The neighborhood of Avondale, Ohio traces its history to the mid 1800s. Avondale was annexed to the city of Cincinnati in 1896. It is Cincinnati’s fourth largest neighborhood with 17,000 residents. Conveniently located, Avondale is minutes to downtown Cincinnati’s cultural attractions. It boasts a Community Pride Center on Burnet Avenue, which is currently being redeveloped by Uptown Consortium. The first phase of this $100-million mixed-use development includes a multi-level parking garage and 100,000 square feet of office buildings for Children’s Hospital and 45,000-square feet for weekly newspaper Cincinnati Herald to be completed end of the year. The Consortium is working with Avondale Community council on the second phase, which would be a mix of retail, offices and residences. The goal is to make the integrated district safe, attractive and be able to serve the needs of its residents, businesses and institutions. Some of the institutions here include Children’s Hospital Medical Center, TriHealth, Urban League and Cincinnati Zoo. It is proud of its new $14-million Rockdale Academy, pre-K–8. A new South Avondale school, being built by Cincinnati Public Schools, will feature a stand-alone health clinic and some green space. Community events here include Health Fair in the fall, which features health screening and a “Night Out,” where neighbors meet and interact. Recently, Avondale launched a “Do Eat, Move and Live Right” campaign. North Avondale was once home to Cincinnati’s wealthiest turn-of-the-century businessmen (including Andrew Erkenbrecher, Samuel Pogue and Barney Kroger). It has been described as “a beautiful piece of heaven in the middle of the city— a place where you know your neighbors and care about each other.” The winding streets and stately homes—majority built between 1900 and 1940—have a European flavor. The community boasts a well-established and proactive civic association, North Avondale Neighborhood Association (NANA), which is dedicated to preserving and bettering the quality of life here. Its Community Center offers full size gyms, youth and teen programs. Residents hold block parties, Winter Luminary walk and annual progressive dinners. The area is convenient to downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, shopping, parks and sports. Located here is New School, a private Montessori for preschool–6, housed at the historic Mitchell mansion; also to North Avondale Montessori School, a public preschool–6. It is home to some 15 different religious institutions.