Moving to Denver asap - need help finding a neighborhood that's a good "fit" (Aurora: apartments, for rent)

[sarrobin]

Hi there!
I'd love to get some advice from people who really know Denver. My husband & I (late 20s) are moving to Denver from Charlotte, NC in about 3 weeks. We're looking to rent a 1 bedroom place (2 bd only if I find an amazing price). I hear Denver is categorized by neighborhoods and I've read about different ones, but any specific insight would be SUPER helpful!

We're looking for an area that's perfect for outdoor enthusiasts (trees/parks = awesome!) and a spot that's great for walking everywhere (grocery store, restaurants, etc.). We aren't very poshy or into super-refined/upscale, or neighborhoods with cookie cutter houses/condos, etc. We're just laid back & friendly, want an apartment with some personality (in an older historic home or one with exposed brick inside, etc.), we like all things green, and we don't want to pay a fortune. I've checked into the area around Capital Hill & Cheesman Park... any insight? Other suggestions? If you have any other questions, please let me know because I'd really appreciate your help

Thanks!!!

[davebarnes]

How much do you want to spend on rent?

[Mike from back east]

Yes, budget and job location (if known).

[sarrobin]

We're thinking under $850 (for a 1 bd). My husband's job is downtown (Broadway), and I'm still panning out the details for my job... probably downtown as well, but there's a slight possibility of a further location for me (Aurora). So there's really no way to tell where my job will be until I get there in person.

[davebarnes]

1. Maps are your friends. Denver Maps - Downloadable Maps (City-wide)

2. Congress Park. Hale. Mayfair.

3. Padmapper.com

[vegaspilgrim]

Two bedroom apartments in some complexes are barely any more than one bedroom apartments. At the place I'm living at, a 2 bed, 1 bath unit is about $100/mo more than a 1 bed 1 bath, and a 2 bed, 2 bath is about $200/mo more than a 1 bed, 1 bath.

If by outdoor enthusiasts you mean mountain recreation, no apartment in Denver is going to have that right outside your backyard. As I hope you're aware, Denver is on the treeless plains, not the mountains, so you'll be driving to get to the mountains or foothills no matter where in the city you live. Obviously, the further west you live, the closer you are to the mountains, but I'd plan where you live based on your commute first, as an extra 15 minutes of freeway driving once or twice on the weekend is nothing compared to an extra 30 minutes of driving every single day at rush hour.

If you just want access to plains open space areas, you could live near Cherry Creek State Park, which has a lot of nice bicycle/running trails. A lot of apartments close by on the eastern side of the park in Aurora (zip codes 80014 and 80015) where you could jog over to park from your house.

But the older, historic parts of Denver are not near any vast nature areas at all. Plenty of city parks like City Park, Cheeseman Park, Washington Park, etc, and a few sewer-canal like trails, but that's about it; you're cemented deep inside the grid.

Need to prioritize what's most important, nowhere in Denver is as awesome as you're expecting.

[Anon_Linux]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Two bedroom apartments in some complexes are barely any more than one bedroom apartments. At the place I'm living at, a 2 bed, 1 bath unit is about $100/mo more than a 1 bed 1 bath, and a 2 bed, 2 bath is about $200/mo more than a 1 bed, 1 bath.
.................

Need to prioritize what's most important, nowhere in Denver is as awesome as you're expecting.

So what can be expected in terms of price range? How much are you paying? if you dont mind

Also, whats wrong with Denver? I am single young male late 20's and would like an area similar to what the OP describes. I don't need anything fancy.

Never been so take my question for face value. Thanks !!

[livecontent]

Denver has much to offer with trails and parks. Obviously, it is not going to be the the mountains or the plains which have expanses of vast open spaces and preserved land. The OP, is asking about also walking to stores, shops and groceries. That type of walkable amenities one does not find, as often, in the wilderness. However, the mountain and plain natural areas can be easily reached from Denver. I am including the plains because most newcomers think of the mountains and are unaware of the vast natural resources of the plains which are nearer because Denver is on the Great Plains. So, you can have more natural recreation close by on the plains and when more time permits, go to the mountains. Yet, the nature of the foothills is quickly accessible by areas that are nearby.

If your husband is working on Broadway and you want a reasonable commute; a good walkable neighborhood than you can find areas in and around Denver because Broadway, as the central core, is easily accessible by the expansive public transit.

I would suggest the Baker neighborhood of Broadway. I also second what davebarnes has said and suggest Hale and Mayfair. Mayfair is actually a sub neighborhood of Montclair. Here is a link to the Mayfair neighborhood association Mayfair Neighbors Inc. - Denver

I disagree with Vegaspilgrim characterization of the the canals as sewers--I have not heard such a term to describe those water irrigation ditches and canals that were built with tremendous hard work by the early settlers of Denver. One of the major irrigation canals is the High Line Canal and is owned by Denver Water http://www.denverwater.org/Recreation/HighLineCanal/ and here is a full map
http://www.denverwater.org/docs/asse...printable1.pdf It is maintain with the cooperation of the many municipalities that it crosses Here are some pictures from the City of Littleton http://www.littletongov.org/parks/de...asp?PARK_ID=64 It does not look like a sewer to me.

In addition, you are not cemented in, as you have many resource and a big resource of the trails along the Platte Greenway which take you out of the city and connect you with many other trails, parks, and waterways, with their own trails, that connect to the Platte, such as Bear Creek, Clear Creek and Cherry Creek. These connecting trails run for many miles and interconnect with the extensive parks, trails and open space of other counties and cities.
http://www.greenwayfoundation.org/web/

Here is link to a brochure of biking and hiking in Denver
http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/646...d_Bike_Map.pdf.

Here is the complete park map of Denver
http://www.denvergov.org/denvermaps/.../cityparks.pdf

and a page from the City website on their parks
http://www.denvergov.org/parks/Welco...3/Default.aspx

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by livecontent

I disagree with Vegaspilgrim characterization of the the canals as sewers--I have not heard such a term to describe those water irrigation ditches and canals that were built with tremendous hard work by the early settlers of Denver.

The section of the Cherry Creek trail from about Downing or so, as it goes in between Speer Blvd, all the way to Confluence park, looks like an open air sewer. The Platte River trail is pretty ugly looking as well from Evans or so all the way up to downtown at Confluence Park.

Highline Canal trail is nice-- lined with trees for miles and miles. The Cherry Creek trail from around Colorado Blvd all the way to Cherry Creek State Park is nice.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Anon_Linux

So what can be expected in terms of price range? How much are you paying? if you dont mind

Also, whats wrong with Denver? I am single young male late 20's and would like an area similar to what the OP describes. I don't need anything fancy.

Never been so take my question for face value. Thanks !!

I pay $660/mo for a 1 bedroom apartment in SE Denver (technically unincorporated Arapahoe County). This is actually on the lower end for rent in the area, although you can find plenty of apartments for even less. Most apartments in Denver are in the $750-850/mo range, I would estimate.

What's wrong with Denver? Nothing-- it's just that this place is way over-hyped. Some people come here with these wild expectations of how awesome they think this place is, and then end up very disillusioned when they find out it's really just an above average, kind of bland city in the middle of the country for the most part, nothing all that extraordinary one way or the other. Absolutely amazing how many people think Denver is in the mountains, or that Denver (or Colorado in general) is a very green place, or that Denver is super "hip."