Looking for downtown walkable neighborhood, good schools, safe (Denver: city hall, homes)

[robin-by-the-sea]

Hi, My family is considering moving to Denver (husband, wife, two girls under 5). We have lived all around, NYC, DC, Miami, and earlier Jackson Hole. We are looking for a walkable downtown neighborhood with good schools for my two young daughters, good parks, relatively safe. We would like a neighborhood where we can walk/bike for most/all of our daily errands, and use our one car only occasionally. Public transit is a plus, but I understand that Denver isn't NYC so its not necessary. Any suggestions?? Thanks!

[2bindenver]

Where is work? What defines "good" schools?

I was born in DC and raised in Montgomery County, MD. My parents were both born and raised in NYC. I visited often.

Denver is the 22 largest city in the nation.

What do you think of Jackson Hole?

[Erin Jones]

There are so many great neighborhoods to choose from. I would really depend on your job location and how far you want to drive.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by robin-by-the-sea

looking for a walkable downtown neighborhood with good schools for my two young daughters

Start with the schools.
While Denver (and Colorado) has open enrollment, the good schools completely fill up with "in boundary" kids.

Find Colorado's best schools
GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community
are good for getting a sense of a school.

There are no good schools in "downtown".
Look at: Bromwell, Steck, Edison, Slavens, Stapleton
Boundary maps at Denver Public Schools

[robin-by-the-sea]

Well, we are still in the daydreaming stages, trying to figure out what is possible and if Denver would offer the types of neighborhoods we would be interested in. My husband is an IT professional, he typically works in the banking industry. I am a Speech Pathologist, so my job is pretty flex. I prefer historic neighborhoods with a community feel. In NYC we lived in Park Slope, Brooklyn. In Miami we lived in South Beach. In DC, we lived in Glover Park and Arlington. My husband loves biking, so access to bike trails is a huge plus.
As far as what constitutes a "good" school, that is a good question....usually in places there is some community consensus as to which schools are "good." Safe environment, smart peers, happy teachers???? We def. want to be in the city, not the "'burbs."
Jackson Hole was breathtaking and lovely, lived there a while back when I was just out of college. Loved living in the mountains, but Wyoming is a little too cold for me, a little extreme and remote.
I love the idea of Denver, a big, progressive city in the mountains....

[robin-by-the-sea]

""""There are no good schools in "downtown".""""" --previous poster.


Is that true, there really no good schools in the city?? I guess this is the core of what I am asking...

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by robin-by-the-sea

prefer historic neighborhoods

Some "light" reading
Denver’s Single-Family Homes by Decade: Conclusion « DenverUrbanism Blog

[robin-by-the-sea]

Fun, thanks!

[mic111]

Here is a pictorial way to search. Change the filters to show elementarily and filter on 4 star and 5 star.

Denver Schools - Find a School in Denver, Colorado - SchoolDigger.com

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by robin-by-the-sea

""""There are no good schools in "downtown".""""" --previous poster.
Is that true, there really no good schools in the city?? I guess this is the core of what I am asking...

Lots of good schools in Denver.
None in what we call "downtown".
The ones I listed are 4-7 miles from the intersection of Broadway and Colfax (where City Hall is).