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Old 08-06-2010, 10:03 PM
 
5 posts, read 17,328 times
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Hi All, My husband and I are relatively new to CO, and are renting till we know where we want to settle down long term. Our latest thinking is Arvada (we change our minds on a weekly basis!) and we've spent many weekends driving around there. We really like the Old Town, but weren't really jazzed about the housing stock immediately around there. My husband and I have green collar jobs so we would prefer an energy efficient home, or at least a good solidly constructed house that won't need a ton of money to upgrade.
Can someone tell give me guidance on which parts of Arvada have newer housing stock, walkable to either Old Town or a similar collection of small restaurants, cafes etc, close to transit to downtown Denver (the new light rail?), good schools for our preschooler and a community in which our mixed race family would blend in. THANKS!
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Old 08-07-2010, 01:43 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CO BG View Post
Hi All, My husband and I are relatively new to CO, and are renting till we know where we want to settle down long term. Our latest thinking is Arvada (we change our minds on a weekly basis!) and we've spent many weekends driving around there. We really like the Old Town, but weren't really jazzed about the housing stock immediately around there. My husband and I have green collar jobs so we would prefer an energy efficient home, or at least a good solidly constructed house that won't need a ton of money to upgrade.
Can someone tell give me guidance on which parts of Arvada have newer housing stock, walkable to either Old Town or a similar collection of small restaurants, cafes etc, close to transit to downtown Denver (the new light rail?), good schools for our preschooler and a community in which our mixed race family would blend in. THANKS!
I have lived in Arvada for 30 years and I am very familiar with the area. Most of the newer homes are being West of Indiana and North on Indiana.

Unfortunately, these areas are not well served by public transit as it takes many years for services to expand into newer areas. In addition, the collection of eclectic restaurants and cafes are appealing, in my opinion, in older areas. However, newer faux main streets and new urban neighborhoods in the suburbs do have these amenities.

There is a new urban type development in West Arvada and it is called Five Parks, east off of 86th and Indiana. It does have collection of walkable stores and restaurants. The big problem is that it is not served by Public Transit, as it is far out into the West Arvada Suburbs. I have looked at it and it has very nice new homes, a few shops, but to me too sterile; and I would get quickly bored with the available businesses.

The big shopping areas that serves the west side, in the Westwood area (named after the golf course) are at West 64th and McIntyre. This areas has a collection of some restaurants and shops. I would not consider these stores walkable.

There is some new infilled development of new homes off West 72nd. , Just east of Kipling. This is a new road that was put through the area and is nicely wooded and near Majestic View Park. There are no stores, walkable nearby, and Public transit is not well, served, but there is a bus running on Kipling , Route 100.

Another Area of Infill Homes is off of Kipling South of West 58th, on the Hill overlooking the big soccer and baseball fields. This would be your best best for good public transit--in the future, as a new rail station is planned in the area, The Arvada Ridge Station on the Gold Corridor, north of the Target Development; it will be completed in 2016. At this time, the area is not well served by bus transit and there are no walkable stores from the newer housing.

There are some other new infilled development on Lamar, North of West 58th. It is really in the middle of a very old area; close to old towne but not walkable. Public Transit is not good.

Anther area to be considered would be West 80th and Wadsworth. This has a number of good stores that area walkable from the adjoining neighborhoods; good public transit and the housing stock is not very old. There is a new infilled development, at West 72nd. just east of Wadsworth, on Hackberry Hill, north of the Arvada Center for the Arts. That may be a good possibility.

All the areas that I have mentioned are very well served with Parks and Open Space--that is not a problem is any area of Arvada. Schools are Jefferson County, West of Sheridan, which are good. Many of the Facilities in the West Arvada suburbs are newly built.

Mixed race couples and children will not have any problems in any parts of Arvada. It is very common to see this positive blending of racial groups. I see this all over the metro area and I have family all over the region. The children all have multi-racial friends. It is not like when I was a kid growing up in strictly segregated New York where intermingling was discouraged; mixed couples were not common and were a noticed curiosity. Here, everyone and every family situation is accepted.

I use Public Transit often and to be served by it well in Arvada, you would have to live close to the Main Routes that go through the City and try to live near the Main Streets which have good bus service.

I do not think, you can necessarily have it all. You may have to compromise. You have three issues: New Home, Walkable Stores, Good Public Transit--all are hard to match.

