Banning Lewis Ranch (Colorado Springs: sales, crimes, homes)

[Curious in CT]

Does anyone have anything good or bad to say about the new Banning Lewis Ranch development in CS? I heard it's going to be huge. How is the construction going. Are the views and landscape of this area nice? If we were to move to this area, would airplanes landing from overhead be an annoyance? Any info on this would be appreciated.

[bashep]

I looked up the information, you may get a few planes flying over, but it is not their pathway. Sounds like it will be neat area. Because they are just starting the development on it, if you purchase a home there, that would be good because you would get in on the first phase of construction. Meaning that the prices will continue to go up after that so you will get equity quicker then an existing home.

[kmp]

Banning Lewis is currently a hi-plains desert. It(and all of COlorado Springs) will be very different from CT. I'm sure ( I hope)the developers will plant greenways, trees, etc., but in CS it takes a very long time for plants to reach maturity because of the altitude and lack of water. I have lived here 34 years and know of 30 year trees that are 1/2 the size of what they would be in the midwest. However, there are many native plants that will flourish, you just have to do the research.

I currently live in Springs Ranch and have planes flying overhead every day. They are not a nuisance to me, because I have become used to them and don't even notice. Commercial traffic is quieter and less obtrusive than military. Once the 'new' runway is running again, air traffic will again move further East, which will effect Banning Lewis.

I have heard that the school district has built a very nice elementary school out there with the financial help of the developers.

Good Luck!

[bashep]

I didn't know they were building a new run way... How come? Military? Commercial?

[mcdonald]

Banning Lewis Ranch is approx. 22000 acres of old homesteads,prairies, and old rail beds. Antelopes still graze this swath of land. Approx. 75,000 homes and businesses are slated to be built on this property in the next 10 to 15 years. It is located on the east side of Colorado Springs and neighboring the unincorporated town of Falcon, Colorado. The area is beautiful and scenery is breathtaking.
Colorado Springs is quickly approaching a half a million in population. Traffic is the major complaint. Crimes stats here are lower than comparable cities. It is very dry and the altitude is sometimes an issue. I would suggest that you vacation here for a week and check us out. We have an awesome zoo. The Cog railway takes you to the top of Pikes Peak. It will be a change from Connecticut.

[Colorado Lifer]

Originally Posted by mcdonald

Banning Lewis Ranch is approx. 22000 acres of old homesteads,prairies, and old rail beds. Antelopes still graze this swath of land. Approx. 75,000 homes and businesses are slated to be built on this property in the next 10 to 15 years. It is located on the east side of Colorado Springs and neighboring the unincorporated town of Falcon, Colorado. The area is beautiful and scenery is breathtaking.
Colorado Springs is quickly approaching a half a million in population. Traffic is the major complaint. Crimes stats here are lower than comparable cities. It is very dry and the altitude is sometimes an issue. I would suggest that you vacation here for a week and check us out. We have an awesome zoo. The Cog railway takes you to the top of Pikes Peak. It will be a change from Connecticut.

Banning Lewis would be a huge change from CT. It is east of Colorado Springs and will have views of the Front Range and Pikes Peak. Other than new construction and affordable prices, hard to say what the golden reason might be on why to buy there today... There is no scarcity of new construction spec inventory right now in our market and resale listings are at an all-time high and running away. A lot of build to suit sales are falling out due to rate increases and plain ol' speculation.... Builders typically account for 30% of all homes sold but have seen a very abrupt slowdown in the last couple months... that might hurt new developments, regardless of how well-funded or marketed, especially one that is fairly remote from the core of the city, employment, etc.

[Curious in CT]

Thanks for the input everyone. I have not visited this site in a while and just noticed that I actually got responses to this post that I had written a couple months ago. If anyone is still reading this thread, I do realize CS is a huge change from CT having been out there a few times. For a person coming from a world of greenery and LOTS of trees everywhere you look, CS is everything opposite CT. The fact that you can forecast rain in the near future (cuz you literally see the rain cloud emptying itself 20 miles away) is really cool to me. And the mountains.................just breathtaking. I just hope when we move that the change will be a good one. Have any of you ever been to CT?

[mcdonald]

My family lives all along the East coast, more specifically in Maine and Massachusetts. I love the ocean and the colors in the fall. Didn't care for the Nor-easters! I love it here. I live on the plains east of the Pikes Peak range and wouldn't move into the city. I wanted room to move around in and got the acreage to do just that.

[CSColorado]

I personally like to be in the trees and away from the wind, but a lot of people don't mind living on the prairie.

[mshick]

Hi all- I have to give my two cents in this one. I've been searching the net and other resources on this Banning Lewis Ranch project. I am a concerned Natural Resource college student here in Colorado Springs. I've lived in the springs for 5 years now, and have seen the land disappear before my eyes. I drive by this area everyday on my way to work and I see the trailer parked on the land. What I also witness are the families of antelope that graze on this precious piece of land. THIS IS THEIR LAND. We must have the decency of respecting this. How would you like for larger mammals to come along and build on your land.? Look, us humans have enough space on this planet. We need to stop over populating it, taking up all the resources and polluting this sacred place. Someday, your children will not have the opportunity to see live animals like antelope graze before their eyes. They need large areas of land, because they travel. This is how they function. Big industry and corrupt politicians are taking away the land from the animals. Once the animals are gone, we will follow suit. Do the earth a favor and stay where you are. I will be doing everything in my power to stop this construction. It's disgusting and it makes no sense. I've been to the website http://www.banninglewisranch.com/?hardreset
and they make it sound like they are doing nature a favor. The only favor they could do, is leave it alone. peace and love for the next seven generations.

-Muriel