Over-the-Rhine - Architecture

Architecture

Over-the-Rhine has been praised for its collection of historic architecture. The New York Times described the neighborhood as having "a scale and grace reminiscent of Greenwich Village in New York." When Arthur Frommer, founder of the Frommer's travel guides, visited Over-the-Rhine he described it as the most promising urban area for revitalization in the United States, and claimed that its potential for tourism "literally could rival similar prosperous and heavily visited areas."

Most of Over-the-Rhine's ornate brick buildings were built by German immigrants from 1865 to the 1880s. The architecture of Over-the-Rhine reflects the diverse styles of the late nineteenth century—simple vernacular, muted Greek Revival, Italianate and Queen Anne. Most of the buildings in Over-the-Rhine are one of these styles, but there are other odd balls as well. Art Deco is represented by the American Building on Central Parkway, the Germania Building at Twelfth and Walnut streets is ironically one of the few examples of German ornamentation in the neighborhood, Music Hall's mixture of styles is best described as Venetian Gothic, there are a handful of buildings with Gothic architecture, and the new SCPA on Central Parkway is the most notable example of Modern architecture in the neighborhood.

• The Germania Building (Eastlake H)

• Music Hall (Venetian Gothic)

• Memorial Hall (Beaux Arts)

• Elaborate ornamentation of an Elm Street building.

• Rounded window cornices are a common feature of Italianate architecture.

• Italianate brownstone at Clay and 13th Streets.

• Entrance to the American Building (Art Deco)

• Hanke Building on Main Street detail (Renaissance Revival)

• Queen Anne architecture on Main Street