Walk Score of 42 for Stapleton? (Denver, Aurora: apartments, Home Depot, schools)

[DenverBrian]

If you truly want walkable, try Lowry. Lowry is what Stapleton always aspired to be, but it's executed much more successfully at Lowry.

[chilicheesefries]

Originally Posted by Bradburn1

Tires Plus

Walking to a car repair shop (sorry - couldn't resist!). Would be good if you want to drop off and pick up later.

[chilicheesefries]

Originally Posted by livecontent

I live in a neighborhood that is considered very walkable with a grocery store about 1/3 mile from my house. Yet, I see neighborhoods that have higher walk scores, having more non-essential shopping but no grocery store. I think it is a good starting effort but certainly is not perfect.

I think if you live near excellent, frequent public transit then your walk score can be considered greater because shopping and amenities that exist along the bus line is really part of your "walkable" neighborhood. It is even more so to say that any shops/parks/libraries that exist in close proximity to any rail station becomes part of your "walkable" neighborhood, if you can walk to a rail station. So, good public transportation does extend your walkable neighborhood.

Stapleton does provide good public bus transportation to many other locations. Keep in mind that the new east rail line is now under construction and there will be a station in Stapleton, The Central Park Station.

Livecontent

I agree the walk score is not perfect or even relevant for many people because it tries to juggle different amenities that people would rate differently. I am with you that I would rather be near 2 grocery stores than near 1 grocery store and a bar. Moreover the maps are quite inaccurate.

I do agree that if you live near public transportation that you have good access to places without a car but I don't think you can consider it part of a 'walkable' neighborhood. I would argue that 'walkable' should be just that. It shouldn't be through the use of any vehicles or a bicycle. One reason I would argue this is that the term 'walkable' should be as close to the same to all people. If people without cars who relied on public transportation would consider that part of their walkable neighborhood while those with cars would drive (probably quicker and often cheaper) then the definition would not mean anything. So areas with good public transportation do have good 'extended acceess' neighborhoods but those without it still have good 'extended access' for people with cars.

[Bradburn1]

Originally Posted by chilicheesefries

Walking to a car repair shop (sorry - couldn't resist!). Would be good if you want to drop off and pick up later.

I do it all the time, especially for oil changes, is 8 minutes from my door to Tires Plus. Very convenient. I was looking at other walkable neighborhoods, like Mapleton in Boulder which has a walkscore of 94--very cool. A million plus for a 1800 sq foot house though, not so much!

Agree that grocery store is one of the best things to be able to walk to, in fact would argue even that to be truly walkable, you would have to have one. And a bar

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by chilicheesefries

I agree the walk score is not perfect or even relevant for many people because it tries to juggle different amenities that people would rate differently. I am with you that I would rather be near 2 grocery stores than near 1 grocery store and a bar. Moreover the maps are quite inaccurate.

I do agree that if you live near public transportation that you have good access to places without a car but I don't think you can consider it part of a 'walkable' neighborhood. I would argue that 'walkable' should be just that. It shouldn't be through the use of any vehicles or a bicycle. One reason I would argue this is that the term 'walkable' should be as close to the same to all people. If people without cars who relied on public transportation would consider that part of their walkable neighborhood while those with cars would drive (probably quicker and often cheaper) then the definition would not mean anything. So areas with good public transportation do have good 'extended acceess' neighborhoods but those without it still have good 'extended access' for people with cars.

It is true what you say. I was just trying to say that public transportation gives you a "virtual walkable neighborhood" because you still have to walk once you reach the another bus or train station. I lived in NYC and in Europe. Cities with extremely good public transit, with many rail station, do make it very easy to walk to your local station, hop the train/subway and in a short time be at a hospital or another location that is not commonly located in every neighborhood.

People with cars cannot drive cheaper than public transit, if you take th totality of ownership into consideration. Of course, a individual trip may appear cheaper, in the short term, but that is not the full cost of driving.

Yes, owning car does extend their virtual walkable neighborhood in some places but not all. In NYC, driving your own car a few miles through Manhattan is futile because you cannot find a parking space when you get there. That is why New Yawkers have many cabs cruising the streets because hiring for a short trip is better than driving.

You can say that cabs that are always available extend everybodies neighborhood. Unfortunately in every city and worse in Denver, we interfer with competition by maintaining monopolies and license only a few cabs so they are not available immediately. I would let the free marke determine the amount cabs, as long as they meet safety and driver requirements.

Livecontent

[chilicheesefries]

Originally Posted by Bradburn1

I do it all the time, especially for oil changes, is 8 minutes from my door to Tires Plus. Very convenient. I was looking at other walkable neighborhoods, like Mapleton in Boulder which has a walkscore of 94--very cool. A million plus for a 1800 sq foot house though, not so much!

Agree that grocery store is one of the best things to be able to walk to, in fact would argue even that to be truly walkable, you would have to have one. And a bar

I don't have an oil change place close to my house but I do to my work and usually that's when I change it. I was pointing fun at those who would use the walkability score for 'car-free' living purposes and they wouldn't need Tires Plus!

And I also think it should differentiate between a true 'Supermarket' and a smaller market that might feature a certain type of food but couldn't be for one stop.

[Katarina Witt]

Walkscore can give you a general idea, but it's very inaccurate. For example, its map does not include a park my friend and I walk to every day that is ~ .25 mile from our homes. It has some strange stuff, like some home businesses that are not actually open to the public under shopping, etc.

[bikinmikein]

If you truly want walkable, try Lowry. Lowry is what Stapleton always aspired to be, but it's executed much more successfully at Lowry.

This is simply so inaccurate that I had to reply. Take your statement, then reverse it. Lowry is a horrible, horrible, horrible attempt at an infill project. That place is a total damn abortion of sense. They had the capability to create an actual urban infill project and did just the opposite.

You sir clearly do not live anywhere near either of the two developments.

[hammertime33]

Originally Posted by bikinmikein

This is simply so inaccurate that I had to reply. Take your statement, then reverse it. Lowry is a horrible, horrible, horrible attempt at an infill project. That place is a total damn abortion of sense. They had the capability to create an actual urban infill project and did just the opposite.

You sir clearly do not live anywhere near either of the two developments.

I'd take Lowry over Stapleton any day of the week.

[bikinmikein]

I'd take Lowry over Stapleton any day of the week.

I am guessing you either live in Lowry or nowhere near Denver. I live near both and we have considered moving to both and put frankly I would be a fool to choose Lowry. Stapleton has an active and involved infill population if you exclude the people who choose to save money and live out east in that development where there is no secondary town central in "no mans land" for now. Kids, parks, pools, an actual urban in-fill planned community as opposed to the wasteland that is Lowry.

In fairness we have some friends who live along 6th Ave who also did what we have done and considered both but they are too snooty to move north of 8th. They would never consider Stapleton either.

I look at Lowry and am saddened by what could have been but never will be. I look at Stapleton and am happy someone stepped up to the plate and finally admitted that when gas costs what it should more people will be saved.