My lists of wants/dont wants in a city.. Hows Denver rate? (Erie: apartment, rent)

[DMan87]

Ok, first off I just want to say I absolutely LOVE Denver, CO. Actually, I love the state of CO in general but Denver really holds a place in my heart. I have never been so happy in my life after each visit I take there.

However, I want to make sure I am making the right choice about moving there.

I am 23yrs old, a NYS graduate with a BA in Criminal Justice and minor in sociology, currently reside north of Erie PA (Jamestown NY) and need to get out on my own.

I have no job lined up but enough savings to last me roughly 8-10 months (I am very picky when it comes to spending money so I try not to waste it).

I also have no job lined up for the mere fact that I am looking for law enforcement work that requires multiple trips to an agency you are interested in. To complete all the tasks you usually need to take 2-4 trips to the department you are interested in (which becomes extremely expensive when you consider the fact I have to fly from WNY to Denver, CO, rent a vehicle, grab hotel rooms, etc). I think it is just easier for me with my degree to just pick up and go somewhere and do my testing that way.

With all this said, this is what I am looking for in a city:

• Sporting Events- Im huge on hockey but also love to catch a football or baseball game
• 4 seasons
• close to ammenities (walking distance, I have a car but I love to go for walks)
• Parks
• Mountains
• Some type of water scenery (I live close enough to the Great Lakes which I absolutely love in the summer time)
• Ideal law enforcement work
• Outdoor recreations
• Less snow than WNY (I enjoy snow. I go snowboarding and use to snowmobile but 200+ inches of snow a year is too much for me). Not to mention lake effect snow is BRUTAL
• Good food and good beer (grew up in an Italian home so food is a necessity and my dad was a Bar Owner for many years)
• Sunshine
• Positive People and Friendly People
• Night Life
• Affordable Living
• Wildlife
• Music Festivities
• Historic Sites
• Safe communities
• Promising Job Market (Obviously I know that in todays world no job market is promising but Im trying to find something that more upside than downside)
• Pet Friendly (I have 1 cat and 1 dog (Springer Spaniel/Lab mix)

Things I dont want in a city

• Humidity
• Lack of Activities
• Small Town Life (I dont mind visiting small towns, thats what I live in now, but I need something that in at least keeping me on my toes)
• Rude, arrogant or lazy indviduals
• Dry and deserted land
• Failing economy (Like i stated, I know many economies are still crashing so Im looking for something that is "bad" instead of "worse" I suppose

[Mike from back east]

Denver has all you seek.

On your "do NOT want" list, only the climate seems a possible issue. The climate is day, low humidity, but not a desert like around Phoenix and nowhere near as hot as the desert southwest. Officially this area is called an Alpine Desert, but Denver looks like most other cities but far less green than eastern cities.

I believe our unemployment issues right about on the national average, we're not a disaster like Detroit is right now.

Overall, Denver is a good choice for you.

[DMan87]

thanks for the reply! I have a gut feeling that Denver is the ideal place for me... The only thing that turns me off is the extreme distance between Denver and my family (all in NY or along the east coast) but at some point you have to cut that cord i suppose

[Dorthy]

On your "want" list I'd say that Denver has everything except for "water scenery". Sure there are small rivers such as Cherry Creek and the Platte and reservoirs such as Cherry Creek and Chatfield but there isn't a lot of water here. It won't be anything like what you are used to coming from WNY and speaking as a former east coaster, you will most likely miss it.

Good food is subjective. Some say that Denver is seriously lacking in good restaurants while others think it's the greatest. IMO, you have to go off the beaten path in order to find really good food in Denver. There are a lot of chains here. I've found some of the best restaurants in Denver to be in random strip malls and in shady parts of town and some of the worst to be in trendy areas such as Lodo and Cherry Creek.

On your "don't want" list" You'll be fine except for the fact that Denver is very very dry. It won't be nearly as green as what you are used to coming from WNY. The landscape is often brown, not green.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

And in a city of almost 3 million people, you are bound to find some "rude, arrogant, or lazy individuals". Of course, you will find them anywhere in the world. Are there really some cities where the majority of people you meet are rude, arrogant or lazy?

[DMan87]

What I mean by "rude, arrogant or lazy individuals" is I dont want to feel as a "transplant". I'm very open and very social so I love going out and making new friends on a daily basis. Lazy wise, I have been through towns where people just sit back and complain on how miserable their life is. Im an individual that has the mindset on if something sucks then change to make it better.

