Southerner Moving to Denver Needs Advice (Lakewood, Arvada: apartment complexes, leases, condos)

[Lizem84]

Denverites, I need your help. I'm moving to Denver from Tennessee after the first of the year. It's only a temporary move for my work, but I'll be there from Jan-April. Needless to say I'm excited about the move, but also a little nervous. This southerner has never seen more than about 2 inches of snow at a time, which basically shuts the city down for days. I've read various threads on here about winter driving, cars, etc. but read mixed reviews. I have a newish sedan with FWD, traction control, and brand new all season tires. I have a job in healthcare where I am expected to be there everyday regardless of conditions. Think I will be ok? Are chains necessary?

Next question, I'm a young single professional female (in my mid-late 20's). I enjoy the nightlife, good restraunts, and shopping. Preferably all within walking distance. I have a budget of ~$2,000/mo for a fully furnished apt. Only need 1 or 2 bedrooms. I'll be working in southwest Denver (which I've been warned is kinda sketch). Any recommendations for what neighborhoods I should be looking in?

Thanks for the help!

[davebarnes]

GIve us the address of your workplace and we will give you advice.

[Lizem84]

S. Federal Blvd near Teikyo Loretto Heights University is all I know at this point.

[livecontent]

South Federal near Loretta Heights is surrounded by working class neighborhoods. North on Federal toward Alameda you will be approaching our Asian Community. I think this is a great area but may not be for you.

If you want the area that meets your desires, you will have to drive a relative distance. Going South on Federal, pass Bellview; it will become more upscale. You will come into the City of Littleton, east of Bowles will take you to Olde Town Littleton. It has walkable neighborhoods, some shops and restaurants but not the a big exciting nightlife. It is more sedate. Going west on Bowles from Federal you will go through the Columbine area. You will find a large mall, Southwest Mall at Wadsworth. The area around will have extensive shopping and nightlife but it is not walkable.

The nearest area for a walkable area with shopping and nightlife would be toward the Northwest in Lakewood, at Wadsworth and Alameda near and in the Belmar Center Belmar, a shopping destination Events at Belmar in Colorado Shopping at Belmar in Colorado Dining at Belmar in Colorado APARTMENTS IN BELMAR, HOUSES IN BELMAR, CONDOS IN BELMAR, LIVING IN BELMAR Holidays at Belmar and Christmas at Belmar Green Shoppi

If you want more urban and dense then, the closest area would be Denver. I would then look at the South Pearl, of Evans, in Platt Park. South Pearl Street | Home

You could go farther out and live in Centennial near the new Streets of Southglenn
The Streets at SouthGlenn

I think there are many nice areas to life around near where you work but will not be exciting enough for what you deem your desires. So, I just picked what I though would be the most appropriate.

As far as driving, most people by far, get by with a front wheel vehicle and a 4 wheel is not that necessary. There are occasional heavy blizzards and driving will be dangerous,no matter what your vehicle. I do not think the added expense, maintenance and lower gas mileage is worth these occasional rarer events.

Livecontent

[davebarnes]

Dear Lizem84,

Read the thread at Apartment prices

Sounds almost identical to me.

Sketchy neighborhood.

LiveContent is way too polite. I respect his opinions very much. But, the neighborhoods immediately surrounding your work address are CRAP.

[Count David]

Here's an off-the-wall suggestion:

The apartments where the Cinderella theater used to be in Sheridan. You could walk to all kinds of big-box stuff/restaurants and even to Englewood/light rail.

[livecontent]

I just drove through this area on Christmas Day, in the late afternoon. I went to my relatives in Highlands Ranch for Christmas Dinner. As my usual custom, I do not drive on the highways. I always take side roads to my home in Arvada and I take different routes, so as to see what is going on in different neighborhoods. To me it keeps me in touch and it hard to see much on a speeding highway.

South Federal on Christmas Day was filled with people strolling and shopping. There was some traffic and the area was teeming with life. It appears many stores were open and especially in the Asian area, as I approached Alameda. I then went west on Aameda to Sheridan north to home. I went past Sloans Lake and there were many people with families taking a Christmas day stroll along the lake.

The activity was much different from what I saw starting my trip in Highlands Ranch, up Colorado and going west on Arapahoe, north on Broadway, west on Littleton Blvd, over the Platte, and north on Federal. In those newer areas of Highlands Ranch and Centennial--I saw few people outside and little traffic.

What does all this say? I do not know but I know when I go to Highlands Ranch and Lonetree, on holidays--most people are inside. Father's Day, I see people out and about having outdoor barbecues in older neighborhoods but in the newer swankier neighborhoods--people are hidden. This is just what I see, not a thought of what is good or bad.

There are many areas around South Federal that have a diverse mix of people and places to live. One will see many high rise senior residences. There is that mix of hispanic and Asian. It certainly has some nice restaurants and Asian Shopping which I frequent often. I never had a problem in the area.

For the record, Loretta Heights is now called Colorado Heights University and does have some interesting architecture. Colorado Heights University (http://www.chu.edu/about.html - broken link) It is functioning and thriving, I have noticed some new apartments around the campus. I like the area to the west of the campus, along South Lowell--nice homes and a nice park.

Livecontent

[davidv]

This is near where I grew up. Federal Blvd. is not the best street in the world. There are some nice places within a few miles.

There are some decent apartments east of Federal and south of Belleview.

There is the Alexan City Center at the Englewood Light rail station. They are pretty new and better than the apartments at the old Cinderella City drive in.

There are some nice apartments on Wadsworth just south of Hampden Ave and more that are just south of Quincy Ave.

These would all be easy options to get to the area where you are working.

EDIT: I am not afraid of anyplace along Federal, but I do know that the nighttime crime in the area is above normal. I urge you to eat the Mexican food at 4G's across the street from Loretto Heights (it will forever be Loretto Heights to me), and the ethnic restaurants (Mexican, Vietnamese, and Middle Eastern) as you travel north along Federal are all pretty good.

I still have good friends who live in the Harvey Park and Harvey Park South neighborhoods (the area to west of Loretto Heights), and I would have no problems living in that area. The area as a whole can be very hit and miss -- especially the apartment complexes. As a general rule, you would be safer in the areas I mentioned above.

BTW the apartments in Sheridan that David Aguilar mentioned are newer and nice, but not really walkable to anyplace. To get to the Englewood Station (about 600 ft straight line distance), you have to walk along a highway that has no sidewalks, cross three different on/off ramps and travel a distance of about 3/4 mile or so. The Alexan apartments are at the Light Rail station.

[Count David]

Originally Posted by davidv

There is the Alexan City Center at the Englewood Light rail station. They are pretty new and better than the apartments at the old Cinderella City drive in.

I forgot about those, great suggestion.

[Lizem84]

I appreciate all the suggestions! I'm been doing some research and had some difficulty finding short term, furnished leases, available ASAP in the areas suggested though. I've come across a condo in the City Park West area (on Vine St). Is this considered East Colfax neighborhood? If so, I've ready some interesting things about this neighborhood. What do ya'll think? Safe? Decent commute to S. Federal? The pictures look nice and it has a walk score of 88, which is nice from my perspective. I've just read East Colfax can been a little sketchy though? Thanks for the input!