Extending along the northern edge of the Over-the-Rhine, the Mulberry-McMicken subarea steps up from the basin and butts against several imposing hillsides. The street plan departs from the grid pattern below, with the major streets running parallel to the hillside. As houses and streets were constructed in this area, a terraced effect was created. Buildings were constructed into the hillside, resulting in buildings that appear to be two and three stories high on the up-hill but three to five stories high on the downhill side. This area of Over-the-Rhine has a higher percentage of vacant land than other areas due to its virtually unbuildable hillsides and loss of buildings; this is especially true on the north side of Mulberry Street.

Buildings in the area are predominantly high-density residential in land use. As with the other subareas of Over-the-Rhine, the prevalent domestic urban architectural styles of the late nineteenth century are reflected in its streetscapes. The physical relationship of one building adjacent to another is accentuated by the overall uniform facade lines imposed on the streets. The relative scale, brick building materials, height and architectural detailing blend to create distinctive streetscapes that convey a particular sense of time and place.