I have heard that I will miss the green that WNY has (but for me that only lasts from maybe April-Sept) so I can deal with that. I do think I will miss the water scenery I have around here (living right on chautauqua lake and being within 40mins of Lake Erie). However, I dont boat or water ski or do any recreational activities on the water. I just like being able to jump in the lake for a quick swim or lay out on the sand for a hour or 2.

Food isnt a selling point for me but I would love a place that has good food. Being a chef though I can always make my own food at my apartment and be satisfied

[zenkonami]

Originally Posted by DMan87

I have no job lined up but enough savings to last me roughly 8-10 months (I am very picky when it comes to spending money so I try not to waste it).

I also have no job lined up for the mere fact that I am looking for law enforcement work that requires multiple trips to an agency you are interested in. To complete all the tasks you usually need to take 2-4 trips to the department you are interested in (which becomes extremely expensive when you consider the fact I have to fly from WNY to Denver, CO, rent a vehicle, grab hotel rooms, etc). I think it is just easier for me with my degree to just pick up and go somewhere and do my testing that way.

Money saved up = good. It can take a bit to get running out here.

I'll just tackle the list one at a time.

With all this said, this is what I am looking for in a city:

* Sporting Events- Im huge on hockey but also love to catch a football or baseball game

= We've got the Avs. Go Avs! Not the best team in the league, but certainly not the worst (though we could certainly use another winning streak.)

* 4 seasons

= Well, we have seasons. Whether or not there are four of them is a matter of some debate.

* close to ammenities (walking distance, I have a car but I love to go for walks)

That shouldn't be too hard. Just do your research on neighborhoods. The further out from downtown you go, the fewer amenities, generally, but there are some old (former) streetcar neighborhoods around that have some great little "main streets." Pearl, Tennyson, Gaylord, Highlands Square, etc... Not to mention, if you go Capitol Hill or near that area, you're close to Colfax and potentially Broadway, where there are plenty of amenities.

* Parks

You can't spit, here, without hitting a park, greenway or other public space. They are EVERYWHERE. Sometimes big, sometimes little more than a couple block strip of grass and trees, but they are here.

* Mountains

Well, they are "up there." Depending on where you are at in Denver you can be up in the mountains anywhere from half an hour to two hours, weather and traffic permitting. I-70, pretty the route up into the mountains, will back completely up on weekends during ski season. Best to enjoy the mountains on weekdays if you can.

* Some type of water scenery (I live close enough to the Great Lakes which I absolutely love in the summer time)

Ahh. Um. Do you like creeks? This is the one area on your list so far where we are going to fall short. We have reservoirs and such, but most of them are small. Where at the top of the world up here (well, in Denver we are approaching the top of the world), and it's quite dry. We don't get the benefit of water having flowed all the way down across the rest of the country and falling from the sky. Basically we get what hits the "roof" (the Rockies) and what happens to blow directly over us. So...not a lot of water. Not at all.

* Ideal law enforcement work

Since I'm not sure what "ideal" would entail, I can't answer that one.

* Outdoor recreations

Sometimes you'll think that's all we have.

* Less snow than WNY (I enjoy snow. I go snowboarding and use to snowmobile but 200+ inches of snow a year is too much for me). Not to mention lake effect snow is BRUTAL

We don't seem to see a lot of snow in Denver, though the mountains will get pummeled pretty well sometimes. Also, we don't have "lake effect snow" as we don't really have any "lakes" the way you might think of them

* Good food and good beer (grew up in an Italian home so food is a necessity and my dad was a Bar Owner for many years)

Beer we can do. Our food isn't the best in the world, but we've got a good variety and there are definitely some gems in the city.

* Sunshine

Check. 250 + days of it.

* Positive People and Friendly People

Definitely positive and friendly BUT people can also be a bit introvert and keep to themselves. People don't usually go out of their way to make friends, but if you drink enough of our beer, you should find plenty of positive and friendly people!

* Night Life

Check. Lodo, Cherry Creek, Broadway and Colfax mostly. If it doesn't seem super active at first, don't give up on it. There's plenty to do at night.

* Affordable Living

Better than most of our major cities, but worse than most of our medium sized cities. If it's any help, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Cleveland and Dallas are cheaper. Phoenix and Atlanta are fairly comparable. Philly, Boston, Chicago, NY and L.A. are all more expensive (though Philly not by much, and their suburbs are cheaper than ours.)

