Does Colorado Hate Highlands Ranch? (Denver, Boulder: work, houses, oil)

[ditto]

Originally Posted by a51ampFuse

Hate Hylands Ranch?? Oh say it aint so....Do dogs have fleas, do bears poo in the woods, is Hickenlooper nothin more than a Boulder duffus? Hmmm, gunna have to give this some thought. Even the kids in the ranch are bored to tears and becoming braindead. Lead paint was far less of a threat.

lol - true! I love the humor in your posts. Keep up the nice work!

[Jeanne Osness]

I happen to live in Highlands Ranch, love it, don't drive a tan SUV and don't live in a McMansion. I find it interesting that those that "loath" HR have never lived there. I find it to be friendly, close access to highways, the city, has good schools, nice community, great access to paths and open space. True that you will find many to be superficial...but no different than I find in New York, Des Moines, or Orlando. People are people...

[denverian]

Originally Posted by LisaCACO

I didn't say that HR doesn't allow colors- it may. I just don't think the folks here are into colors, lol. all the colors here are very, very muted, though I did see a blue door a few days ago. there's no breaking out and going bold, kwim? maybe they like that, I dunno. on the one hand, you don't have to worry about your neighbor painting his house dark purple with pink stripes. on the other hand, I have a hard time identifying which house is ours-seriously. the muted colors...all so similar, similar landscaping-ugh. not quite what i'm looking for in a neighborhood I think. I really wanna drive up and be thrilled with my home and the neighborhood, on the outside and the inside. hard to do when everyone's home is so similar. it's not just HR, but I see it in many of the new neighborhoods all over in this area (and probably in many others). it wouldn't be so bad if the builders decorated the whole of the outside rather than just the front and a bit of the sides, but then again, they didn't ask me . the more distinct homes are the more expensive ones, 700,000 and up. we swore we weren't going to pay that again now that we've left CA, so we may end up buying a much older house just to get some "character"-dunno. I love the inside of many of these homes here in HR, just not the outside.

on the plus side, we love HR's park system. dd's three and she goes to the park nearly every day. we've visited every one of their parks, lol, as well as their rec centers. nice job there.

That's one thing I can't stand about new houses - when the architectural detailing is only on the front, and the sides and back look like a big, beige box. I live in the Stapleton development and all the builders are required to have the same delailing on the sides, back and garage as on the front of the house. Plus I like that there are no "front loading" garages, but the whole place is designed on traditional architecture and traditional neighborhood design. The houses are more expensive though.

[2bindenver]

Originally Posted by denverian

That's one thing I can't stand about new houses - when the architectural detailing is only on the front, and the sides and back look like a big, beige box. ... The houses are more expensive though.

Yes, brick is more expensive. To buy, have instaled and to maintain.

In HR, the developer has mandated houses that back to open space have enhanced exteriors (read brick or stone on the back.)

It does not add value.

And my rental house in HR is blue, with dark blue trim.

[b.adams]

I agree 100%

Most people who sit here bad mouthing HR really have never lived there and have no idea what they are missing out on. I don't know if its jealousy or ignorance or both.

I do wish they would add some details to the sides and rears of the homes ... but that said, its not necessary and adds to the cost of the home. Brick in Colorado seems to be a luxury item. I had the most brick added to my home possible ... and it was part of a $10k package, which also included more windows and better windows and more decorative trim. There is more brick in just one of my front porch columns (they are enormous) than my last home in HR had on the entire house. But still, no brick on the side or rear of my home.

[Katiana]

I seriously doubt it is jealousy. I heard that term used once in regards to Boulder (by a Boulder city council candidate, no less, in his campaign literature) and just about cracked up. No, those of us who don't live there (or Boulder) are not jealous. We just didn't choose to live there. We found someplace else we liked. It's not like there are hordes of people waiting to get "in" to HR. There are many houses for sale there (just like everywhere).

Ignorance is a different issue. There are a lot of people all over CD who "hate" suburbs, all suburbs, who seem to have never been in one, to read what they post.

[LisaCACO]

I don't think it's jealousy for most, tho it may be for a few. i think for a number of folks it's just a disgust for the cookie-cutter-ness of it all, the stepford-ness, the conformity, etc. it just isn't for many folks. I know it rubs me the wrong way. if we end up moving here, it will take a lot for me to cope with it all, lol. it really isn't me and heck, I moved here from CA. we've got the cash, the east coast educations and in theory the pretention to love aspects of this place, but it's not what we moved to CO for.

I like the older houses of Littleton and denver, but that's me.

[b.adams]

HR is not more cookie cutter than anywhere else mentioned. Its just newer and without the trees and mature landscaping ... appears more stark than the other places mentioned in this thread. There are places in HR which are almost 30 years old -- those areas are quite nice. More people don't see them, only the brand new stuff thats clearly visible from the roads.

The problem with some of the areas in Denver with the 'most' character ... is that you really have to put your kids in private schools ... and its not even remotely close to as kid friendly. Would your kids rather live on a block with 8-9 families with kids of similar age, or on a block with maybe 1 other family like yours and 8-9 house with senior citizens ? The other neighborhoods can be nice, but your kids are even more BORED because its not as much fun to play with Mr Smith ... whos kids graduated from college 10-25 years ago. Thats why I think HR is superior to the older neighborhoods for families with kids.

[Katiana]

The only way to avoid getting old is to die young.

Seriously, to think that if you don't live in a neighborhood with wall to wall kids, you will be living in a senior citizen area is incorrect. As homes sell in my neighborhood, they are usually bought by young families, keeping the 'hood vibrant. There aren't as many kids here as when mine were little, but there still are enough that kids have other kids to play with.

My nepehw lived in Wash Park, where there were many kids. Also singles, seniors, etc.

[rebagirl]

Originally Posted by b.adams

HR is not more cookie cutter than anywhere else mentioned. Its just newer and without the trees and mature landscaping ... appears more stark than the other places mentioned in this thread. There are places in HR which are almost 30 years old -- those areas are quite nice. More people don't see them, only the brand new stuff thats clearly visible from the roads.

The problem with some of the areas in Denver with the 'most' character ... is that you really have to put your kids in private schools ... and its not even remotely close to as kid friendly. Would your kids rather live on a block with 8-9 families with kids of similar age, or on a block with maybe 1 other family like yours and 8-9 house with senior citizens ? The other neighborhoods can be nice, but your kids are even more BORED because its not as much fun to play with Mr Smith ... whos kids graduated from college 10-25 years ago. Thats why I think HR is superior to the older neighborhoods for families with kids.

We live on a street with mostly retired folks who raised their kids here. I'm glad--it's quiet, the neighbors don't throw obnoxious parties, the homes are well-kept without the need for an HOA, the neighbors are friendly and have the time to chat. The elementary school where my kids attend has over 950 students, so even though they're not all on our street (thank God), my kids have plenty of friends to play with regularly. As I've mentioned before, I would stay here if it weren't for the smog, gangs, graffiti and general decline of the surrounding areas. I like my little pocket to some extent, but it's rapidly being overtaken by ugliness.