So I think its pretty obvious that Oakley is a happening place in Cincinnati these days.  This seems particularly interesting to me.  When did this start and why?  Does anyone really have any insight into why Oakley has been so successful?  My obvious guesses are location, quality existing housing stock, and brownfield potential.  What do you UO'ers think?

Hyde Park overflow...

^yep

One of the expansion of Greater Hyde Park as Rando said. Two the closing of the factories that once provided blue collar jobs for Oakleyites (with that gone it became an affordable bedroom community). Three, the fact that it was always a pretty white neighborhood (which matters in Cincinnati).

Aside from Hyde Park overflow, I think Oakley is a great location. It's close to the interstate and for some reason people want to live near Rookwood. I love Oakley and i'm glad it's so successful. There's such a great variety of things to do there.

I think that crossroads church help show some suburbanites the positives of living in the city. I'm sure it also helped a bit with Oakley

the fact that it was always a pretty white neighborhood (which matters in Cincinnati).

What do you mean by that?

What it says, that middle class white people were willing to invest there, contrast with say Evanston.

This is not a positive but rather than an unfortunate aspect of Cincinnati life.

I don't think cincinnati is unique in that respect

i dk man, i'm not really into those style of sunglasses.

What it says, that middle class white people were willing to invest there, contrast with say Evanston.

Sedamsville  and  Sayler park are pretty white neighborhoods i don't see much investment there. I take offense to what you said about what matters in Cincinnati.

 

  No one has mentioned I-71.

 

  Everything along I-71 is booming, all the way across the state. Statewide, the diagonal 3-C corridor counties are all gaining population except the 3 urban counties of Hamilton, Franklin, and Cuyahoga. Meanwhile, most of the counties not along I-71 are either stable or declining in population.

 

  On a smaller scale, the northeast sector of the Cincinnat metro consisting of Evendale / Sharonville / Blue Ash / Tri-County / West Chester has sort of morphed into it's own city which is competitive with the original City of Cincinnati. Oakley is a sort of suburb of the northeast metro. That is, people who have jobs in West Chester may commute from Oakley.

I just moved to Oakley from Corryville and really dig it. It's relaxing, walkable, bikeable and you can take care of errands easily. Plus, I like to work on cars and motorcycles in the garage, and Oakley was built at the right time to have garages and not be a sprawley mess.

 

Also, there many people at my age and position in life around (late 20s, early part of career), as opposed to Corryville, where I felt out of place. I guess I grew out of being around only college kids, though I didn't get tired of looking at the girls!

 

Finally, no bums. Cincinnati needs to enforce the panhandling laws that are already on the books. Panhandling is really hurting the more central parts of city. I had to stop working on my car (something I deeply enjoy) because I wouldn't get anything done since I was forced to entertain bums. They know you aren't going to walk off with your car in a million pieces, so they just swarm.

What it says, that middle class white people were willing to invest there, contrast with say Evanston.

Sedamsville  and  Sayler park are pretty white neighborhoods i don't see much investment there. I take offense to what you said about what matters in Cincinnati.

 

Well, yes but they are right next to Hyde Park and I-71. I was identifying why Oakley more than Evanston or to a lesser extent Madisonville (which is seeing some of renaissance) or throw in Kennedy Heights. I'm not sure this is unique to Cincinnati but it is unfortunate aspect of Cincinnati's culture. The people who choose Oakley often did not look first at Northside or College Hill rather they couldn't afford Hyde Park or maybe East Walnut Hills or Kenwood.

 

 

Three, the fact that it was always a pretty white neighborhood (which matters in Cincinnati).

 

Kind of like the demand we're seeing with "whites" moving into downtown?

 

 

dmerkow, can you please post a city where this hasn't been a factor in: a) a city's history or b) it's current environment?

I'm not sure why I need to. We're discussing a neighborhood in Cincinnati and the causes of its success. Race is a vital and significant part of American life, generally with negative consequences. Just because these effects can be seen across the country doesn't mean they aren't a factor worth acknowledging for good or ill.

 

This is why the success of Northside, College Hill, North Avondale, P. Ridge, K. Heights is significant.

 

By and by, downtowns operate by a set of different rules than residential (urban or suburban) neighborhoods. Always have.

It really sounds as though you think only certain area's in the city deserves development and investments and to hell with the rest.

If there is one thing that I can't stand more than anything else -it's when people lay blankets of generalizations over an entire city.

 

Please don't do that. This world is too big and different for you to summarize a group of people in a particular area.

^^ Then why make a statement that this is an unfortunate aspect of Cincinnati life - it seems that it would be more appropriate to say American life unless you have examples to the contrary.  Also, I think there has been some effort in Evanston with DeSale's crossing.  Of course we would want more, but much of this is market-driven.  There is an increasing demand in Oakley, and the investment is following. 

