^Sorry to hear about that.  Hang in there.  It does suck that happened.  I would venture to guess it was an addict coming down.  It is no secret there is drug dealing every day on Vine and 15th area, maybe he was trying to score and had no dough and was flipping out.  Either way, there is no excuse for that behavior and sorry you had to go through that.

Yeah. I mean, it's not going to change my love for OTR or Cincy since this type of thing happens in every city. There are always going to be people under the influence of substances that can cause really aggressive outbursts and reduce rational thought. I'm just glad I was alone and therefore could just take off and not have to worry about, say, my 60 year old mom not knowing what to do. And thankfully I had just seen the group of workers on Republic so knew there were people nearby which is usually a huge deterrent to someone doing something dumb, even if under the influence of something.

Obviously this is impossible, but ridding the country of people who aren't in control of their CELL PHONES while operating a vehicle would make the roads and areas around them so much safer for everyone.

 

FTFY

It is nearly impossible the use the Over-the-Rhine Residents Facebook page. Everything devolves into a handfull of long-time OTR residents getting confrontational, calling newer residents "elites", and opposing any new development in the neighborhood. Here is an exchange from today, with names redacted.

:Snip:

 

 

I dug this up, these are two radical idiots who probably worshiped Buddy Grey.  The thing is its quite literally two people.  Frankly the behavior they show is grounds for banning them from that group, they are unwilling to have a productive conversation.  These people make me sick, they want to keep holding the neighborhood and the city back in favor of some ridiciulous far fetched utopia.  Far too long did people do too much to appease them, and frankly they should be swept aside your city will be better for it.  Do they realize the number of transit accessible jobs that are being created due to OTR's resurgence?  Do they realize the amount of money that is being brought into the regional economy vis a vis tourism that will create even more jobs?  No.  They see the world in a fishbowl and are an extreme reaction to Cincinnati's conservatism, so extreme that they are parochial and conservative in their own very special way.

 

Now as to long time residents in OTR, integration should happen, I'm making a distinction between radicals who want OTR to only be a sanctuary for the poor (like the people above) and people who want a neighborhood that is a mixed income neighborhood.  Its not an easy path, but hostile people like this make it even harder and Buddy Grey single handedly (with help from idiots like Tom Luken and what not who had no leadership) held Cincinnati back from its potential  for decades.

 

These same two individuals are still at it.

 

One of them has been making post after posts complaining about a bizarre situation she got herself involved with. As best as I can tell, she was maintaining a "community garden" that was on an individual's private property... and that individual has now asked her to leave the property. (I'm assuming that the land was sold, and that the "community garden" was never something truly owned by the community, it was just something that the previous owner was allowing her to do.) She posted a video of the cops showing up and asking her to leave. She is making all sorts of accusations that the property owner is racist, a gentrifier, etc. Any time someone tries to ask her a reasonable question, like, "Who gave you permission to build your garden on that property? Did you actually have permission to be there in the first place?", the asker is attacked by these two crazy individuals that dominate the Facebook page. It's actually hard to piece together the full story because anyone who asks a factual question is attacked.

 

Then she has been posting all sorts of text and images that say "Criminals are taking over OTR! SAVE THE BABIES!" Of course, in her mind, the new residents who are moving in are the "criminals" and we need to "save the babies" from gentrification, etc.

They need to be banned send a PM to the mods of that page

 

I think the admins of that page are on it now.

I think the admins of that page are on it now.

 

Didn't look so good the last time I looked, sigh.

Oh who cares? It's a Facebook page for God's sake.

Because these people exist in the real world too. They are the same people that showed up to protest the opening of Washington Park and continue to protest every change that happens in the neighborhood.

Yeah this isn't just some virtual person who limits their mindless rants to facebook. This brand of crazy makes its way into every public meeting and gets picked up by media. It isn't harmless. It has a negative effect on OTR's progress when people like this are so outwardly vocal.

And? Are they not allowed to protest? Is there not space for dissent over the trajectory of the neighborhood? People need to stop being so insecure about OTR and the few dissidents that don't share the enthusiasm for the changes taking place. The neighborhood withstood being a poverty playground for 50 years- I think a couple of Facebook posts or "annoying" neighbors aren't going to stop the revitalization that is taking place. OTR is a transitioning community, and there is always friction where there is change and transition.

Except this isn't a group of people with legitimate concerns. They're the type of people who mobilize the groups who want the neighborhood to stay exactly the same. It's not going to stop anything from happening, no, but it doesn't take much to throw off perception of a place.

 

I have no problems with people protesting but that's not what this is. It's people who are literally crazy and cause scenes at public meetings.

