Prospect New Town (Denver, Boulder, Longmont: for sale, real estate, apartments)

[WhereTheSidewalkEnds]

bxo -

Have you been to Tusk and if you have, what do you think? I was reading about it in the paper. Sounded different and interesting. We live in s.w. Longmont. Always looking for something unique without having to go into Boulder.

[bxo]

jkcoop,

Yes, we've been there quite a bit since it opened, although we avoided the New Years Eve celebration. The spotlight felt more RV sales yard than lounge. Ha! I haven't tried any of the specialty drinks, which are pretty pricey (approx. $8), but my husband and sister tried them and said they were very good. They have a small menu, but it's tasty. The interior is a little confused, but the back where the padded banquet seating is, is pretty cozy. I'm not a fan of the green and red neon, but that's me. Everyone is pretty friendly, and that's probably due in large part to the fact that it is a neighborhood bar and basically everyone knows each other. The owner is a character. Hmm, what else. It's a nice place to hang out during the weekday, it's got a decent vibe.
Anything else you want to know that I might be missing?

[bxo]

I should also add that our neighbors are all raving about Sushi Jainken, although we haven't tried it yet because they can't figure out how to set regular hours. That's been a big frustration for us and others. Sometimes they're open for lunch, sometimes just for dinner, sometimes both, sometimes not at all. The owners are new to this though, so it's somewhat understandable, but no less annoying. Anyway, if you get a chance, try it out. I think the interior is a bit conflicted, but hey, if the food is good, who cares?

[brightdoglover]

Are all these New Urbanism developments so heavily weighted towards households with children? (One poster mentioned 85%). Is there any place for a childfree curmudgeon like myself (I'd accept 55+, etc.)

Thanks.

[Noahma]

the new urbanism sub-divisions tend to attract younger familys because of the design. I do not know if there is any that gear for the 55+ range.

[Bradburn1]

I know of one 55+ community nestled inside a new urbanist development. Silver Sage cohousing is a cohousing community for seniors inside the new urbanist Holiday neighborhood in north Boulder.

To my knowledge, there are no senior new urbanist communities in Colorado, and I'm unsure if there are any even in the U.S. There is a reason for this. Part of the new urbanist philosophy is to encourage diversity, which includes economic diversity (having homes with many price points in the same development), generational diversity, and racial diversity (the ones in Colorado at least need to work on this one).

However, I think market forces will eventually lead to the construction of senior new urbanist communities, because they are perfect fits--many seniors don't want to or can't drive, so having a walkable community for them just makes sense in my opinion.

[laurbell]

Prospect also has townhouses and lofts, I would think that would pull in the 55 and older.

[bxo]

I wish they had child-free developments for people in their 20's and 30's. I'd up and move in an instant.

[AZHawkeye]

bxo,

Thanks for your detailed description of Prospect....sounds interesting. Can't wait to check these neighborhoods out in person.

[chilaili]

Originally Posted by bxo

. . . Anyways, it is an EXTREMELY social neighborhood, which can be a turn-off to some people who would rather not socialize with their neighbors. If you have a dog, you’re sure to make friends in the neighborhood, and the same goes if you have children. The western portion of the neighborhood is predominantly composed of single family houses and mostly families with young and some older children live there. The western area also contains the oldest buildings in the development and the more traditional styles. As soon as you head east or south, things start getting more modern. I think this contrast is what makes the neighborhood so amazing and interesting.

There are new shops opening all the time, although quite a few of them are rather impractical (why does a neighborhood need three clothing boutiques and several hair salons?). The coffee shop and Two Dog Diner are always busy, as is the newly opened Tusk Lounge. We just need a grocery store, and a drycleaners!

Now on to the negatives: there is a LOT of drama in the neighborhood. Prospect is very much like a small town where the gossip swirls 24/7, people complain constantly about silly issues, and friendships end abruptly due to some offense or spat. There is a party crowd that is QUITE interesting, and I’ll leave it at that. We manage to be social, but stay out of that scene, and we’ve found some good people in the neighborhood who are just as drama adverse as we are. So if you don’t mind a little bit of that sort of small town nonsense, you’ll love Prospect. It’s absolutely beautiful in the summer, the views are spectacular, and Denver is only 40 minutes away.

The houses are expensive, but with housing crisis, you can probably get a nice place for a relatively reasonable amount.

Hope that helps!

I live in N Longmont and almost wish I'd bought in Prospect as it sounds a really fun place to live. Unfortunately I work in Loveland so being at the north end of town is much more convenient. Where I live is a lovely area but I never see anyone! My immediate neighbours are only home half the year and the rest of the time the other residents must be either at work, travelling or locked indoors all day. Perhaps I should start hanging out at your coffeeshop and become an honorary member of Prospect? You may have a lot of drama down there but at least you have SOMEthing going on.