I've lived in Oakley for 4 years now and here's my take on why it's succeeding right now, in no particular order.

 

1.  Location: Proximity to 71/Hyde Park

2.  Decent single family housing stock, affordable apartments

3.  Sufficiently homogenous for popular majority tastes

4.  All goods/services needed within a 1-mile radius

5.  Somewhat interesting, although over-hyped, restaurant/retail scene

 

Having quick access to the things I need has kept me somewhat content in the time I've been here, but it's far from the type of neighborhood I'm looking for.  If we were to stick around post-graduation, we'd probably look in Downtown or OTR, which still don't cut it, but have more potential to become the dynamic and diverse type of places that I'd like to be. 

 

We moved here for the convenience of the Square, but the true necessities are on Paxton and the peripheries, which are and will remain no man's lands for the foreseeable future.  In summary, not bad, but no thanks.

^ You do have Animations. ;) I thinks that's the name. I have not been there for MANY years. maybe 6 years. Anyone know what happend to the Kennedy connector?

For people with memories of the Oakley area that go back more than 5 or even ten years, it matters.

Plus, I like to work on cars and motorcycles in the garage, and Oakley was built at the right time to have garages and not be a sprawley mess.

 

I LOVE that about certain neighborhoods in Cincinnati like Oakley and Hyde Park. Garages can make a house look falsely bigger than they truely are when they are attached in front or on the side but it looks ugly imo. The land use is such that you can have a narrow driveway and garage in the back. That's how the house is where I live and although there isn't much grass or room for landscaping, we can fit 4-5 cars in the back of the house. It puts less stress on the street. Doing that as opposed to a street layout with back alleys seems to allow for a denser neighborhood.

ok, so did oakley community council (or whoever is in charge of these type of things) simply say: "oh, right time, right place" and let all these good things happen by themselves or did they enact any sort of master plans to guide the development, etc? 

It seemed to be have been a little of both. Oakley had a very active community council, but they also lucked out when Hyde Park over grew its boundaries. The growth of Rockwood certainly helped. I'm not sure they would consider Center of Cincinnati a success. There was plenty of opposition to it, because they tore down the historic hq buildings of Cincinnati Milacron and a whole neighborhood.

Puppy love at new spa

Clients get swim, massage and styling and still look like dogs

BY JEFF MCKINNEY | CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

December 16, 2007

 

OAKLEY - Ray Schneider perks up as he talks about his new pet care facility, with extras ranging from an indoor swimming pool to a day care and styling and massage services.

 

Schneider is investing more than $3 million to open Red Dog Pet Resort & Spa, a 27,000-square-foot facility, on Tuesday (along Madison Road at the former Oakley Drive-In site.

 

...

^I'm by far a dog person than a cat nut and I find this absurd. Flat-screen TVs for dogs? Please aren't most dogs color-blind anyway.

^Haha...it's the East Side...

My friend Jen's parents own Hyde Bark; you wouldn't believe the customized crap people buy for their dogs! If you're single, your dog is basically your kid I guess.

I can tell most of my friends are going to have rotten kids because they have rotten dogs.

Being trendy has a downside

Auditor defends neighborhood's rising property valuations

By Gregory Korte, Cincinnati Enquirer, January 7, 2009

 

OAKLEY - Hamilton County Auditor Dusty Rhodes started with the good news.

 

"Congratulations on living in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the whole county," he told Oakley homeowners Tuesday night at a meeting of the Oakley Community Council.

 

The bad news, Oakley homeowners already know, is that their typical home values have gone up 17 percent since 2005 - the most in Hamilton County.

 

...

Oakley is 'full of retired people' ? That doesn't sound right. Actually, Oakley seems to have a lot of young single people and people with 'starter homes'. I don't buy that. It seems like it has been that way for a while. At least since while I lived in Pleasant Ridge which began around 2001. I think people recognize Oakley has a pretty vibrant square - ideal for young people (especially with the bars, laundromat, 20th century theater, specialty stores), it's relatively safe, close to Hyde Park and Mt. Lookout, close to the highway, the housing stock is cheap with a lot of potential for rehabbing, etc. It's bound to increase in value.

 

I think property values will stabilize once people realize how high their property taxes will be, should they chose to move to Oakley.

There are still a lot of empty houses in Oakley. I don't have any direct neighbors because the houses are all vacant. People are sitting on them because they are waiting for the houses to be worth more or they are asking too much for them.

 

Oakley really is a great area, but the people around here are too normal. Their peacoats, nice haircuts, real jobs and square-toed shoes contrast too much with my jean jacket and torn jeans (no jean shirts, sadly) and driveway auto work. I need an area with at least a few crazy people.