And? Are they not allowed to protest? Is there not space for dissent over the trajectory of the neighborhood? People need to stop being so insecure about OTR and the few dissidents that don't share the enthusiasm for the changes taking place. The neighborhood withstood being a poverty playground for 50 years- I think a couple of Facebook posts or "annoying" neighbors aren't going to stop the revitalization that is taking place. OTR is a transitioning community, and there is always friction where there is change and transition.

 

Did you look at the page? Please do so if you haven't.  From what I've seen, these guys aren't protesting then engaging in conversation, they are protesting because they feel like the status quo has been stolen from them and they don't want to even consider any other viewpoints.  They aren't useful for a page that is supposed to be about building community among residents as their only goal is to keep things divided and dysfunctional.

Lately the OTR NextDoor community site has been dominated by the same individuals.

^Yep. I never posted on Nextdoor but have since turned off notifications because it's completely useless these days. I have no desire to wade through the crap to find meaningful discussion.

I forgot about NextDoor. I turned off notifications a long time ago and just forgot about its existence.

 

The service is almost completely useless to me because I live at the intersection of three neighborhoods, and can only be fully subscribed to a single neighborhood. This is useless when literally across the street is a different neighborhood.

I don't think this phenomena is unique to OTR.  If you're involved in any neighborhood group, PTA, scouts, charity organization etc you'll soon quickly realize that many people are delusional and somewhat insane.

^No doubt.  I cannot believe the topics started on my neighborhood FB page.  People will literally ask stupid questions like "is it supposed to rain today?" or "did anyone hear that loud boom?" (It's thunder, idiot.)

And? Are they not allowed to protest? Is there not space for dissent over the trajectory of the neighborhood? People need to stop being so insecure about OTR and the few dissidents that don't share the enthusiasm for the changes taking place. The neighborhood withstood being a poverty playground for 50 years- I think a couple of Facebook posts or "annoying" neighbors aren't going to stop the revitalization that is taking place. OTR is a transitioning community, and there is always friction where there is change and transition.

 

Did you look at the page? Please do so if you haven't.  From what I've seen, these guys aren't protesting then engaging in conversation, they are protesting because they feel like the status quo has been stolen from them and they don't want to even consider any other viewpoints.  They aren't useful for a page that is supposed to be about building community among residents as their only goal is to keep things divided and dysfunctional.

 

I did go to the page, and it seemed pretty benign, to be honest. One woman was complaining that the community garden was torn out from a vacant lot by a new owner. There were lots of questions regarding the legality of her being on the lot, and asking for specifics about the arrangement under which she was operating. Both sides seemed a bit obtuse, imo. She (and her supporters) obviously are pissed off, but it seems more like a private dispute than something that neighbors need to be involved in.

 

For a community that has changed so dramatically in the past 10 years, it seems like a very minor dispute to get worked up about. And people suggesting that she needs to be banned from the group are demonstrating an arrogance that I'm sure must be much more palpable to this woman and her family on the ground. Also, why did no one ask why the owner of the lot was so adamant that she leave, when the lot is still vacant, and in fact appears to be becoming over grown? Isn't a community garden better than an unused vacant lot? Not everything is going to be pretty and peaceful in a gentrifying community. If these type of situations threaten the peace and sense of community in the neighborhood, perhaps consider living in a more homogenous neighborhood.

 

Just my two cents.

She did not just make one post. She made post after post about it. And every time someone asks her a legitimate question, like whether she has the legal right to be on that lot, she and others react aggressively. She is airing her dirty laundry and claiming that this incident is an example of gentrification.

Over-the-Rhine featured in This Old House magazine.

 

I think they had another article about OTR a few years ago, but obviously a lot had changed in that time. I still think it would be awesome if they filmed an OTR renovation for the show!

Over-the-Rhine featured in This Old House magazine.

 

I think they had another article about OTR a few years ago, but obviously a lot had changed in that time. I still think it would be awesome if they filmed an OTR renovation for the show!

 

About 10 years ago I was wondering if that would be something that would help highlight the exceptional historic architecture of Cincinnati.  Lets hope that happens soon.

Took my 9 year old child to Lumenocity the other night.  He's developed quite a love for the city and is a budding urbanophile.

 

One troubling thing was the amount of times we were panhandled.  I mean, right in front of Senate too! It wasn't like we were being hit up on side streets.   

I would rather get panhandled on Vine than Mercer, 14th, or Republic.

^There is a lot of panhandling in OTR and downtown.  It's just the way it is. 

My approach, which I picked up quickly while living in NYC, is to not even acknowledge their existence. In NYC the bums are so used to being completely ignored that they think nothing of it. I’ve had a few panhandlers here call me choice words, though. The Cincinnati panhandlers do seem to be a bit more aggressive than their counterparts in other cities. CPD should do some occasional sweeps and actually enforce panhandling laws every once in a while.

It sounds awful to talk about a person this way, but not even acknowledging them is the best course of action if you don't plan on giving them anything. It's a basic life skill of living in any city and at first you feel kind of bad about it but it is what it is.

