There is a surprisingly large collection of abandoned places in Ohio: buildings, homes, and entire towns. Over the years, we have covered several of them. Many have been reclaimed by nature and some are even thought to be haunted. Today, we’re featuring yet another eerie example of an abandoned neighborhood in Ohio that was once thriving but now sits completely empty. Perhaps what’s most captivating of all is the fact that this town hasn’t been long abandoned. In fact, as recently as 2019, some of the homes here were still occupied. The following photographs, captured by photographer Johnny Joo, showcase the hauntingly lonely neighborhood of Woodcliff, Ohio.
Editor’s Note: Due to the nature of abandoned destinations, many of the places featured in this series are off-limits to visitors or have actually been demolished. We do not condone trespassing and other illegal activity but rather encourage readers to enjoy learning about these fascinating destinations.
With more than 100 abandoned homes in Ohio, the neighborhood of Woodcliff was once one of the most unusual—and controversial—in the Buckeye State. The last of the condominiums were finally demolished in 2023 to make way for a new apartment complex, but the sordid tale of this abandoned Whitehall neighborhood lasted nearly 16 years.
This site spans 36 acres, and before it was razed, it had been completely abandoned since 2019. Most of the homes, however, were abandoned long before then. So what exactly is the story behind this abandoned neighborhood in Ohio?
In 1953, Woodcliff was established as a very desirable place to live and work. A condominium community in a suburb of Columbus, the neighborhood quickly gained a reputation for being a peaceful place to live. By the late 1980s, however, the quality of the homes began to deteriorate. Tensions also began to arise among residents.
It was 2007 when things finally took a turn for the worse. The city and county both filed a health complaint after learning that condo association management was dumping trash in the swimming pool and then hiring contractors to clean it out on a monthly basis. The property was thus declared a public nuisance the following year.
Over the course of the next decade and a half, many property-code-violation complaints would be made about issues such as sewer back-ups, mold, and structural damage.
Finally, in August of 2018, a court order was issued for the property to be sold. It was purchased by the city for approximately 10 million dollars. The 20 or so residents who still inhabited the neighborhood were given one year to leave. Demolition of the neighborhood began, and the final condominium was taken down in 2023. According to the city, redevelopment of the site likely won’t be completed until 2030. Don’t these photos provide a fascinatingly eerie insight into a once-thriving neighborhood that fell victim to neglect?
For more images of these old abandoned homes in Ohio, as well as many other abandoned places in the Buckeye State, you can check out Johnny Joo’s website, Architectural Afterlife. What are your thoughts on this former abandoned neighborhood in Ohio? Did you ever visit Woodcliff, or had you heard of this community before it was razed? I have always been fascinated with abandoned towns like Woodcliff and how they became dilapidated or reclaimed by nature. They all have their own unique stories to tell.
To learn about even more spooky places and abandoned houses in Ohio, check out some of our state’s most unique ghost towns. These abandoned places are living museums of Ohio’s past, and are absolutely fascinating! However, if some literal ghosts are to your liking, these ghost tours in Ohio are sure to spook…