Need Info on Boulder (Denver, Lyons: hardwood floors, apartments, rentals)

[amymcf]

Already posted on the CO board, but didn't get a huge response, so I thought I'd try this one as well....

I am moving out to Boulder next summer. I have visited several times this year and looked at some places with a realtor. Still have more trips planned to get a feel for the area, but I am looking for info on what the different "neighborhoods" or areas of Boulder have to offer. Here is some of my info and what I'm looking for:

-married, early 30s, 2 dogs, no kids (nor are they in the plans for the future), very active in outdoor activities (especially cycling, triathlons, and kayaking).

-enjoy going out on the weekends for live music/dinners/etc, would love to be able to walk to places such as shops/grocery/etc but not a *huge* prerequisite. also do not want to be in an area surrounded by college students where dealing with 4am parties every weekend will be an issue.

-definitely would like to be in Boulder itself, rather than some of the surrounding 'burbs.

I would like to get a sense of which areas of Boulder I should start focusing my search on. I realize that Boulder isn't huge, but it always helps to get info from someone who's been there for some time.

I will be purchasing a condo upon the move. I am not so worried about finding that; I would like to make location my primary focus and go from there.

Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions!

[Nelson73]

We live in Park East, which is just west of Foothills Pkwy and north of Baseline. It's a great little neighborhood with a mix of families, young couples and retirees. You'll find an occassional college rental but it's not party central. You can hop on the bike path and not cross a major street and be in downtown Boulder within 20 minutes but you also have easy access to US-36 should you need to go to Denver or anywhere outside of Boulder.

Moderator cut: Removed

Good luck!

Mike

[2bindenver]

Honestly, Boulder is a small (read contained) area, and you can explore all of it in a day or two for your housing needs.

There are 70 condos & townhomes on the market. Not all of them will have the space or the amenities you are looking for, like a yard for the dogs.

[amymcf]

Mike, your house is lovely...the hardwood floors look amazing.
Unfortunately, due to high prices, we are confined to a condo. Although a yard for the dogs is preferable, it's not a necessity, as we can easily take the dogs for walks during the day (or to the dog park) as both my husband and I have jobs in which we work from home or are flexible enough to be home during the day if necessary.

We did look at a couple condos in the Park East area; very nice area and 1 of them we saw was by far our favorite (on Manhattan Dr).
Although we have driven all around Boulder, it is still nice to get an idea of which type of people live in which areas and which amenities are right there in the vicinity.

We would prefer to be around active couples, be in an area which isn't to "suburban" feeling, maybe have a couple shops or coffeehouses within walking distance. Something maybe with a little bit of an "artsy fartsy" feel to it.

My husband is really interested in the North Boulder area, near Amante, where it seems a lot of new condos are going up. What is that area like?
Personally, from what I have seen so far, I think it would be great to be able to walk to the Pearl Street Mall.

[Katiana]

We would prefer to be around active couples, be in an area which isn't to "suburban" feeling, maybe have a couple shops or coffeehouses within walking distance. Something maybe with a little bit of an "artsy fartsy" feel to it.

That pretty much describes most of Boulder. South Boulder is more of a suburban feel, but you have yards, there, too. SE Boulder (Martin Park area) has a lot of rentals, so you would potentially have a lot of student neighbors. It's just like everyone else, some make wonderful neighbors, some like to party all night, evey night.

My husband is really interested in the North Boulder area, near Amante, where it seems a lot of new condos are going up. What is that area like?
Personally, from what I have seen so far, I think it would be great to be able to walk to the Pearl Street Mall.

I'm not familiar with the Amante area. N. Boulder is an area of new building. Pearl St. Mall is neat, but honestly, they don't sell much that you really need/want. I don't see being within walking distance of the mall much of an advantage.

[Nelson73]

North Boulder is great but it's just a bit more expensive. If you want to be close to Pearl Street mall be prepared for even higher condo/townhome prices. But if it's possible for you go for it. I would love to be that close as well but can't afford the homes in that area.

Mike

[Market Mama]

There's a large number of condos being built on the extreme north end of Boulder -- just north of Yarmouth and bounded by Hwy 36 (aka 28th St) and Broadway. It's too far from the University to attract a whole lot of students. Not "near" the Pearl Street Mall, but there's a few good eateries and coffeeshops right there. Plus, it's a straight shot down Broadway to the Mall on a local bus that runs every 20 minutes or so. If you're foodies, then the Mall has some really fine restaurants. And there's also a fine local music scene, including free concerts on the Downtown Mall every Friday at noon and a Visiting Artists Series at CU. And the Central City Opera is just up the mountains a ways.

Just north of those condos (all the way to Lyons and up into the mountains), there's all kinds of Open Space for outdoor activities of all kinds. And just across Broadway is Wonderland Lake with some fine jogging paths.

Boulder negatives include pollution (particularly bad since we're in a valley that traps bad air), traffic (we had our first gridlock a few years ago), no cheap parking anywhere near the Downtown Pearl St Mall, and a few obnoxiously rowdy college students (fortunately, they tend to all live and party near the campus and "Hill" area). Boulder is, without question, an expensive place to live. And did I mention the traffic?

I live near this area and will be playing in the same Open Spaces, so I'd like to let you know that there's a strict leash law here, and my horses will kick or stomp any dog who tries to bite, harrass or aggressively "herd" them when we're out there sharing public land. I love dogs myself, but am appalled at how many around here have absolutely no manners or respect, even for their owners. Sorry to go off on a tangent, but there's even dogs attacking other dogs in the areas set aside for dogs to play together.

[amymcf]

thanks for all the great responses so far.....and for what it's worth, market mama, my dogs are very behaved; we don't allow them off their leashes in public, unless at a fenced in dog park and even then we are keeping a close eye on them.

i suppose another way to find out about the area: if you could choose an area in Boulder to live, which area would it be and why?

[Market Mama]

If I didn't need a horse-friendly area, I'd chose the older neighborhoods east of Broadway, as close to the edge of town (and the foothills) as possible -- lots of character, many fine old but well cared for homes, a fair smattering of apartments and condos, lots of big shade trees, and lots of deer (which adds to the atmosphere but makes a garden or beautiful landscaping a bit of a challenge).

And very well behaved dogs are wonderful. I work for a company that allows "civilized" dogs at work, and they really add a friendly, warm and fuzzy feel to the place.

[Katiana]

If I wanted to live in Boulder, which I don't, I'd choose SW Boulder. It's hilly and nearer the mtns, more permanent residents and fewer students. But that's just me.