* Wildlife

Check.

* Music Festivities

Good heavens, yes. Jam bands and electronic are quite big out here, but we get a little bit of everything.

* Historic Sites

Not like back east, but we do have historic sites. Depends on what kind of historic sites you're looking for though. Colorado has a lot of history of it's own, though it rarely seems to carry much weight with those from the eastern U.S. because we are a younger, less populated area traditionally.

* Safe communities

I'll be honest. This is probably the safest place I've ever lived. That said, I've lived in some questionable places.

* Promising Job Market (Obviously I know that in todays world no job market is promising but Im trying to find something that more upside than downside)

Here's where I'd caution you. There's a lot of talk about making a lot of cuts in government expenditures right now. We have a fairly well balanced legislature in the state, and Denver seems to lean very slightly to a kind of libertarian left (if that makes sense...transit, social programs and civic projects are important, but people want to keep their privacy, guns and taxes relatively low.) That said, we do better than a lot of cities. For your kind of work, I'd expect a pretty hard slog. Not saying it can't be done, but definitely prepare for the worst on that front.

If you're willing to take other work in the meantime, you should be able to pick something up within a few months, but it may take exactly that...a few months. It's just hard to say how things are going to look yet, this year.

* Pet Friendly (I have 1 cat and 1 dog (Springer Spaniel/Lab mix)

I have never lived in a more pet friendly city in my life. There are dogs everywhere, and dog parks / dog runs are springing up all the time.

Things I dont want in a city

* Humidity

Done.

* Lack of Activities

Every week there is either some kind of local festival, museum/zoo/botanical garden/etc... free day, performance or other activity somewhere in the Denver metro area (often near downtown.) Of course, there are tons of neighborhood parks, state parks and even Rocky Mountain National Park just a few hours from the city. If you get bored, you have a problem.

* Small Town Life (I dont mind visiting small towns, thats what I live in now, but I need something that in at least keeping me on my toes)

We are not a small town. Stick to the city proper and you'll have no problem. If you want to visit small towns, we've got 'em on the plains and in the mountains. Denver is a full fledged city. It is not Philly, New York or Chicago, but it moves (and to be honest is more exciting to me than Philly was, even if less dense.)

* Rude, arrogant or lazy indviduals

Well, you get those anywhere. Stay on your toes when you drive. We're not the worst drivers in the country, but we've got our fair share of idiots. People that complain about living here usually don't stay long. There's actually quite a bit of pride about our city from most people I've talked to. And Denverites will often defend their city quite ardently...not sure if that counts as arrogant. People keep saying Colorado is very "live and let live", and I'd say that sums it up pretty well.

* Dry and deserted land

WELL...it's not Phoenix or Las Vegas, with entire blocks of micro desert, but we do live on the prairie. It's tall, plains grasses and for most of the year they are brown. I happen to like that as it has a very distinct character and distinct wildlife. The city itself has a fair amount of trees and stays relatively green, though not vibrantly green. We get a very short "green" period it seems on any given year. Denver is actually quite arid. If you've visited in March, July / August and maybe November - January, then you already know that. I think most of our surface water comes from mountain snowmelt. Just be prepared tall, brown grasses and some sagebrush. If you've flown into Denver International Airport then you probably get the idea. Most of our parks are green, though.
[*]Failing economy (Like i stated, I know many economies are still crashing so Im looking for something that is "bad" instead of "worse" I suppose

Not failing, not flailing. Not really at full steam or even half speed, either. Just kind of stalled and hovering...maybe with just a touch of headway.


One other thing you should know. Aside from being beer central, Colorado is basically the pot capital of the country. Whether or not that's something your into, just be aware that there are more "medical dispensaries" here than there are Starbucks...and frankly, I think even the liquor stores are being given a run for their money. It's not my thing (I'm a beer and whiskey man in relatively good health), but for the most part people seem to function fine around here (as opposed to other places I've lived where marijuana was popular.) It's a big part of the local culture and so worth being aware of.

Hope that helps!

[Timmyy]

Originally Posted by zenkonami

Money saved up = good. It can take a bit to get running out here.

I'll just tackle the list one at a time.

With all this said, this is what I am looking for in a city:

* Sporting Events- Im huge on hockey but also love to catch a football or baseball game

= We've got the Avs. Go Avs! Not the best team in the league, but certainly not the worst (though we could certainly use another winning streak.)

* 4 seasons

= Well, we have seasons. Whether or not there are four of them is a matter of some debate.