One time I ignored a panhandler who was walking the same direction down the street as me. For the next several minutes she made comments like, "Mr. Snob over here thinks he's better than me. Won't even talk to me. Thinks he's too good..."

 

But 99% of the time I just ignore them and have no issues.

That's happened to me as well. Was called a, "spoiled rich a**hole." Thought about going into my finances to show that "rich" is incredibly far from describing me but obviously that's not worth it so I just kept walking because I had arcade games to play.

 

Unrelated, but 16 Bit is fantastic. Rampage is there and that's basically my childhood. Now if they got a Cruisn' USA machine I'd be in heaven. I'd never leave.

Lol a panhandler came up to me in Millennium Park in Chicago last year, and when I told him no he called me the N word (hard R).  I'm white.  That was pretty funny.

I had a guy go on a rant at me when I was in New York, none of which actually made sense pertaining to me. "You with your fancy coat (wearing a cheap jacket) and your jewelery (never worn jewelery in my life) yeah you with the red shirt, probably cost as much as rent ($5 from H&M) walking away to your loft in Dumbo daddy bought you (don't really need to explain why that's comical)." I just kept walking. The guy was clearly bitter and projecting but I found it funny that everything he was saying to me as he followed me through Brooklyn Bridge Park was inaccurate. Much of which was visually inaccurate. Like, you can see that I'm not wearing any jewelery...you can see that I'm not wearing fancy clothing. But whatever, just continuing to ignore him resulted in him growing bored and picking on someone else who gave him attention.

Panhandler around 7th and Vine, lady told me I was good looking and she wanted to kiss me. Panhandlers in Covington are not aggressive at all.

The heroin addicts in Covington are in real bad shape, they can barely walk let alone be aggressive.

My approach, which I picked up quickly while living in NYC, is to not even acknowledge their existence. In NYC the bums are so used to being completely ignored that they think nothing of it. I’ve had a few panhandlers here call me choice words, though. The Cincinnati panhandlers do seem to be a bit more aggressive than their counterparts in other cities. CPD should do some occasional sweeps and actually enforce panhandling laws every once in a while.

I think because of the overwhelming number of people (potential donors) in NY panhandlers get good money just based on odds that enough of them will give without having to get too agressive; although I have heard that's changing a little because evidence, at least anecdotally from many sources, suggests there are more homeless on the street. 

Take the 2015 Downtown Cincinnati Perceptions Survey and share your concern(s): http://www.dcisurvey.com/

^I already did last week.  Maybe I will resubmit.

 

I get it.  I know to ignore them but it stood out to me because it seems more and more like the CBD bums are content to hold signs and the OTR bums will ask.  The asking is what's annoying because it's a crime.  I do not acknowledge them and I guess I would hope that there is a panhandler code to avoid people with young children.

I agree with you. What bothers me is when this activity happens in view of a CPD officer and they never take action. Ditto to bicyclist on the sidewalks.

Getting hit up for money by coworkers and family members is a lot more annoying than strangers. 

It sounds awful to talk about a person this way, but not even acknowledging them is the best course of action if you don't plan on giving them anything. It's a basic life skill of living in any city and at first you feel kind of bad about it but it is what it is.

 

if your tender heart feels guilty about not giving to panhandlers, make a donation to a nonprofit that helps the homeless.  I make an annual contribution to Tender Mercies (http://www.tendermerciesinc.org/) because they do great work at getting mentally ill homeless people off the streets and into supportive housing.

 

remember: the vast majority of panhandlers and the chronically homeless either have untreated mental illness or drugs/alcohol addiction. don't enable them. Give to organizations that help address the root causes of their issues.

It sounds awful to talk about a person this way, but not even acknowledging them is the best course of action if you don't plan on giving them anything. It's a basic life skill of living in any city and at first you feel kind of bad about it but it is what it is.

 

I try to say something along the lines of "sorry man can't help you today but have a good one" and don't stop walking, they usually appreciate the acknowledgement. Often times I get a "thank you" from them. I'm not saying this to try to sound holier-than-thou, just something I adapted because I was also uncomfortable with ignoring them.

 

What is bad nowadays is the freeway ramp panhandlers... you can't walk away when you're behind the wheel of a 1,500 lb automobile stopped at a red light.

^ yeah I try to say something like "Sorry man don't have anything on me" because no acknowledgement at all may drive further comments prolonging the situation and making it more awkward.

So I had an unfortunate negative event yesterday in OTR.

 

Was with my family and went to the Taft Ale House. Afterwards I thought it would be a good idea to have them try some Macrons and the Macron Bar on Main Street. The time was around 8pm, sun was down obviously at that time.

