West End, Cincinnati facts for kids

West End is a neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio.

West End is a neighborhood in Cincinnati, Ohio, located north-west of downtown, east of Queensgate, west of Over-the-Rhine, and south-east of Fairview.

The historic West End was largely razed in the 1950s as part of a series of urban renewal projects, including the construction of Interstate 75.

The West End is the location of City West, the largest housing development project in Cincinnati since World War II. The project transformed the once low-income area into mixed-income development. In 1999 many of the blighted, cramped buildings were leveled to make way for new townhomes with ample parking. In 2007, part 1 crimes were down by 30% when compared to 1999.

Controversy erupted in 2005 when plans were announced to open a $15-million "one-stop" social services facility at 800 Bank Street. The project, known as CityLink, would be the largest such facility in Cincinnati. Some argued that it would increase crime and poverty in the West End, decrease property value, and undermine the redevelopment there. Some even accused the city of trying to relocate the poor from the thriving Over-the-Rhine neighborhood to the West End. However, proponents argued that the West End's central location makes it easy for the poor to access. A lawsuit to stop the CityLink project failed, as did the subsequent appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court.

The West End is served by a branch of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

Historic architecture and districts

• Laurel Homes
• Union Terminal, 1301 Western Ave
• Dayton Street Historic District
• Washburn School (Now Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy West), 1425 Linn St
• Former Lafayette-Bloom School, 1941 Baymiller St.
• The Regal Theatre, Clark and Linn Street
• The State Theatre, 1504 Central Ave
• Cincinnati City Hall, 801 Plum St.
• St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, 325 W 8th St
• St. Joseph’s Catholic School, 745 Ezzard Charles Dr.

Harshaw, J. W. (2009). Cincinnati's West End: Through our eyes. United States: CreateSpace.

Singer, A. J. (2005). Stepping out in Cincinnati: Queen City Entertainment 1900-1960. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing.

• Ezzard Charles Drive, the Making of a Parkway [1]