese explain to me, an old man, why Oakley is now considered one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Cincinnati? Somehow I just don't get it. And don't bother bashing me for bashing the city. I am just trying to understand why Oakley, a 50s blue-collar area, is now upscale in the city.

[Chemistry_Guy]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

So plese explain to me, an old man, why Oakley is now considered one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Cincinnati? Somehow I just don't get it. And don't bother bashing me for bashing the city. I am just trying to understand why Oakley, a 50s blue-collar area, is now upscale in the city.

In one sentence:
It shares many amenities with Hyde Park and the crowd that can afford to live in Oakley is more fun than the crowd that can afford to live in Hyde Park.