NEWS

Fortune: OTR in midst of 'striking urban comeback'

Keith BieryGolick
kbierygolick@enquirer.com
A view looking up Vine Street from 13th Street in Over-the-Rhine.

In recent years Over-the-Rhine has gone from a ground zero of urban decline to a vital neighborhood in one of the country's most resurgent downtown areas, according to Fortune magazine.

In fact, Assistant Managing Editor Leigh Gallagher called the neighborhood's revitalization "one of the most striking urban comebacks in the country" in a video feature on fortune.com.

"(Over-the-Rhine) is actually one of the most historic urban districts in the country but over the years it became notorious for its poverty and crime," Gallagher said.

Since 2004, hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in Over-the-Rhine, she said.

While the neighborhood is still a "work in progress," it's helped make Cincinnati one of the best up-and-coming downtown areas in the country, Gallagher said.

Fortune also highlighted downtown Louisville and its exciting music scene in the feature.

"It's almost hard to remember the days in the '70s and '80s when crime in cities was rampant and everyone was fleeing to the suburbs," Gallagher said.

"But while most people usually point to New York or L.A. or San Francisco as examples of this trend it's actually happening in cities of all sizes and in all corners of the country."

Other downtown areas were highlighted in these cities:

- Allentown, Pennsylvania

- Kansas City, Missouri

- Des Moines, Iowa