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Keep in mind that population loss isn't totally bad. If families move out to the burbs, and most with means do (in Ohio), in search of newer housing with modern floor plans, decent schools, and are replaced by wealthier or younger singles and double income no kid couples, the demand for services decrease (schools, etc) and overall income and tax base increase but population will ultimately decrease...it's not necessarily a negative. It's adapting to the new (or since 1950) reality of city living.

I should have also said, Walnut Hills High School affords lower income kids who can't or won't move out of the City of Cincinnati but also want a very solid secondary education....

Walnut Hills is case study for big city schools. Admission is open to any student in the City of Cincinnati who passes a modest admissions test. Its as diverse as Shaker Heights but offers an education to kids whose parents actually care about their educations. This means that Cincinnati can support diverse, higher income city neighborhoods like Hyde Park, Oakley and Mount Lookout where parents can have faith their kids can obtain a quality education through high school while continuing to reside within city limits.

Not sure what the selling proposition for buying a loft is in Downtown Flint, but whatever. No pics of the former Autoworld? Is it still standing?

I don't get it

Looks to more like the "Main Street District" rather than "Business District" because it doesn't appear that there is much business going on other than perhaps Wendy's and Frankie's

I'll also note the one BIG difference between Charlotte and Cincinnati is how Uptown (Downtown) is perceived. People in Charlotte are very proud of Uptown..probably too proud, because while nice, it ain't that great, but the attitude towards Uptown is overly positive. Homes are often advertised by their distance to Uptown and as such there is real demand for Uptown and Uptown near living, which although probably on pause for a while, help contribute to development Uptown and nearby. Rarely is crime mentioned as an issue. Charlotte is also lucky to have some very very high income areas immediately to the south of Uptown which support restaurants, and business location and relocation to the core. It seems that conventional wisdom, while becoming more positive, still shows significant fear of downtown Cincinnati which is sad and mostly unfounded...but perception is reality I guess.

I know that you guys talk about it and I've only scanned this thread, but don't forget that places like Shaker and Hyde Park were when they were built not known as urban, or first ring suburbs, they were suburbs...plain and simple. Couple that with the fact that most of these homes look EXACTLY the same and its only through time that these homes have evolved and trees have grown. Go back to Baxter in 50 years and will look an aweful lot like a mature suburb (however HOA restrictions) may prevent some more drastic changes) the neighborhood may be considered a 4th ring suburb. Pictures of Myers Park and Dilworth when it was built 100 years ago (one of the most exclusive street car suburbs in Charlotte..think Shaker or Hyde Park) looked very similar with some bigger houses, however with 2 inch caliber plantings, etc.. The fact of the matter is that a lot of the older homes in cities like Cincinnati, Charlotte or Cleveland are either expensive, expensive to maintain, have crappy old floor plans and inefficient, or in crappy parts of town. New home construction in "fake" towns like Baxter appeals to people...althought not quite as many who prefer a nice 1/4 acre lot

I'm sure its a nice place to live but it seems very instituonal to me...like I'm on a base or something

Yah...you're right...you did say "not many"...so even if you do include those cities mentioned it still defines "not many".... That being said, so could Charlotte, although the mountains would be closer than the beach...2 vs 4

Let's see...as could: Boston, NYC, Philadelphia, SF/SJ/Oak, DC, Baltimore, Richmond... probably the only cities worth a damn (in my 3 minute analysis) at least...not including the Pacific NW..bc those really arent beaches in the traditional sense... I can't stand Raleigh for Raleigh though...drives me crazy, although I know a lot of people really like it there and I could see why they might...it really is a great place to raise a family.

So you'd want to be in Raleigh because it is closer to places you'd rather want to be outside or Raleigh? Personally, I can't stand Raleigh...great diverse economy, but talk about a soulness suburban mess. One stat I recently read states that Charlotte already has worse sprawl than ATL...relative to their varying sizes. Population density for Greater Charlotte is less than Greater ATL...I forgot where I saw that but it stuck

Wow...if Pittsburgh could actually find a way to grow and attract a critical mass of the demographic that would like to live downtown it would be an awesome city...

Great shots Randy...Who's that idiot in the blue shirt and Reds cap who is in some of your pics? Looks to be following you around or something. Just to clarify..the Metroplois is the new Best Buy/Target just outside of Uptown. The Epicentre is the new development where the Strike City/Whiskey River/Howl are. #45 is classic

Awesome photos. Would love to go back some day