Looking for specific info. about GJ (Denver, Colorado Springs: middle-class, crime rate, house)

[redwhiteblue]

I am hoping to get some answers to several questions that I have about Grand Junction.

1) How is the wind in the area?

2) I understand that the area is high dessert so are trees few and far between?

3) How is the shopping in GJ? How many malls are there?

4) I have read that GJ has had an increase in crime with the increase in population. If you are a local do you feel that this is a problem that effects how you live?

Thanks in advance to all that offer their opinions.

[CosmicWizard]

1) How is the wind in the area?
The first winter ( '06 - -07) I hardly noticed it. Last winter ( '07 - '08 ) it was more persistent. Once it warms up, the breeze dies down. When the monsoon clouds roll in during July and August, the air is so still, not a leaf is stirring. Unless of course a storm arises, then stormlike winds come to life.

2) I understand that the area is high dessert so are trees few and far between?
The valley is surprisingly green because of the Colorado river and the irrigation canals. The Bookcliffs ( mountains at the north end of the valley ) look rather barren. The BLM lands adjacent to town are sparsely vegetated with Pinyon and Juniper. Any land not irrigated has very sparse vegetation. It is indeed a desert!

3) How is the shopping in GJ? How many malls are there?
Shopping is a chore for me, so I do as little of it as possible. When I do go shopping it is for groceries at the Vitamin Cottage natural foods store, or at REI for outdoor equipment and clothing. There is a mall with many big box stores found in anywhere USA. I call the mall area yuck city, so I've only been there once in 2 years. I wish the Vitamin Cottage would relocate to a nicer part of town. Someone who enjoys shopping could provide a better response to this question.

4) I have read that GJ has had an increase in crime with the increase in population. If you are a local do you feel that this is a problem that effects how you live?
It has had no effect whatsoever on my lifestyle.

Occassionally I forget to close the gagage door when I leave the driveway in the morning, or we forget to close it overnite. Anyone could walk right into the house and help themselves to whatever they found. We have never heard footsteps overnite, nor have we found anything missing.

[jazzlover]

I pretty much agree with NewAge's assessment, except for the last one. Grand Junction is having significant increases in crime problems. The people who I know who have lived there for some time (many of them natives) are actually pretty alarmed about it. Grand Junction is getting a lot of transient gas field workers. Some of these folks have less than savory reputations, unfortunately. They also tend to make a lot a lot of money and Grand Junction does not offer a whole lot of recreation. That can be a formula for trouble. The nature of shift work in the gas fields (often 7 days of 12 hour shifts followed by 7 days off) is conducive to some of the workers using "stimulants" to stay awake during the long hours. Unfortunately, among some, meth is the drug of choice.

No, Grand Junction is not east LA or Miami, but it is not a quiet little crime-free town, much as many people would like to believe it is. I have turned down several career opportunities that would have required me to live there. It used to be a really nice town--no more.

Quickly, as for shopping: Yes, most of the big boxes are there, along with the unimpressive mall. Beyond that, you're looking at Denver, Salt Lake City, or the internet.

[COflower]

I agree with the above (especially with the crime rate having gone up).

While I haven't lived in GJ since late 1995, I have been keeping up on the news there and compared to when I lived there, it seems as though it has gone up. With that said, as a single women living alone over there, I never felt "unsafe".

Mesa Mall kind of sucks but you can get everything you need that you might get in Denver or Colorado Springs. Herbergers was the small equivalent (for the city anyway) to a Dillard's but the selection is considerably less. Downtown has a wonderful selection of boutique and unique stores and has some very good restaurants - for a small city that is.

Since I came over to C. Springs once or twice a month, I had C Springs to fall back on if I couldn't find something there but mostly it has all most people need.

I miss the fact that shoveling snow (I didn't even own a snow shovel) didn't need to be a concern. Wind was rarely a factor although they did have a big wind storm that blew the roof on the Sam's Club. The heat kind of sucks in the summer but if you find housing with a properly maintained evap. cooler, it's not bad.

I've always said it's a place that has a small town feel with the big cities ammenities that you need.

It's not a perfect place but I loved living there and only moved because of a job transfer to Denver. I've stayed on the Front Range now because of my family. I'd go back in a heartbeat if I felt it feasible.

[delta07]

Well, I just moved to Bend, OR from Grand Junction. Although they are both described as high desert, I much prefer Bend because of the trees and milder climate. Grand Junction is very arid and barren outside of city limits. The pinyon/juniper forests are not quite trees, more like large bushes. The city itself is treed, because as New Age said, there is irrigation.

The shopping in GJ is okay at best. There are some big box stores, but the mall is terrible for the size of city GJ is. The shops downtown are cute, but I have seen so many not make it because of prices/competition from the mall area. The same can be said for restaurants. If it's not Olive Garden or another chain, chances are it won't last very long!

Crime definately increased in the 6 years I live in GJ. Teaching in the schools made the problem with meth very apparent for me! With that said though, I never had a problem with crime directly. Of course, I did live next to a sherriff's deputy, so that was a huge deterant for crime!

In terms of wind, you will generally get the seasonal springtime winds. I remember getting caught in the adobe desert when the wind blew through. It was awful! That doesn't last very long though, and it's generally not too bad.

[CosmicWizard]

Jazzlover wrote:

Grand Junction is having significant increases in crime problems. The people who I know who have lived there for some time (many of them natives) are actually pretty alarmed about it.

I've heard this from other sources as well, so you will get no argument from me. Though, I will say that it has no effect on my day to day life.

The most hideous crime I witnessed ( and I witnees it frequently ) is watching adult men and women, sitting in their super-sized vehichles, unconsciously tossing their cigarette butts on to the pavement, as if the city streets were their personal garbage dump. Their mommies and daddies obviously never taught them not to be litterbugs.

[COflower]

Originally Posted by NewAgeRedneck

Jazzlover wrote:[indent][i]The most hideous crime I witnessed ( and I witnees it frequently ) is watching adult men and women, sitting in their super-sized vehichles, unconsciously tossing their cigarette butts on to the pavement, as if the city streets were their personal garbage dump. Their mommies and daddies obviously never taught them not to be litterbugs.

Guess you didn't live near a canal then.

The kids/young adults would steal cars and dump them in the canal behind my house. It happened at least three times during the 2 1/2 years I lived there.

The fire department is well equiped with a crane specifically to pull cars out of the canals. They even have a dive team trained (those canals run pretty fast) to check the vehicle for any occupants before they lift it out.

Oh and Delta07 mentioned living next to a sherriff's deputy. I had one across the street from me (lived off Orchard near 28 1/4 Road) and there was no crime near me. It was a pretty nice middle-class 'hood back then. He never complained about my music - which was nice.