East Walnut Hills

Most of East Walnut Hills is filled with stately larger homes on broad, tree-lined streets. The nicest and largest homes tend to be in the area between Cleinview and Torrence, with Keys Crescent being one of the most desirable streets to live on. Many of the homes on the southern side of Madison Road offer sweeping views of the Ohio River Valley. The East Walnut Hills area encompasses Columbia Parkway, and the homes on the hillsides near here are no stranger to landslides. The area of East Walnut Hills running off of William Howard Taft is a little more urban with homes set closer together. This area is a little hilly, but not as much so as the nearby Mount Adams neighborhood.

There is a somewhat revitalized business area near DeSales Corner (the intersection of Madison and Woodburn where St. Francis De Sales Church is located.) Asian restaurant Suzie Wong's on Madison is located at DeSales Corner and is a great little neighborhood restaurant. There are some other business here from salons to banks and across the street is a dry cleaners. The DeSales Flats are new rentals located in the building above the street level businesses. East Walnut Hills continues along Madison Road into the O'Bryonville business district (part of Evanston), where there are several restaurants and a number of boutiques and art galleries, well as a vet and yoga studio. Up the road just a little further, and you are in the busy shopping area of Oakley/Hyde Park.

East Walnut Hills is conveniently located to Downtown Cincinnati, the University of Cincinnati, Xavier University, and the major hospitals. There is a recreation center located in nearby Walnut Hills, as well as a YMCA. There are a number of schools in East Walnut Hills, from Purcell Marian (alma mater of NFL great Roger Staubach), the Doherty School, to St. Ursula Academy.While there is crime in East Walnut Hills, it is not as much as in the surrounding neighborhoods, especially if you stay to the east of DeSales Corner. I had a friend who used to live near St. Ursula and her car was constantly being broken into, but she was closer to Walnut Hills proper.

Overall, East Walnut Hills is a diverse neighborhood with some beautiful properties and some new development. Property in East Walnut Hills can be a little pricey, but if you can afford it, I would definitely recommend checking it out. You will find properties from smaller single-family homes and condos to large mansions with spacious lots; property prices can range from under $40K to well over a $1 million.

I actually had to take a look at a few city maps to reconcile my brain to Walnut Hills/East Walnut Hills geography. When I worked in a bank building on Madison Rd. several decades ago, I remember Woodburn Ave. and the streets immediately east of it as part of the less illustrious Walnut Hills. The large beautiful mansions and historic homes further east and off Madison Rd. (you know like the lovely home where they filmed Rainman driving his father's car on the driveway), were part of East Walnut Hills.

Woodburn's low income residents considered themselves Walnut Hills residents back then; but apparently that was a temporary separation of sorts from East Walnut hills, like in the way a family disowns a rowdy second cousin. I checked, and an official city of Cincinnati map has the Walnut Hills/East Walnut Hills line of demarcation running dead down the middle of Woodburn Ave. It cuts here and there in a strangely convoluted manner. What does that mean?

Woodburn Ave. and its adjacent streets were once shunned, but they've been welcomed back into the East Walnut Hills fold. Historic buildings are being refurbished into compatibility with their upscale cousins to the east. Beautiful new apartment buildings are replacing deteriorating low income complexes. A few years ago someone even took the boards down from the bank building on the corner of Madison and Woodburn.

There's occasional crime in the area, so I would still be a little leery of walking the Woodburn Ave. area at night; but the demographic is changing. These days you'll find galleries and restaurants and a host of other trendy businesses. While you may never be able to afford one of East Walnut Hills' grand old mansions, the area along Woodburn Ave is opening up a number of trendy, near town living spaces most professionals might not have considered five to ten years ago.

Entertainment and shopping
In the DeSale's Corner area you'll find a mix of new and old businesses, including One More Stitch knitting shop and Suzie Wong's Asian Cuisine. Delicious!

Schulloff's Equipment Rental, 2709 Woodburn, has been in the same spot for 75 years. Anthem has offices on William Howard Taft at Woodburn. (Walnut Hills or East Walnut Hills? not sure) You'll also find Obama 2012 headquarters on Woodburn, an art gallery or two and several other recently refurbished buildings awaiting new tenants.

Recreation
Eden Park is a few minutes away.

Private Schools
St. Frances DeSales Elementary K-8, 1602 Madison Rd. (desalescincy.org)
Purcell Marian Catholic High School, 2935 Hackberry St., a Catholic Boys and Girls School. (purcellmarian.org)
St. Ursala Academy for Girls, 1339 E. McMillan (saintursula.org)

There are no hospitals in the immediate area, but East Walnut Hills is 10 minutes away from area hospitals.

East Walnut Hills (EWH), not to be confused with neighboring Walnut Hills, is a historic neighborhood known for its classic, pristine beauty. Elegant homes, many more than a century old, sit on large grassy properties on the winding streets that branch off of Madison Rd.

While the estates in EWH are typically not as pricey as homes in more expensive neighborhoods (e.g. Indian Hill & Hyde Park), these historic properties do not come cheap. Those looking for more affordable housing options in EWH, however, may be happy to learn that some of the bigger homes are actually being subdivided into condos, providing more affordable living.

Although the celebrated mansions that make up EWH undoubtedly come at a price, the neighborhood’s location is unbeatable. Most of Cincinnati is accessible from EWH. Downtown is a few minutes away by car, as are Hyde Park, Walnut Hills, Mt. Adams, and many other quintessential Cincinnati neighborhoods.

Perhaps more important are the schools located within EWH, which include Purcell Marian High School and St. Ursula Academy, a well-known Cincinnati girls’ school. In neighboring Hyde Park you’ll find the Summit Country Day School as well as Clark Montessori, Withrow, and St. Mary’s.

There is also a lot of activity happening in and around EWH. The neighborhood is home to Francis DeSales Church, a famous Cincinnati landmark, and you’ll find festivals, concerts, and other local events a short drive away in neighborhoods such as Downtown and Mt. Adams.

Despite the hustle and bustle of EWH, residents can feel very safe. Though some close-by neighborhoods, including Walnut Hills and Avondale, have relatively high crime rates, the danger does not seem to seep into this area at all. In fact, EWH is sometimes considered safer even than neighboring Hyde Park, which is well-known as a conservative, upscale neighborhood. Overall, walking through EWH, whether in the morning, afternoon, or even at night, is not only a beautiful experience, but a risk-free one as well.

All in all, EWH combines classic, historic beauty with safety and convenience. If you’re looking for a Cincinnati neighborhood that’s centrally-located but still full of charm and opulence, EWH may be just the place. Check it out at: http://www.eastwalnuthills.com/newsite/.