Pleasant Ridge.

According to the Cincinnatus Association survey of 122 communities: Pleasant Ridge "... is one of the most diverse and durable communities in the entire region." This lovely community is bordered by Amberley Village, Norwood, Columbia Township, & Kennedy Heights. 

Pleasant Ridge was part of the huge tract of land purchased by John Cleves Symmes, a congressman from New Jersey. This purchase included land between the two Miami rivers. In 1795, a land agent by the name of Colonel John McFarland bought nearly 1,000 acres from Symmes and constructed a small fort to protect early settlers from Indian attacks.

Early settlers referred to this community as "Crossroads" due the nearby intersection of two major Indian trails. Those two trails became Ridge Road and Montgomery Road. Anecdotal stories reference the name "Pleasant Ridge" being selected later because of the lovely views of the Mill Creek Valley from a nearby ridgeline.

Residents tend to be active in the community through community organizations, church, clubs, or garden clubs. Residents recently organized the Montgomery Corridor Arts Collaborative with a goal of creating an Arts Corridor along Montgomery Road extending to the Kennedy Arts Center, a few blocks north of Pleasant Ridge. To view the community website, go here --> Pleasant Ridge 

Pleasant Ridge and Kennedy Heights often work together on the Arts Corridorr. The Kennedy Heights Art Parade is an example of this type of collaboration. See photos of the parade here.

Several prominent churches and excellent schools serve as an anchor for this community. The Church of the Nativity Catholic Church and School and Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian are the most prominent. The Nativity has been designated a Blue Ribbon School by the US Department of Education. Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian has been serving the community for over 200 years.  The public school, Pleasant Ridge Montessori, teaches pre-K through 6th grade students and recently moved into a brand new facility across from the Presbyterian Church. TCP World Academy, a highly rated Charter School rounds out the local schools.

The community is well served by an excellent Public Library and a Recreation Center. The 'Rec' Center offers a wide variety of classes and personal fitness options. This Rec Center is located on sprawling acreage along Ridge Road, the grounds include a large pool, 2 baseball fields, a playground, and 5 tennis courts. There's also a Cincinnati Yoga School.

This is an excellent community for walking. (You can go to www.WalkScore.com and see that most homes earn a score of 70 or better.) It's an easy stroll to Kennedy Park, Drake Park, and French Park. Part of the fun of walking the neighborhood is viewing all the lovely homes on the many tree lined streets. One street in particular, Grand Vista, is certainly one of the loveliest in the city.

The community offers a rich variety of architectural styles. Drive down streets such as Orchard, Robison, Tulane, Doerger, Bellewood, (to name a few) and  you will see that Tudor style homes are very well represented. Additional styles include Colonial, Four Square, and Cape Cod homes. Many streets in the community feature gas lights, giving them an extra dose of quaint ambiance.

Popular attractions include the Irish themed Molly Malones Restaurant/Bar, Emanu Ethiopian Restaurant, Loving Hut vegetarian restaurant, Pleasant Ridge Chili, (in the same location since 1964), the Gas Light Cafe (voted 4th best hamburger by Cincinnati Magazine), and Hooligans Pub. In addition, the famous Everybody's Records caters to a wide range of musical tastes, featuring CD’s and LP’s.

Convenience is another aspect that contributes to a positive quality of life in Pleasant Ridge. You never have to drive very far to take advantage of good shopping or excellent dining. Kenwood Towne Center is just up Montgomery Road. Grocery, discount and home improvemnet stores are in adjacent Columbia Township. If you work downtown, it’s a 15 minute commute. All in all, Pleasant Ridge IS a pleasant place to live.

Demographics:
There are approximately 22,555 residents, 10,810 male & 11,745 female
Average age of residents: 35
Residents who have Graduate degree: 2,205
Residents who have Bachelors degree: 3,898
Residents who have Associates degree: 1,301
Residents who have some college: 2,834
Average Household Income: $76,700
Average Value of Single Family, Detached Home: $148,750

Years in which homes were built:
1939 and earlier: 40%
1940 to 1949: 12.7%
1950 to 1959: 16%
1960 to 1969: 14.8%
1979 to 1979: 9.7%
1980 to 1989: 4%
1990 to 2000: 2.8%

Average Work Commutes:
10 minutes or less: 11%
10 to 20 minutes: 35%
20 to 30 minutes: 26.5%
30 to 45 minutes: 16%
45to 60 minutes: 7%
60 minutes or more: 4.5%