Highlands Ranch, Littleton walkable? Sidewalks? Local stuff or sprawl? (Denver: sales, houses)
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Highlands Ranch, Littleton walkable? Sidewalks? Local stuff or sprawl?
Hi Folks,
Considering a move to the Denver area and might be looking into Highlands Ranch, Littleton and a few other suburbs. I am coming from Chicago with the family (Wife, 4 yr old and baby) and are used to having stuff nearby to walk to - I.E. Local shops, coffee (not Starbucks) and also walking to schools. Plus we would love to walk outside and find a pulse - people walking around, social atmosphere, sidewalks, etc.
Do you think the burbs offer that or are we better off looking closer to Denver proper like Wash Park, Highlands, etc. if that is what we seek? Thanks!
Considering a move to the Denver area and might be looking into Highlands Ranch, Littleton and a few other suburbs. I am coming from Chicago with the family (Wife, 4 yr old and baby) and are used to having stuff nearby to walk to - I.E. Local shops, coffee (not Starbucks) and also walking to schools. Plus we would love to walk outside and find a pulse - people walking around, social atmosphere, sidewalks, etc.
Do you think the burbs offer that or are we better off looking closer to Denver proper like Wash Park, Highlands, etc. if that is what we seek? Thanks!
Downtown Littleton is great little place. Very vibrant, very walkable.
Other than that most of Littleton and especially Highlands Ranch is a suburban wasteland. They are incredibly unwalkable unless you happen to live right next to a strip mall or major commercial development that has all the particular amenities you want. Even then, most everything is a large corporate chain.
If walkable, local small business, vibrant, and energetic are big issues for you, I'd concentrate more on central Denver (but certainly give downtown Littleton a look).
I can live anywhere and sell houses. I choose HR. I choose DougCo schools for my children. I choose to frequent the stores in HR.
No other community boasts as many rec centers, swimming pools, tennis courts, skate parks, open space, activities than HR.
Wasteland exists only in your head.
In terms of being able to walk to all the places you use, having a vibrant social-sidewalk atmosphere, and not being sprawled (the things the OP asked about) HR is a suburban wasteland.
I choose to live as car free as possible. I could not live in 99% of Highlands Ranch. I'd be spending 20 hours a day walking between the schools, rec centers, grocery store, tennis courts, coffee shop, restaurants, and open space - and I'd be doing it alone as that's not the atmosphere of HR.
HR is a sprawling commuter community.
Last edited by hammertime33; 03-05-2011 at 02:32 PM..
I can live anywhere and sell houses. I choose HR. I choose DougCo schools for my children. I choose to frequent the stores in HR.
No other community boasts as many rec centers, swimming pools, tennis courts, skate parks, open space, activities than HR.
Wasteland exists only in your head.
True words. It also helps that HR has the lowest sales tax around
I'm still trying to figure out what it is that people consider thriving and vibrant about downtown Littleton. Don't get me wrong - this is my side of town and I've lived near downtown Littleton and been visiting it for almost 30 years but except for Western Welcome week and the lighting it is usually pretty dead. We went around 5 one evening (weekday) to look at the lights with my wife and kids. We walked down Main and up Alamo. There were maybe 2 stores still open, the restaurants were empty and we passed 2 couples the whole way. All of the stores are speciality shops and there are no stores for necessities.
Walking to stores is not a big deal for me. I could walk if I wanted no problem but if I get more than a little that means I have to carry it home. Plus my selection would be limited. I'd rather live closer to rec activities and parks and have some open space around me.
Highland is good for many people and offers many amenities. It is not good urban walkable as most of the stores most be accessible beyond big parking lots. The main roads have heavy traffic as the developments streets spill out into these multiple lane main streets with very little interconnect between developments. So, walking along these streets is not the most pleasant experience. I find the older parts of Centennial offers much better connected and walkable areas.
Yes, in Highlands Ranch, there are cultured and manicured open spaces between many developments that lead to parks and recreation centers. However, it is not bigger and more than many other suburban areas. It certainly lacks natural open space and water resources that are more extensive in other areas.
The western suburbs of Denver, Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge have much more open parks, trails, open space with extensive natural areas and water resources. The recreation facilities are very extensive. The open space parks, trails and again water resources of lakes, creeks and recreational resevoirs of Jefferson County are much expansive than Douglas county. In addition, all these resources connect with the open and natural lands of the National Forests in the foothills.
These authentic cities to the west have many more walkable neighborhoods among a variety of business that are accessible by walking down quieter streets because many development are not designed to load traffic into the main streets but interconnect. There is much more a variety of independent and unique shops.
Highland Ranch is not a city; it is a development in Douglas County. I cannot speak of the taxes but the day is coming when this developement will need to be incorporated and develop and pay for its own services vs. contracted with other government entities--I will then bet that the taxes will rise substantial.
Highland Ranch is not bad and a good place to live but it certainly cannot be assumed to be the best. There are many other municipalities, not only in Jefferson County, that can provide good places to live with ample resources of parks and good schools. I can speak highly of parts of Broomfield and Westminster to the north; Aurora to the east with good open space developments, good schools and more and noteworthy recreational system than Highland Ranch. Also, the counties of Broomfield and Adams, which include these cities, have extensive support for open space and natural preserves. In addition, these are already formed cities with better balances of residential housing, service business and industrial businesses--this is all important to provide a good tax base.
I also want to point out that the City of Denver has many, safe, clean, walkable neighborhoods with an amazing extensive park and recreation system that exceeds many parts of the suburbs. Many people who move here assume, because of their experience in other decaying cities, that the best is always found in the suburbs. That is not true and Denver is a much better and thriving city with a variety of neighborhoods.
Livecontent
Last edited by livecontent; 03-05-2011 at 04:15 PM..
Thanks for some great feedback. Sounds like the burbs are what I imagine -- Sprawl, new developments, a bit surreal, if you know what I mean. I say that only because I am coming from Chicago and originally New York. It is quite lively in those places and I have gotten used to amenities being walkable, not to mention sidewalks and such. I will have to have a car to get to work in Denver, but I do not want to have to rely on the car for everything. Sometimes I just want to take a walk to the local coffee shop or bookstore, I.E. Boulder's Peal Street area. I imagine if I am not living in a college town then that is a longshot out there. But then I hear that Wash Park, Platt Park are possibilities.
Thoughts on cities within Denver proper? I assume these are older and walkable with a more of a community feel. Is this accurate? If yes, do the schools take a hit in these neighborhoods? Is this the type of place to live long term or as the kids grow will be eventually need to move to the burbs? Is this what alot of folks do?
LiveContent talks about cities and counties with more parks and open space. There is not a fair comparison to HR - a subdivision.
There are 4 King Soopers, 1 Whole Foods, 1 Safeway, 1 Vitamin Cottage, 2 Targets and 1 WalMart - The newer developments are designed with walkability in mind. We believe in sidewalks and open space.
Light Rail's coming.
Denver is a small city. Not at all comparable to NYNY (#1), of Chicago (#3), Denver is (#24) idk, maybe try Houston.
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