Commuting to Buckley AFB but looking for neighborhoods w/ personality (Denver: rentals, condominium)

[denverian]

Originally Posted by ANonyMs

Thank you, all! You have given me a lot of jumping off points for research! I really appreciate it!

(IRT "elevation"...I guess in an area like Denver, that could mean two different things! I meant "elevation" as in the front of a house...in real estate, architecture, and construction terminology, the elevation is what the house looks like from the ground up on it's face. In cookie cutter subdivisions, you typically only have 5 or 6 elevations and a mix of floor plans to the point where all the houses look the same and you can walk in to a neighbors house and know exactly where the bathroom is! Now, I realize that in an area like Denver where there are plains, hills, foothills & mountains, I may have to choose my words more carefully!!!!!)

You may want to check out Stapleton. It's definitely good on the commute, has great schools, and although the houses are new (oldest are about 9 years old), it's a new urbanism community and they've done a decent job of mixing up builders, elevations, and home styles. Mostly the home styles are very tradition with front porches and garages in the rear. The only issue might be price, but prices have come down in the past year. You could probably find a 3 bdr. 3 bath "courtyard home" for $300K or a little less. They're single family homes situated around a courtyard, so you pay an HOA for upkeep, but still have your own little yard to take care of.

[ANonyMs]

Thanks all for the recs for Stapleton. I could not find it on Realtor.com but Google reveals it has it's own developement/community website. What's funny is that my mother is also considering relocating from north of Seattle to the Denver area when we do to be closer to us. Last night, she was telling me all about this community she watched a program on, but could not remember the name of it. As soon as I saw the Stapelton website, I knew immediately it's what she was talking about!!!!!

I am also looking at Englwood b/c they have a very nice senior center (and I want my mother to live in whatever community we live in - we have lived apart for far too long).

Thanks again - keep the ideas coming!

[Dorthy]

Originally Posted by ANonyMs

I am also looking at Englwood b/c they have a very nice senior center (and I want my mother to live in whatever community we live in - we have lived apart for far too long).

Thanks again - keep the ideas coming!

Englewood would meet most of your requirements. You could easily find a home under $300K. It's a very walkable community with character and community events (there's even one this weekend: The South Broadway Mile | 150 Shops, One Classic Mile > Page Not Found

The schools are not the greatest but they are also not that bad. From talking to parents and teachers who live and work in Englewood many speak highly of Charles Hay Elementary and the Leadership Academy.

There is a Costco and Target nearby as well as a couple of supermarkets downtown. It's a short drive to Natural Grocers (Vitamin Cottage), Sunflower Market and Whole Foods. There is a wide variety of restaurants, coffee shops, shops, etc. both chain and non chain downtown.

The commute would be a minimum of 25 minutes, longer in heavy traffic or in adverse weather.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by ANonyMs

Thanks all for the recs for Stapleton. I could not find it on Realtor.com but Google reveals it has it's own developement/community website. What's funny is that my mother is also considering relocating from north of Seattle to the Denver area when we do to be closer to us. Last night, she was telling me all about this community she watched a program on, but could not remember the name of it. As soon as I saw the Stapelton website, I knew immediately it's what she was talking about!!!!!

I am also looking at Englwood b/c they have a very nice senior center (and I want my mother to live in whatever community we live in - we have lived apart for far too long).

Thanks again - keep the ideas coming!

I don't know of any senior centers in or around Stapleton, although we have a rec center and I see older people using it. Stapleton is by far mostly couples in their 30s/40s with babies and young children, but there are retirees scattered throughout as well. And one retirement home that I tell my parents they'll have to move into someday because I'm not leaving Denver to take care of them lol!

[livecontent]

I am a disabled senior and I have made a big effort to find future places for myself. The City of Englewood is an excellent choice for seniors. Englewood has the first Transit Oriented Development (TOD) that was built on the old Cinderella City Mall Site. This is adjacent to the Light Rail Station. It has the City hall, the library, nice new apartments, stores, Walmart. The City of Englewood website is worth exploring http://www.ci.englewood.co.us/ All this next to the stores along Broadway which includes a number of small shops and King Soopers.