Livecontent
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Old 08-08-2010, 06:56 AM
 
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Thank you, Livecontent, for such a great reply. I really appreciate you taking the time to write out so much detailed information, your insight is very very helpful. I agree we can't have everything we want and our ultimate decision will involve compromise... but somewhere out there is a neighborhood that has nearly everything!
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Old 08-08-2010, 08:46 AM
 
Location: Just south of Denver since 1989
11,818 posts, read 34,314,072 times
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It's easy to search MLS for Arvada, and newer housing stock. Our listings here have a walkability score.
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Old 08-13-2010, 11:07 AM
 
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Hi,

My family has lived in the Olde Town Arvada area for 3 years. We're off of Olde Wadsworth and 60th and the "walkability" factor is fantastic. We are:
-1/2 block from Ralston Creek Trail (4 great playgrounds within a 20 minute walk either direction on the trail)
-2 house down from the 76 bus route on Olde Wadsworth
-2 blocks from the 52 and 72 bus route
-3 blocks from the library, Town Plaza Interactive Fountain (kids love it), all the shops and dining, and future light rail station
-6 blocks from Garrison St Rec Center, Grocery Stores, etc
-8 blocks from the Arvada Center

We absolutely adore the location but if you're looking for 2 story newer houses you won't find it in Olde Town. The houses are nearly all ranch style built in the 50s. Some have basements, some don't. The prices in the area are really great, though, and very stable. 3 bedroom houses are selling for between 170-180K so it's definitely affordable. I have 2 daughters (ages 2 and 4) and the Jeffco pre-schools are great. We've been very impressed with the school district.

I hope this helps. I'll be happy to answer any other questions about the Olde Town area. We walk almost everywhere so I know how important walkability is.
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Old 08-13-2010, 01:40 PM
 
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lucybride,

I am very familiar with your area and I think it is great and has much more potential. When that rail station goes into to Olde Town, I can see all that area all increasing in value. I especially like homes that are near to the parks and trails along Ralston Creek. I would also mention that you live close to the Police Department, the City Hall and the Post Office--all walkable.

What is really interesting about the older part of Arvada--It has not deteriorated and is a very safe place to live. The City and Jefferson County has made many investments, especially in the schools. The new Library overlooking the Fountain Park is just great. I enjoy going there and watching the children play in the water sprays. Many places built develops to mimic old main street areas but Arvada has the real thing.

Every time I walk around the area, I think that Andy Hardy is going to come down the block--or should I say Micky Rooney, arm and arm with Judy Garland. If you readers do not know what I am talking about--well, you should look it up.

There is now a proposal by the city to make many of those neighborhoods a designation of historical homes including those mid-century modern ranches. Many of those mid-century homes are north of Ralston Creek, Brooks Drive and in the Alta Vista neighborhood. I assume there will be monies available for renovation.

Livecontent

Last edited by livecontent; 08-13-2010 at 01:48 PM..
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Old 08-17-2010, 01:09 PM
 
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I love Olde Town and we have thought often of moving there. One concern I did have is that there is a group sex offender home right in Olde Town. Also, I heard there was a teen(?) halfway house nearby and I often see some sketchy looking groups of teens hanging around outside the library. I don't expect or want a "sterile" envirnoment or anything-- but if anyone knows something that could address these concerns, I'd be grateful.

Also is the train noise bad? And will it increase once the light rail goes in?

Thanks!
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Old 08-17-2010, 01:37 PM
 
5,089 posts, read 15,361,057 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LEDFuller View Post
I love Olde Town and we have thought often of moving there. One concern I did have is that there is a group sex offender home right in Olde Town. Also, I heard there was a teen(?) halfway house nearby and I often see some sketchy looking groups of teens hanging around outside the library. I don't expect or want a "sterile" envirnoment or anything-- but if anyone knows something that could address these concerns, I'd be grateful.

Also is the train noise bad? And will it increase once the light rail goes in?

Thanks!
I have never heard of any group homes in the area but there could be there--It just never came up in any discussion. It certainly has not been a bad issue because it would have got some bad publicity in the press.