* close to ammenities (walking distance, I have a car but I love to go for walks)

That shouldn't be too hard. Just do your research on neighborhoods. The further out from downtown you go, the fewer amenities, generally, but there are some old (former) streetcar neighborhoods around that have some great little "main streets." Pearl, Tennyson, Gaylord, Highlands Square, etc... Not to mention, if you go Capitol Hill or near that area, you're close to Colfax and potentially Broadway, where there are plenty of amenities.

* Parks

You can't spit, here, without hitting a park, greenway or other public space. They are EVERYWHERE. Sometimes big, sometimes little more than a couple block strip of grass and trees, but they are here.

* Mountains

Well, they are "up there." Depending on where you are at in Denver you can be up in the mountains anywhere from half an hour to two hours, weather and traffic permitting. I-70, pretty the route up into the mountains, will back completely up on weekends during ski season. Best to enjoy the mountains on weekdays if you can.

* Some type of water scenery (I live close enough to the Great Lakes which I absolutely love in the summer time)

Ahh. Um. Do you like creeks? This is the one area on your list so far where we are going to fall short. We have reservoirs and such, but most of them are small. Where at the top of the world up here (well, in Denver we are approaching the top of the world), and it's quite dry. We don't get the benefit of water having flowed all the way down across the rest of the country and falling from the sky. Basically we get what hits the "roof" (the Rockies) and what happens to blow directly over us. So...not a lot of water. Not at all.

* Ideal law enforcement work

Since I'm not sure what "ideal" would entail, I can't answer that one.

* Outdoor recreations

Sometimes you'll think that's all we have.

* Less snow than WNY (I enjoy snow. I go snowboarding and use to snowmobile but 200+ inches of snow a year is too much for me). Not to mention lake effect snow is BRUTAL

We don't seem to see a lot of snow in Denver, though the mountains will get pummeled pretty well sometimes. Also, we don't have "lake effect snow" as we don't really have any "lakes" the way you might think of them

* Good food and good beer (grew up in an Italian home so food is a necessity and my dad was a Bar Owner for many years)

Beer we can do. Our food isn't the best in the world, but we've got a good variety and there are definitely some gems in the city.

* Sunshine

Check. 250 + days of it.

* Positive People and Friendly People

Definitely positive and friendly BUT people can also be a bit introvert and keep to themselves. People don't usually go out of their way to make friends, but if you drink enough of our beer, you should find plenty of positive and friendly people!

* Night Life

Check. Lodo, Cherry Creek, Broadway and Colfax mostly. If it doesn't seem super active at first, don't give up on it. There's plenty to do at night.

* Affordable Living

Better than most of our major cities, but worse than most of our medium sized cities. If it's any help, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Cleveland and Dallas are cheaper. Phoenix and Atlanta are fairly comparable. Philly, Boston, Chicago, NY and L.A. are all more expensive (though Philly not by much, and their suburbs are cheaper than ours.)

* Wildlife

Check.

* Music Festivities

Good heavens, yes. Jam bands and electronic are quite big out here, but we get a little bit of everything.

* Historic Sites

Not like back east, but we do have historic sites. Depends on what kind of historic sites you're looking for though. Colorado has a lot of history of it's own, though it rarely seems to carry much weight with those from the eastern U.S. because we are a younger, less populated area traditionally.

* Safe communities

I'll be honest. This is probably the safest place I've ever lived. That said, I've lived in some questionable places.

* Promising Job Market (Obviously I know that in todays world no job market is promising but Im trying to find something that more upside than downside)

Here's where I'd caution you. There's a lot of talk about making a lot of cuts in government expenditures right now. We have a fairly well balanced legislature in the state, and Denver seems to lean very slightly to a kind of libertarian left (if that makes sense...transit, social programs and civic projects are important, but people want to keep their privacy, guns and taxes relatively low.) That said, we do better than a lot of cities. For your kind of work, I'd expect a pretty hard slog. Not saying it can't be done, but definitely prepare for the worst on that front.

If you're willing to take other work in the meantime, you should be able to pick something up within a few months, but it may take exactly that...a few months. It's just hard to say how things are going to look yet, this year.

* Pet Friendly (I have 1 cat and 1 dog (Springer Spaniel/Lab mix)

I have never lived in a more pet friendly city in my life. There are dogs everywhere, and dog parks / dog runs are springing up all the time.

Things I dont want in a city

* Humidity

Done.