It also has across broadway, one of the best and largest hospital in the area, Swedish Hospital and also the national reknown Craig Rehabilitation Hospital. That has numerous clinics and doctors offices nearby. In addition there are numerous senior residences that have been built over many years to accommodate seniors and retirees who want to live close to medical resources. There are many senior residences. Some are low income and some are not. Some are exclusive with many amenities; some are not. However, they all clustered very close by in this great walkable area.

The public transportation is excellent. You have the rail station, on the west edge of the TOD. This station is also served by numerous buses that go all over the area. On the east of the TOD, you have the main bus route 0, on Broadway, which runs frequently, day and night. In addition, Englewood runs a free shuttle, from the station pass many senior residents and the hospital, the ART http://www.ci.englewood.co.us/Index.aspx?page=60 It is called the ART because this area has many small art galleries which the shuttle passes.

Englewood is very small and all this area is walkable in a short distance. Again, I want to say that The City of Englewood is small urban city, not the wide addresses you see that the Post Offices uses for places miles away and not contiguous, for some oddball reason.

Englewood also has a Senior Citizen Center, off Broadway, across the street from very large senior residences http://www.ci.englewood.co.us/Index.aspx?page=347

You have it all in Englewood for a senior who needs medical care, closeby shopping and public transit. If someone asked me, which city has the best public transit in the area, I would say it is Englewood. That is because is very small, dense and is served by the rail station and one of the main bus routes on Broadway. You can easily walk from the station to Broadway and the city does not much extend far beyond these locations. In addition, Englewood borders very nice neighborhoods of Denver which has great parks and is very close to another hospital Porter with the University of Denver, down the road. I do not want to forget that Englewood borders the Platte River Greenway and where Bear Creek comes into the Platte--with access to all the miles of trails and parks alongside.

Livecontent

[Dorthy]

The Malley Center (Englewood's senior Center) is very active. They have a lot of classes and events that look fun to me. When I'm a senior, that's where I'll be hanging out.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by denverian

I don't know of any senior centers in or around Stapleton, although we have a rec center and I see older people using it. Stapleton is by far mostly couples in their 30s/40s with babies and young children, but there are retirees scattered throughout as well. And one retirement home that I tell my parents they'll have to move into someday because I'm not leaving Denver to take care of them lol!

Stapleton redevelopment required the inclusion of affordable and senior housing
Affordable Housing Rental Properties | Stapleton Denver

Clyburn Village is near the King Soopers which makes a sense for seniors to have closeby easy walkable grocery shopping.

Livecontent

[denverian]

Originally Posted by livecontent

Stapleton redevelopment required the inclusion of affordable and senior housing
Affordable Housing Rental Properties | Stapleton Denver

Clyburn Village is near the King Soopers which makes a sense for seniors to have closeby easy walkable grocery shopping.

Livecontent

Yeah, that's the place I was talking about. My parents' future home.

[bikinmikein]

You can find a large amount of senior focused living communities near the old Lowry base making use of what used to be close by off-site Apartments. The place that sticks out most in my head backs up to the Highline Canal and is near the intersection of Alameda and Dayton but really within a couple square miles of that intersection in Aurora there are many senior focused places. Anyone who has frequented the Costco on Havana could tell you that area as more than your usual amount of seniors.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by bikinmikein

You can find a large amount of senior focused living communities near the old Lowry base making use of what used to be close by off-site Apartments. The place that sticks out most in my head backs up to the Highline Canal and is near the intersection of Alameda and Dayton but really within a couple square miles of that intersection in Aurora there are many senior focused places. Anyone who has frequented the Costco on Havana could tell you that area as more than your usual amount of seniors.

It should be noted that one the oldest and largest senior planned community in Denver is located just across from Lowry. It is Windsor Gardens Windsor Gardens - Home

This originally served many air force retirees as it has access to the clubs and the BX of Lowry. It is a very large complex and surrounds its own golf course. These are built as a condominium community and the real estate cost is very reasonable; some rentals are allowed. They are built in the style of small multi-story, one floor condos with lanais/balconies. It reminds me of many older retirement communities in Florida. It has many good amenities and activities for seniors. The Grounds are very attractive and well maintained.

Livecontent