I have been to Olde Town, numerous times, over thirty years, at all hours, and I have never seen any problem with any groups of anything or anybody. I have no idea what you are talking about. Just because teens walk together, girls giggle and boys laugh together; acting the way, young people act, does not mean or denote any threat

Today you see more young children playing in the fountain in the new square near the library. Parents and proud grandparents are always close by. On of the predominate features of Olde Town is Shrine of St. Anne, Church and Elementary School, across the parking lot from the Library. You see the children all walking around the area. Down the road there are other public elementary and middle schools--children and parents are all seen all over the area. High Schools are no longer in that area.

I never heard of any problems at night with the few old taverns and the new refurbished restaurants. On the weekends, you see many other people in the area, perusing the many antique markets on Grandview.

Train Noises?? There are train tracks running through the area, and there are trains, which means there is noise. When the heavy electric commuter rail (it is not light rail) is finished, there will be more noise. There will be abatement installed to minimize the noise, but there still will be noise. If you live near train tracks, then you must accept that issue.

The same tracks run,within 1/3 mile of my house and I can tell you, you will hear the trains, the horns and I do expect some more "noise". To me it is not noise--it is comforting to hear a train. I would suggest if that would be a problem for you, then do not live in or near Olde Town or any area where rail is near; but then you do not have the advantage of living within walkable distance of a public transit rail station. It is the nature of the beast. I have lived in New York City and the noise of that great walkable city is all around and it becomes part of your life, for the noise is a product of what makes it desirable for many.

Livecontent

Last edited by livecontent; 08-17-2010 at 02:33 PM..
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Old 09-11-2010, 11:40 AM
 
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my husband is being transfered to denver @ lockheed martin. we r looking for a quiet country setting. prefered mountains. (less of the flat land) to raise the kids. we curently live in pa. We were thinking of Arvada, but it sounds like its more of a "town" setting than the "country" setting that we r looking for. Is that what it is?, or is there farming parts of it. we need aprox. 30-40 miles wthin denver. Something were the kids can take a bus to school, or we cld drive them, houses spread a fare amount apart? Any ideas?... thanks
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Old 09-11-2010, 12:26 PM
 
5,089 posts, read 15,361,057 times
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Originally Posted by jennifer long View Post
my husband is being transfered to denver @ lockheed martin. we r looking for a quiet country setting. prefered mountains. (less of the flat land) to raise the kids. we curently live in pa. We were thinking of Arvada, but it sounds like its more of a "town" setting than the "country" setting that we r looking for. Is that what it is?, or is there farming parts of it. we need aprox. 30-40 miles wthin denver. Something were the kids can take a bus to school, or we cld drive them, houses spread a fare amount apart? Any ideas?... thanks
Arvada is just not a town center. Arvada has much open space but many farms/ranches and equestrian centers the farther west you go to the mountains. Arvada, is still growing and there are no other towns west. I would suggest you goggle these areas.

I grew up on the east coast, near Buffalo. The Denver metro area is much different than the east. It does not have many small farms and the idyllic pastoral towns; it does not have the green lush trees and undergrowth. The native land is grassland and even up into the mountains, the forest are not the dense growth of the east.

What this area does have that is different and better is much more open space, parks and trails that intersperse the city, the suburbs and surround the area. Here water and water bodies are so rare that they are honored by trails along even the smallest creeks and irrigation ditches. The west has many reservoirs, very few nature bodies of water and they are used extensively for recreation. The east, as I remember near Buffalo, the creeks were ignored, filled in, weed and garbage invested and few parks. There was much less open space and preserved lands but there were many nature water bodies and lakes.

Keep in mind that the open space of the west includes much land that to an easterner will look like barren and scrub land--that is the nature of this land: the grasslands of the high plains and the semi-arid region; again including the mountains. Most of the trees you see will have been planted, in and around the metro area.

If you are looking to find the same, as in PA and NY, you will not find it. You must learn to accept the land and it will accept you or you will be very unhappy.

I would suggest you also consider the commute for your husband to his job. I do not think Arvada is a ideal commute to Lockheed. I would look more into Southern Jefferson County. There are many beautiful areas closer to Lockheed with great schools. Why make the commute difficult? The Columbine area, just west of the Platte River and the old city center of Littleton is a area that can give you that semi-country place. You will surprised by the open space and parks that meander along the Platte and down to Chatfield Reservoir. You may also find Ken Caryl Ranch appealing. Again, Google the area.

Livecontent
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