Miracle Mile

In 2001, Over-the-Rhine suffered a period of turmoil. Police practices combined with other social variables to cause several days of rioting, vandalism, and looting. While the problems occurred primarily in OTR, most of the people committing crimes during the riots were from other places. In fact, numbers from 2005 and 2006 (the last periods before the increased police presence in the Fall of ’06) suggest that roughly 85% of crime committed in OTR during these periods was being committed by people from other neighborhoods, reaffirming that when crime has been bad in OTR it has been the result of convenience. A place perceived to have no sense of community, to be disinvested, and tolerant of crime, vandalism, and filth generates more of the same.

Shortly after the riots, Jim Tarbell and James Korte decided to start hanging self-watering flower boxes on OTR buildings and filling them with dramatic floral arrangements. They teamed up with the Foundation to get it done. The purpose was to make the neighborhood more attractive, but also to show that it is a place that people care about – not a disinvested wasteland. Planting flowers may sound like an odd way to combat crime, but the boxes have become a source of neighborhood pride and serve as a symbol of OTR’s renaissance. They also make the neighborhood look fantastic and highlight our historic architecture.

The flower box program was called “Miracle Mile” because it was started with the intention of planting a mile of boxes. Several years later, we’re over half way there. More boxes and flowers are planted each year. The number and amount depend on the available budget. The program is funded entirely by private donations. Please click here to make your tax-deductible donation to the program. ADD LINK TO E-COMMERCE CREDIT CARD DONATION.

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