Does Colorado Hate Highlands Ranch? (Denver, Boulder: house, neighborhoods, buying)

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by tfox

Now, I live in the city -- but I've watched my city-center neighborhood go from affordable alternative to the suburbs to upper-class enclave in the span of a few years. I've lost all taste for put-downs of the suburbs and "cookie cutter" and all that. I'm watching Central Denver being a central enclave of the wealthy while Highlands Ranch becomes the area where the average middle-class American can afford to live. Not being wealthy myself, I'm not happy about that situation.

I'm happy to see the city of Denver revitalized, but at what cost? If I were buying my first home NOW, it would probably be in the older suburbs -- I couldn't afford to live where I do. And I despise that snooty, classist stuff, which is why I've given up Highlands Ranch bashing.

AWESOME post, tfox!!! Rep point for you! I grew up in 1980s/90s/2000s suburban sprawl in southeast Aurora, and I totally agree. Places like SE Aurora and Highlands Ranch are where normal middle class families can afford to live in a place that's safe and has good schools. I love the city of Denver's parks, old neighborhoods with beautiful architecture, and old (but revitalized) business districts, and find central Denver to be very aesthetically pleasing, but I agree that it's becoming more and more fake as time goes on. "Classist" is a good way to put it. I'm not into high priced boutique stores and places where they sell gourmet dog food. I also agree with your assessment of the older, "inner-ring" suburbs. Central Aurora for example-- not Denver-- is probably the most ethnically diverse place in Colorado. The old suburbs certainly have their problems, no doubt, and a lot of those areas are in decline, but I think in some ways they're actually more authentic than the "historic" but gentrified Denver neighborhoods.

[b.adams]

I used to live in HR for about 10 years. It just got a little too big for me, but its a great place.

Many people who eventually live in HR, admit that they initially didn't want to live there based on the reputation it had (which is mostly very inaccurate). There is a little reputation because it was one of the first master planned communites in Colorado and it was run by the Mission Viego company. Now its run by Shea Homes ... and personally, I liked Mission better.

I kind of compare it to people who drive a minivan (after they have kids) and realize what a great and practical vehicle it is ... they previously swore they wouldn't drive one. Many people previously swore they wouldn't live in HR ... then after they move there and see what its all about ... they often love it. The amenities are first class and the HOA is mostly non-invasive and very reasonable for what you get.

If you can get past the smaller lots and cookie cutter houses ... its got so much to offer ...

[runninfiend]

Places like SE Aurora and Highlands Ranch are where normal middle class families can afford to live in a place that's safe and has good schools.

Maybe "normal middle class" has a different definition in the exalted state of Colorado. When I stayed in Highlands Ranch for a few days this past summer, it seems like all the homes were $300,000 and up, up, up.

That ain't "middle class" pricing around my parts.

On the positive side, there is quite of bit of protected greenspace, and within 5 minutes of where I was staying, I could be out on a trail away from all the crap sprawl and running with great views of Evans, Long's and Pike's.

It wasn't ALL bad, although I think developments such as these could benefit greatly from more New Urbanistic mixed use type neighborhoods rather than just homogeneous houses stacked on top of each other.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by runninfiend

Maybe "normal middle class" has a different definition in the exalted state of Colorado. When I stayed in Highlands Ranch for a few days this past summer, it seems like all the homes were $300,000 and up, up, up.

That ain't "middle class" pricing around my parts.

On the positive side, there is quite of bit of protected greenspace, and within 5 minutes of where I was staying, I could be out on a trail away from all the crap sprawl and running with great views of Evans, Long's and Pike's.

It wasn't ALL bad, although I think developments such as these could benefit greatly from more New Urbanistic mixed use type neighborhoods rather than just homogeneous houses stacked on top of each other.

Yes.
Mixed use and mixed income are preferable.
I am pretty sure that Stapleton homes begin in the 100K range.
Regardless, I too am done with HR bashing.

[steveco.]

Originally Posted by cil

Yes.
Mixed use and mixed income are preferable.
I am pretty sure that Stapleton homes begin in the 100K range.
Regardless, I too am done with HR bashing.

Im sure that if Highlands ranch were started a decade later they would have been more prone to the mixed use type of development. Unfortunately most of highlands ranch was built up before this type of construction really took hold. Example is the town center area. Most of the last developments in HR are no longer single family cookie cutter homes. Most of it is going in as the multifamily condo types with trails and retail either included or within walking distance. But there is not much and they are almost at complete build out with HR

[2bindenver]

Well commercial businesses are risk adverse. So put the people in first and the businesses will follow is pretty typical for most subdivisions.

HR overall lacks the mutifamily opportunities found in other locations.

Backcountry is single family, and huge.

Tresana is condo/townhome.

Clocktower is loft like.

Unknown development at HR pwky & Grace - ??

When they first put houses in HR both of the nearest grocery stores were off Broadway - in Arapahoe County. The Safeway closed when they built a new on in HR and the Albertson closed 12+ months ago.

HR is now home to 4 King Soopers, a Whole Foods, a Safeway, and a Walmart.

[LisaCACO]

I've been living here in HR for about 6 months now and here's what I don't like about it- its all the same color. I can't stand that! there's not one bit of character visible. sometimes you get a bit when you drive down the occasional side street, but because the developers chose to go the cheaper route (brick doesn't wrap completely around a house for example) the houses are all the same color. I understand they're trying to remedy some of that now, but that beige/light grey color is just nauseating. Yes, I know you can find it in other developments, but to find an entire city of it, well, it's too much.

a stack of the housing is selling for 270,000 and thereabouts, so imho it's pretty cheap, but that's coming from CA, so my mind is warped by our insane housing pricing. my guess is that with foreclosures and whatnot, you can probably find something in the range of 260 or even less...

yes this place has amenities, but I'm not sure they're worth the price of the other things...still trying to decide where to buy...ugh...anyway, that's my two cents.

Oh forgot, the lack of mature trees also drives me crazy, but that's a tad nitpicky, lol.

[rkb0305]

I have green, blue, and even purple houses in my part of HR. Maybe that's the exception to the rule.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

I have green, blue, and even purple houses in my part of HR. Maybe that's the exception to the rule.

Just for fun, could you point us to the street. I would like to use this ultra hi-res tool to view those colorful houses...

For example, here is a random shot in Highlands Ranch using Microsoft Live. Note you can see the colors of the homes. (Make sure you click "Bird's Eye View" and zoom in).

Live Local Search

[b.adams]

Of course any newer part of HR consisting of recently built (builder painted) homes, all with plain jane neutral colors. But they actually do have some colors in HR ... its HOA is actually a lot more generous than most. I had a blue house in HR. I've also seen a few years back that Beazer was doing two-tone colors on their homes and the colors were pretty wild, but nice. I'm pretty sure Shea even had offered some pretty wild colors on its own homes as well. So to say highlands ranch doesn't allow colors simply isn't true. There are a lot of people who got beige and stayed with it. But if you want something more interesting, you usually can, within reasonable limits. I haven't seen any broncos colors yet, thats true.