^ That's true ...

 

Property owners in Oakley do think their homes are worth too much, but that's because of some of the actual closings that have taken place where Person A bought his house for $80k and in 6 years sold it for $120k. It's these stories that influence people to overprice.

A lot of the houses are really nice and unmolested (i.e. interior trim not all painted over, no poorly done drywall, tile instead of linoleum) but the cheapest example in such condition that I have seen advertised is $160k. Most houses are under 1400 sq. ft., but of course small is now desirable.

Oakley really is a great area, but the people around here are too normal. Their peacoats, nice haircuts, real jobs and square-toed shoes contrast too much with my jean jacket and torn jeans (no jean shirts, sadly) and driveway auto work. I need an area with at least a few crazy people.

 

Norwood

Norwood is so dull. Nothing deadens the mind like a drive through Norwood. The architecture and the businesses are so forgettable.

I work near Norwood. Eat there. And that's it. It's boring.

I like Bond Hill. There's that part that looks like it's in a big East Coast city, then the melting Swifton Commons shopping center with the newer banking mid-rise building in an outlot. It's like Cincinnati's New Jersey.

Norwood is so dull. Nothing deadens the mind like a drive through Norwood. The architecture and the businesses are so forgettable.

 

There are some decent areas of Norwood that have some really interesting houses.  Off of Williams there are a few really nice blocks.  At least, the potential is there...and they were nice at one point.

Did someone mention square toed shoes?  I knew Oakley was a perfect fit for me.

 

 

Norwood is so dull. Nothing deadens the mind like a drive through Norwood. The architecture and the businesses are so forgettable.

 

Norwood has potential but it still has that "Nortucky" image from back in the day.  It is my understanding that Oakley at one time was very similar in demographic and image but has since transformed to Hyde Park Lite.  Pleasant Ridge is the next neighborhood to go the way of Oakley if you ask me.

^ Well there's still "North Oakley", which is the area north of Paxton, east of the square but not on Madison. There are still some hillll-billlies in that part, the kind that hang out at Slammers (a strip mall bar across from Domino's) and ride cheap '70s AMF Harleys. The YPs haven't taken over that part yet.

Did someone mention square toed shoes?  I knew Oakley was a perfect fit for me.

 

 

Norwood is so dull. Nothing deadens the mind like a drive through Norwood. The architecture and the businesses are so forgettable.

 

Norwood has potential but it still has that "Nortucky" image from back in the day.  It is my understanding that Oakley at one time was very similar in demographic and image but has since transformed to Hyde Park Lite.  Pleasant Ridge is the next neighborhood to go the way of Oakley if you ask me.

 

Madisonville is the next Oakley...atleast thats what I have heard a bajillion times.  It certainly is getting a lot of attention via Red Bank, etc.  Too bad most of that has been suburban so far.  We will see.  The Madisonville Arts Center is great.  Got a tour today. 

That new Madison development is through Miller-Valentine. I don't know much about it but I'm guessing it stalled. I don't know how Miller Valentine even exists after the whole Rookwood fiasco.

 

Real Madisonville is really depressing. Entering Madisonville from Mariemont is really disturbing lol

^ Well there's still "North Oakley", which is the area north of Paxton, east of the square but not on Madison. There are still some hillll-billlies in that part, the kind that hang out at Slammers (a strip mall bar across from Domino's) and ride cheap '70s AMF Harleys. The YPs haven't taken over that part yet.

 

Agreed, but I live in that part of Oakley.  The YPs are coming, even dramatically in the last 9 months or so.  But we are in desperate need of a streetscape upgrade!

 

And Animations is probably the best bar around!  Despite the horrific name.  When the owner of a bar gives out free pizza at midnight on Saturdays and you can buy a Little Kings at the bar, it doesn't get much better than that!

I like the bad streetscapes. It helps me differentiate Oakley from Hyde Park.

That new Madison development is through Miller-Valentine. I don't know much about it but I'm guessing it stalled. I don't know how Miller Valentine even exists after the whole Rookwood fiasco.

 

Real Madisonville is really depressing. Entering Madisonville from Mariemont is really disturbing lol

 

Wait, does madisonville even border mariemont?  Isn't that Madison Place aka Columbia Twshp? 

 

There are quite a few nice streets in madisonville. 

Who knows. Columbia Township is a disaster lol.  I think that is Madisonville though - I think I recall a "Welcome to Madisonville" sign after all of the trees and general Ebenezer Howard-esq stuff disappeared lol.

yea i guess it could border mariemont.  i am too lazy to look it up.  but there is a little place in there called madison place that is between madisonville and mariemont.  its columbia township and yes, that township is an absolute mess.  ugh.