* Lack of Activities

Every week there is either some kind of local festival, museum/zoo/botanical garden/etc... free day, performance or other activity somewhere in the Denver metro area (often near downtown.) Of course, there are tons of neighborhood parks, state parks and even Rocky Mountain National Park just a few hours from the city. If you get bored, you have a problem.

* Small Town Life (I dont mind visiting small towns, thats what I live in now, but I need something that in at least keeping me on my toes)

We are not a small town. Stick to the city proper and you'll have no problem. If you want to visit small towns, we've got 'em on the plains and in the mountains. Denver is a full fledged city. It is not Philly, New York or Chicago, but it moves (and to be honest is more exciting to me than Philly was, even if less dense.)

* Rude, arrogant or lazy indviduals

Well, you get those anywhere. Stay on your toes when you drive. We're not the worst drivers in the country, but we've got our fair share of idiots. People that complain about living here usually don't stay long. There's actually quite a bit of pride about our city from most people I've talked to. And Denverites will often defend their city quite ardently...not sure if that counts as arrogant. People keep saying Colorado is very "live and let live", and I'd say that sums it up pretty well.

* Dry and deserted land

WELL...it's not Phoenix or Las Vegas, with entire blocks of micro desert, but we do live on the prairie. It's tall, plains grasses and for most of the year they are brown. I happen to like that as it has a very distinct character and distinct wildlife. The city itself has a fair amount of trees and stays relatively green, though not vibrantly green. We get a very short "green" period it seems on any given year. Denver is actually quite arid. If you've visited in March, July / August and maybe November - January, then you already know that. I think most of our surface water comes from mountain snowmelt. Just be prepared tall, brown grasses and some sagebrush. If you've flown into Denver International Airport then you probably get the idea. Most of our parks are green, though.[*]Failing economy (Like i stated, I know many economies are still crashing so Im looking for something that is "bad" instead of "worse" I suppose

Not failing, not flailing. Not really at full steam or even half speed, either. Just kind of stalled and hovering...maybe with just a touch of headway.


One other thing you should know. Aside from being beer central, Colorado is basically the pot capital of the country. Whether or not that's something your into, just be aware that there are more "medical dispensaries" here than there are Starbucks...and frankly, I think even the liquor stores are being given a run for their money. It's not my thing (I'm a beer and whiskey man in relatively good health), but for the most part people seem to function fine around here (as opposed to other places I've lived where marijuana was popular.) It's a big part of the local culture and so worth being aware of.

Hope that helps!

I do believe you hit the nail right on the head. I am a transplant that has been here for 12 years. Like you said, most people who don't like it leave pretty quickly. I love it. I love that we have all the major sports. Can't go wrong with a show at Red Rocks. Love all the green belts. Driving can be a bit scary. It appears a lot of cars do not come equipped with signal switches.

[ColoWeb]

A good match based on your list. There is not much of a water scenery other than several parks/reservoirs here. Economically, however, there are issues that we have - like the rest of the nation - and I do not think the the economic issues are over for our state.

It is great that you saved up, made plans, and are ready to make a move. Obviously check the departments and organizations are hiring before you move. Many have strict timeliness, dates, and requirements so make the move at the "best" time.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by DMan87

[*]Sporting Events- Im huge on hockey but also love to catch a football or baseball game[*]4 seasons[*]Mountains[*]Outdoor recreations[*]Sunshine[*]Wildlife[*]Pet Friendly (I have 1 cat and 1 dog (Springer Spaniel/Lab mix)

Things I dont want in a city
[list][*]Humidity

The only thing certain in life is death and taxes. That being said, the list above is what I would say we can guarantee here in Denver. I grew up in Seattle, moved to Phoenix after college, lived in Europe for 4 years, moved to Florida, Boston, and finally Denver.

There is no such thing as a perfect place. What is one person's hell is another's slice of heaven.

Life is what you make of it and depending on what your past experiences are, that will affect what you think of Denver. Ask someone from New York if Denver is a small town. Then ask someone from Wyoming. Ask the same people about "friendliness".

Overall, it's a nice place to live and it IS a good sports town (even if you don't love the teams, we've got a lot of them to watch and they generally generate fairly decent attendance numbers).

But, don't expect your life to suddenly become magnificent once your declare this your home. People in Denver are like everywhere else. You have to find a few who you share some common interests with and that may or may not take a while. After that, with good friends and a support system...who cares about the rest of it?