Build

Over the Rhine was principally a residential neighborhood. German immigrants populated OTR during the turn of the century. This created a thriving area full of breweries, beer gardens, factories, churches and the working class. Prohibition effectively killed this population by closing the beer gardens, which was the social glue of the community. What Prohibition didn't kill, WWI did with racism and population movements did. In the years after WWI and during WWI African-Americans immigrated north in search of factory and manufacturing jobs. Later, poor Appalachian whites moved to the area in search of the same jobs, and manufacturing jobs. Today, approximately 80% of Over the Rhine is comprised of African Americans.

The result of this movement is a zone in the city that has effetely become a transitory zone. There are little destinations in OTR that draw residents not only from OTR but also from the surrounding areas. These have cultural events such as "OctoberFest", "Taste of Cincinnati", and "Jammin' on Main." In effect this whole neighborhood has become marginal space that has small infestations of growth.