First impressions of Cincinnati (Dayton, Kent: houses, neighborhood, buying)

[Calisonn]

Just wanted to post my thoughts on Cincinnati after my first visit, first the good:

1. Beautiful setting
2. Friendly people
3. More urban than I had in mind
4. Intact old building stock
5. Much more affordable than coastal cities.
6. Very walkable
7. Very green
8. Hilly terrain
9. Manageable traffic
10. Did I mention how charming the intact buildings are?

Now the bad:

1. Goetta
2. Skyline Chili
3. Businesses seem to close pretty early
4. Black/White city, little diversity outside of that.

I was very impressed by Cincinnati, would love to visit again, definitely a city you guys should be proud to call home.

[goyguy]

You didn't try Graeter's ice cream?

[Ohiogirl81]

I'm with you on the bad #1! LOL

[dodeca]

Originally Posted by kylemackey

Are non black and white people better or something like that? Did you anticipate meeting Martians?

He means the 'diversity' of Cincinnati is White people and Black people. It's like when folks from rural Ohio say there's a lot of diversity in their towns, Catholics and Lutherans.

[austiNati]

I've yet to meet someone from outside of Greater Cincy/Dayton, who likes Cincinnati Style Chilly. anyways, glad you enjoyed your trip Calisonn.

[wrightflyer]

Originally Posted by Calisonn

Just wanted to post my thoughts on Cincinnati after my first visit, first the good:

1. Beautiful setting
2. Friendly people
3. More urban than I had in mind
4. Intact old building stock
5. Much more affordable than coastal cities.
6. Very walkable
7. Very green
8. Hilly terrain
9. Manageable traffic
10. Did I mention how charming the intact buildings are?

Now the bad:

1. Goetta
2. Skyline Chili
3. Businesses seem to close pretty early
4. Black/White city, little diversity outside of that.

I was very impressed by Cincinnati, would love to visit again, definitely a city you guys should be proud to call home.

Happy to hear you enjoyed your visit! Always fun to have out-of-towners see Cincinnati.

On the diversity of minority populations note, not sure if you made it further into the suburbs on your trip. While still nothing like west coast cities or NYC metro, there are some Asian communities in the region. More centered around Indian/Pakistani and Middle Eastern diasporas than Eastern or SE Asian countries. NKY has a small contingent of a Japanese community, but with Toyota engineering gone to Plano, I doubt it is as big as it once was, but I could be wrong. NKU has/had a Japanese School built into their college campus too.

Mason, West Chester Township and other NE Cincinnati suburbs are more likely to be areas you find Asian minorities versus Cincinnati proper - both in higher and lower income areas combined. Part of that is the research, development and manufacturing at GE, BAE Systems, P&G Research Center and AK Steel - or whoever owns them now - plus other large R&D and engineering-centered businesses in the suburbs. Towards Dayton, some of the suburbs there have higher than typical (typical being for Ohio locales and most Midwest locales of similar size), minority populations from Asian countries due to Wright-Patterson AFB, which houses both Air Force Material Command - where everything the USAF does in buying and selling plans/equipment/research/aid funnels through - and Air Force Research Lab HQ, which has tons of scientists and engineers onsite, not including the government contractors outside the base itself

As for Hispanic populations, it is small but growing, especially in places like Price Hill, Springdale and Florence on the Kentucky side. Two of those are suburbs while Price Hill is an large but older urban neighborhood.

But yes, diversity wise, it is there, but you are right that is is heavily centered on being bisected between Blacks and Whites, especially in the city proper.

[Nomomo07]

Originally Posted by wrightflyer

As for Hispanic populations, it is small but growing, especially in places like Price Hill, Springdale and Florence on the Kentucky side. Two of those are suburbs while Price Hill is an large but older urban neighborhood.

There is also a growing Latino population in the Carthage area, which I was happy to discover on a recent trip up Vine Street.

[SonnyDaze]

Originally Posted by Nomomo07

There is also a growing Latino population in the Carthage area, which I was happy to discover on a recent trip up Vine Street.

That population has been growing steadily there since the mid-2000s.

As an adolescent in 2005, my Puerto Rican friend invited me to play in an all-Latino adult basketball league at a church in Carthage. The gym was absolutely tiny and the games were all played in succession every Saturday night and Sunday afternoon over a few months span. Dozens of people would crowd the sidelines making incessant noise, many banging pots and pans. A team full of Salvadorians - all barely 5 feet tall - would face off against a team of giant Dominicans in one game. Another game would see my team, which featured mostly Ecuadorians, facing off against the Latino Student Union from UC. The Dominicans ran through the league until they got upset in the Championship game and they practically incited a riot in retaliation. It was certainly an experience like none other in the Cincinnati area.

[Martin K]

Originally Posted by austiNati

I've yet to meet someone from outside of Greater Cincy/Dayton, who likes Cincinnati Style Chilly. anyways, glad you enjoyed your trip Calisonn.

I was born and raised in Nashville, and I love some Skyline. I'm sure it helps that my mom is from Cincinnati. Down here if you ask for chili with spaghetti they might call the men in the white coats to take you away.

[rstevens62]

Originally Posted by Martin K

I was born and raised in Nashville, and I love some Skyline. I'm sure it helps that my mom is from Cincinnati. Down here if you ask for chili with spaghetti they might call the men in the white coats to take you away.

There is so much difference between the brands of chili here too,



Ive heard that Skyline puts cinnamon in their chili, Gold star puts chocolate, I dont care much for Skyline, Gold star or Empress are my faves.