Single, moving to area, job in Broomfield, where to live? (Denver: apartments, for rent)

[OU314]

Lot of threads about the Broomfield/Louisville/Superior/Westminster areas, but most are from people with families looking to buy houses. I'm early 30s, single, no kids, looking to rent as my job is only guaranteed for a year. I don't know the area that well, other than looking at a map. I've been out there several times, but just to ski. My priorities are a short commute to Broomfield (15-20 minutes max) and easy access to mountain biking and the I-70 ski areas. Would the above mentioned areas be too suburban and family-ish for someone in my situation? I want to be around some single people my age, but not in the middle of the CU party scene. What is south Boulder like? I'm looking for a 2 or 3 bedroom (I'm a packrat with 2 large cats), prefer a house but could deal with an apartment if it had a garage, would like to stay under $1200 but could go a little higher. Suggestions?

Thanks.

[ColoWeb]

If you know that you will work in Broomfield then I would look for apartments/house for rent in that area.

[OU314]

That's what I'm leaning toward. I really hate a long commute, and prices seem reasonable there. But all of the threads I've read on here go on and on about the great schools, community activities for the kids, all that. I'm just wondering if there's anything else there...

[Katarina Witt]

S. Boulder would work. Lots of college students in that area, not just in apt. complexes, but in SF houses in the Martin Park area, too. It's less "family" oriented than Broomfield, which is a nice place, IMO.

[OU314]

I'm trying to avoid heavily student-populated areas too. Was hoping for a happy medium between the college scene and the established families with kids. Maybe I'm being too picky.

Demographics aside, what are my options if I want mountain biking trails that are within riding distance (i.e. accessible without having to put my bike on a car rack to get there)?

Thanks.

[Katarina Witt]

OU314: Perhaps I wasn't clear enough about S. Boulder. There are many college students living everywhere in Boulder. S. Boulder probably has fewer, especially fewer undergrads, per capita, than the areas right around the University (basically central Boulder). If you want easy access to the mtns, Boulder is your best bet.

[oberon]

I live close to Broomfield. Not much besides strip malls and SFHs around there (or in Westminster for that matter). Flatiron Crossing might be a happy medium for you, however. It's a more dense area, with plenty of shopping/restaurants close by and good access to highways. I'm guessing it's a somewhat younger crowd as well. If you want lots of nightlife nearby, however, your only choices, as far as I know, are Pearl Street in Boulder and LoDo in Denver. There's others around, but they're scattered. Westminster has a great trail system, but then, so do most other cities here. The great thing about that is, you can get just about anywhere in the metro area on a bike.

[OU314]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

OU314: Perhaps I wasn't clear enough about S. Boulder. There are many college students living everywhere in Boulder. S. Boulder probably has fewer, especially fewer undergrads, per capita, than the areas right around the University (basically central Boulder). If you want easy access to the mtns, Boulder is your best bet.

Ah, gotcha. Thanks for the info.

[OU314]

Originally Posted by oberon

I live close to Broomfield. Not much besides strip malls and SFHs around there (or in Westminster for that matter). Flatiron Crossing might be a happy medium for you, however. It's a more dense area, with plenty of shopping/restaurants close by and good access to highways. I'm guessing it's a somewhat younger crowd as well. If you want lots of nightlife nearby, however, your only choices, as far as I know, are Pearl Street in Boulder and LoDo in Denver. There's others around, but they're scattered. Westminster has a great trail system, but then, so do most other cities here. The great thing about that is, you can get just about anywhere in the metro area on a bike.

Thanks. I don't quite need the level of nightlife that Pearl Street or LoDo offer, so it's probably not worth paying the premium to live there. I'll check out Flatiron Crossing. I've lived in the north Dallas suburbs for 10 years because of my work location, so it's not like I'm allergic to strip malls.

[Katarina Witt]

There is one large complex near FlatIrons, called Horizons. There are also some condos being built near there, but you probably don't want to buy. There are apts in Broomfield. I'd still recommend S. Boulder as an option. You will get an ideal what you like when you come out to look.