An Afternoon Trip to OTR Cincinnati

You would think that someone who has lived in the Cincinnati area all 20 years of their life would have explored one of the most notable neighborhoods of the city, Over the Rhine (more commonly referred to as OTR). But, between COVID closures and places to see that at the time seemed like a higher priority, I have a shockingly small amount of experience exploring the city that I’ve grown up adjacent to. As I am entering my third (and final) year at the University of Cincinnati and am exploring where to jump start the next stage of my career, I want to consciously pay tribute to the city that I always tell anyone who doesn’t live in Ohio is my home – I’ve found it much easier for non-midwesterners to understand “Cincinnati” rather than “a medium sized suburb named West Chester in Southwestern Ohio” – before I ultimately say goodbye to it.

So when a group of my friends that I work with at the Bearcat Promise Career Studio said that they want to go thrifting and get coffee around the city, I said “sure I’ll tag along,” even though I have never thrifted a single piece of clothing and have only bought coffee from one of UC’s several Starbucks locations.

After Laura parallel parked her car about a block and a half away, we were well on our way to Mannequin Boutique, a curated thrift store in the heart of OTR, as well as a local coffee shop called the Coffee Emporium. I was shocked at how quickly we managed to get from UC’s campus to the dynamic and unique neighborhood that felt so far from the familiar brick and concrete buildings, measly patches of grass, and beige classrooms that I’ve grown accustomed to seeing every day at UC. Here at OTR, buildings are squished next to each other with no uniform height; the building tops create a rhythmic flow of up and down that feels like notes on a piece of sheet music. As we make our walk over, it is evident that OTR encompasses the spilling over communities of college students, downtown Cincinnati residents, and everyone in between. Down the block I could see the skyscrapers that characterize a stereotypical American city, but I could also see a myriad of coffee shops, clothing stores, bars, and buildings that seemed to be abandoned. It so starkly contrasts the strip malls containing chain after chain and perfectly manicured lawns that characterize my hometown of West Chester.

Street in OTR; Source: Planetizen (2022)

Despite the vibrant character OTR exhibits, it is not without its own controversy. Once named one of America’s most dangerous neighborhoods in 2009, OTR is now a bustling weekend destination for many in the Cincinnati area. The improvements in the neighborhood over the past 13 years have certainly made the area more safe, but they also exemplify a sobering case of gentrification (Over-The-Rhine: Is this a model for urban renewal or a warning sign?). Many locals in the neighborhood have been forced out as affordable housing options are diminishing, and a large number of people are left with little option of where to go or what to do next.

After turning the corner, we see the courthouse, an off-white building with columns that look like a miniature version of what would belong in Washington DC. Here protests for Black Lives Matter and Abortion access have been held in the past few years, an epicenter for change in a community that hasn’t been treated well by society. Next to it: a crumbling parking lot with a chain link fence and donation bins for the local Salvation Army. Nothing about OTR is clean, or perfect, or manicured. But even after just an afternoon trip there, I can see its character shine through in its community embrace and determination to keep going.

Hamilton County Courthouse; Source: Cincinnati Refined (2022)