Glencoe-Auburn Hotel and Clecoe-Auburn Place Row Houses

In 2009 I went exploring with some friends of mine this abandoned neighborhood between Over the Rhine and Mt. Auburn. The community was nicknamed Little Bethlehem due to its proximity to Christ Hospital. The homes are known as the Clecoe-Auburn Place Row Houses.

This photo shows the Glencoe Auburn Hotel:



I took photos and I researched what the case was with the area.

Apparently there are 54 buildings constructed between 1884 and 1891. The architect is unknown now but the builders were either Truman B. Handy or Jethro Mitchell.

As you can see from the photo below the houses are now vacant and boarded up:



They were designed as single story apartments for the poor as opposed to row houses. The homes were renovated in 1964 but fell into disrepair in the 1990s due to drugs and crime. In 2002 the remaining renters were evicted.In January of 2004 the properties were placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Also in 2004 Pauline Van der Haer of Dorian Development purchased the property. They planned to convert the buildings into row house condominiums. My friend can be seen pointing at the building that was repainted blue as part of the stalled redevelopment:



Unfortunately this projected stalled out due to disagreements and funding problems between the developer and city council.