 

OTR was sort of dead for Saturday. Not sure if it was because of the cold weather or everyone had there own Halloween thing going. Anyways, walking from 16 bit to The Columbia building on Walnut is super sketchy. There are always a group of black men hanging on that corner. And we were offered week and coke. They got angry when we ignoring them, and trying to cross the street. Afterwards, a black man began to follow us, took off his shirt and began to yell at us, saying we are gonna get shot. He showed us the gun shot wound on his stomach.

 

My family began to panic. We made it to main, but it didn't help. There were crowds of more homeless people, and more sketchy black folk who began to talk shit to us. We were dressed nicely, and they made fun of us for this. We finally made it to the Macron Bar, but none the less they almost had a heart attack. OTR was pretty dead, and the path way from Vine to Main was just scary.

 

 

I guess the point of this post is OTR still confuses me. This is technically supposed to be the "safe" part of OTR. South of liberty, but the residents that are still there seem to like to continue to harass the visitors or sell drugs to them.

^I'm calling bullcrap. Didn't happen.

I parked my car in front of 16 bit last night and watched some football at lachey's. There were in fact people hanging at that corner including an extremely cute little kid wearing a teenage mutant ninja turtle costume. They were black people, so I guess to some OTR is still scary.

Why would I make up a story? You think I have some secret agenda?  I love otr and was trying to have my mother and father experience it as well. It was going great up until deciding to stray away from the vine Street crowd

 

Again the street with half cut, lacheys, and gomez are relatively safe because of all the street traffic. But the street that interests the abandoned Columbia building and old saint Mary has no bars or street traffic.

 

You can ask anyoe about the crowd that  hangs by the Columbia building

 

I'm just trying to tell you guys be safe. Be with a group and try to stay in well lit areas. Nothing bad happened to us, but all I'm saying is the level of actively you will see on vine is sort of absent elsewhere

There were tons of people out in OTR last night. I walk past the Columbia almost every night & everyone hanging out there in front is always polite and respectful. TroyEros[/member] if you make up negative stories about the neighborhood I love you're going to get called out.

Whatever man. I was there at 8 pm. I walked by that corner with my family. The events happened so don't go telling me that I'm a liar. You weren't there so piss off.

Seriously, I have NEVER had a problem with the guys who hang out in front of The Columbia.

Seriously, I have NEVER had a problem with the guys who hang out in front of The Columbia.

 

I didn't have a problem either.

 

Again they offered us drugs. We just chose to ignore them.

 

Then a man began to follow behind us and showed us his stomach. There was a old bullet wound on his stomach that was stapled. He said be careful walking on Walnut at night because that's the street he got shot on, and suggested we return home.

 

They didn't mug us. They didn't beat us up. They didn't even verbally abuse us. It just made my family feel uncomfortable that's all. They view OTR as relatively safe, but when you see a guy come up to you, and show you his bullet wound it just scares you a bit you know.

So I had an unfortunate negative event yesterday in OTR.

 

Was with my family and went to the Taft Ale House. Afterwards I thought it would be a good idea to have them try some Macrons and the Macron Bar on Main Street. The time was around 8pm, sun was down obviously at that time.

 

OTR was sort of dead for Saturday. Not sure if it was because of the cold weather or everyone had there own Halloween thing going. Anyways, walking from 16 bit to The Columbia building on Walnut is super sketchy. There are always a group of black men hanging on that corner. And we were offered week and coke. They got angry when we ignoring them, and trying to cross the street. Afterwards, a black man began to follow us, took off his shirt and began to yell at us, saying we are gonna get shot. He showed us the gun shot wound on his stomach.

 

My family began to panic. We made it to main, but it didn't help. There were crowds of more homeless people, and more sketchy black folk who began to talk shit to us. We were dressed nicely, and they made fun of us for this. We finally made it to the Macron Bar, but none the less they almost had a heart attack. OTR was pretty dead, and the path way from Vine to Main was just scary.

 

 

I guess the point of this post is OTR still confuses me. This is technically supposed to be the "safe" part of OTR. South of liberty, but the residents that are still there seem to like to continue to harass the visitors or sell drugs to them.

 

I've had the exact same thing happen to me.

 

Not to that extent, but even south of Liberty there are places that need work. Not on the buildings, but on the people.

 

No one should consider what that guy did to be excusable. It's despicable. No one should consider it acceptable for 10-20 people to be congregated on the sidewalk drinking 40s staring people down on a weekday afternoon, or throwing dollars at them while on acid trips, and so on. It's ridiculous.

 

 

These people need to shape up. Simple as that. And they are not all, by any stretch of the imagination, just of one race, as many insinuate generally. So really everyone should be on board. I would not be opposed to a public dress code of sorts. Does any thing like that exist in other cities?

I would not be opposed to a public dress code of sorts. Does any thing like that exist in other cities?

 

WTF?