Milvale

Millvale is another one of those urban-industrial communities situated along railroad tracks and the Mill Creek. It is predominantly filled with run down single-family homes, some housing projects and light industrial businesses. Residents in Millvale are primarily very low income African-Americans. Millvale is a very small community, so a quick trip down Beekman Street is all it takes to pass through it. That being said, Millvale does have two things going for it, one is the convenient location and two is the recreation center.

Millvale is conveniently located off of Interstate 75 at the Hopple Street exit. This means that it is close to Downtown and close to the hospitals and the University of Cincinnati. With its easy access to I-75, the rest of the Cincinnati area is also easily accessible. The Millvale Recreation Center is really the heart of the community. It provides a variety of activities and opportunities for neighborhood residents. The rec center, like most of those in Cincinnati, offers a low annual membership fee for community members and provides a plethora of amenities from a fitness center, gym, game room, and computer center, to swimming pools and basketball courts and more.

Beekman street has an extensive network of Metro bus stops, so public transportation is easily found in this community. Communities around Millvale are English Woods, South Cumminsville and East Westwood. Camp Washington is just the other side of the railroad tracks from Millvale. Despite the neighborhood's small size, there is a good deal of crime, including violent crimes. There have also been several recent shootings in this community, so safety is definitely a concern.

Fortunately, the neighborhood is convenient to shopping and dining elsewhere, as there is nothing of note in the Millvale neighborhood. Schools are part of the Cincinnati Public Schools and the Ethel M. Taylor Academy, an elementary, is located right in Millvale.

Millvale (spelled with two L's, not one) is a teeny tiny neighborhood situated next to Camp Washington, East Westwood, and English Woods--that's the 'ghost town' I reviewed in a previous post. Not surprisingly, this mini-neighborhood, a mystery to many Cincinnatians, shares a lot of similarities with English Woods. For one thing, Millvale is as diminutive as English Woods, if not more so. You'll drive through one side and out the other before realizing you've even visited.

That's not to say Millvale is an exact replica of its abandoned neighbor. Instead of being almost entirely demolished, for example, Millvale has undergone rather extensive renovations. The 1- to 6-bedroom townhouses that house Millvale residents are relatively updated and modern, yet still affordable. You can find pictures of some of the homes' exteriors here: http://www.cintimha.com/millvale.aspx.

While English Woods is Cincinnati's proverbial 'ghost town,' Millvale's streets are occupied. One of the neighborhood's most active spots is the rec center, which offers more than just sports and activities. Many people take advantage of other services offered by the rec center, including their computer center and teen lounge. The center offers a variety of sports, though, including basketball, swimming, and boxing. Actually, Millvale has been known for its boxing since the center was built for boxing in the 1970s, and has recently produced two nine-year-old national champions.

Residents also enjoy their convenient location and ability to access much of the town in just a few minutes. A short drive, for example, will bring you downtown. Additionally, some excellent hospitals are a short drive away. These include Children's Hospital, Good Samaritan, and University Hospital. In addition to nearby schools in Clifton, Northside, Price Hill, and Westwood, Millvale offers a couple educational options of its own. Millvale Primary School, Gamble Middle School, and Western Hills High School are available to residents and offer an education for children from 1st-12th grade.

Overall, I'd recommend checking out Millvale if you're looking for something small and simple, and don't mind a lack of rich history and having no central business district. Millvale does have a lot to offer in terms of location and affordable, renovated housing, which are hard to find within city limits. Why not go take a look?