Good Areas in Denver Metro that are not as well known (section 8, rentals)

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by suzco

Hardly unknown or hidden, but mentioned far less often than areas such as Capitol Hill or Governors Park, is Congress Park, just east of those areas, and north of Cherry Creek. A mixed neighborhood of bungalows, apartments, victorians, etc. The neighborhood park is Congress Park. Cheesman Park is also close by; there's also the Botanic Garden, and City Park is not far.

I missed your post and I want to comment. This is exactly what I have been trying to say in this thread. Congress Park is a great area with a nice park which not as well known. I think this area is going to go through some big growth because of the redevelopment of the Old Medical Campus, across the street on Colorado--which is the Hale Neighborhood. There are many apartments that border Colorado that I would assume would be redeveloped to condos. In addition, I think the Bungalows are extremely nice for small efficient housing.

Livecontent

[Nique]

I'm glad to see this thread. One of my fears about moving to CO is not being able to find a neighborhood similar enough to the one I'm currently in. (love the neighborhood, but not the midwest.)

Ideally I'd like to find an area where I can rent a reasonably-priced apartment (2 br around $1000?) from which I can walk to a grocery store, some bars/music venues etc. A lot of people on this forum seem concerned about the nearness/presence of big shopping centers; I'm more interested in an area that houses lots of local business and maybe even a grocery co-op rather than just a King Soopers.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by livecontent

I missed your post and I want to comment. This is exactly what I have been trying to say in this thread. Congress Park is a great area with a nice park which not as well known. I think this area is going to go through some big growth because of the redevelopment of the Old Medical Campus, across the street on Colorado--which is the Hale Neighborhood. There are many apartments that border Colorado that I would assume would be redeveloped to condos. In addition, I think the Bungalows are extremely nice for small efficient housing.

Livecontent

Congress Park not well known? Livecontent, CP is a long-established neighborhood.
Obviously you have never been at the park on a Saturday during soccer season!
I hope it will not be affected adversely by the medical campus redevelopment, but I see no reason why this would happen.
Nique, I recommend Capitol Hill for your needs, or Cheesman if you can find something affordable. You might find a little niche in the DU or Cory-Merrill neighborhoods that th3 mentioned.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Nique

I'm glad to see this thread. One of my fears about moving to CO is not being able to find a neighborhood similar enough to the one I'm currently in. (love the neighborhood, but not the midwest.)

Ideally I'd like to find an area where I can rent a reasonably-priced apartment (2 br around $1000?) from which I can walk to a grocery store, some bars/music venues etc. A lot of people on this forum seem concerned about the nearness/presence of big shopping centers; I'm more interested in an area that houses lots of local business and maybe even a grocery co-op rather than just a King Soopers.

Does anyone have any recommendations?

I think you could find that most anywhere. I honestly don't know about any grocery co-ops, though I suppose there are some around. I have not gotten any sense that people on this forum are concerned about living near big shopping centers. The malls barely get a mention on most of these threads. You will not find lots of local grocery stores, variety stores (a la Target) or clothing stores here. Oh, there are some, but many are small, expensive and cater to certain tastes. For a pair of jeans, you will probably have to go to Kohl's, Abercrombie, etc. What you will find both in city and suburban neighborhoods is local coffe shops, restaurants, etc.

[livecontent]

The issue of independent grocery stores is: there are only a few or any left in the Denver areas. Denver was home to one time a very large distributor to independent markets--Associated Grocers, It closed about 20 years ago because of the decline in the markets.

You must remember that alll of the chain organic food markets started as independent markets and became sucessful and became multistate chains.
Even independent markets that were independent for a number of years were acquired by chains. For example, Ideal Food Market on North Broadway in Boulder is owned by Whole Foods. This would be the type of "independent"
market that you would like--it has been in business for 60 years.

Remember even King Sooper's was started by Loyd King, as a small independent Market in Arvada--on the site of the new Arvada Library.

I know of only one Full Service Grocery, non-ethnic market, in my area and that is Gold's Corner Grocery in Wheat Ridge, at 26th and Kipling.

There was a large independent market on Colfax called Rainbow but they closed a few years back and went into wholesale food distributions.

The problems that independent markets and coops need a full line supplier.
In addition,the growth of multi-unit "organic" markets has taken the customers away who would have shopped at a coop. Now that these extensive natural and organic foods are available everywhere, there is less of a need for these type of non-profit coops.

Even chains like Whole Foods are starting to face multiple challenges within this segment because large chains like Krogers, Safeway, Walmart are starting to carry many of the brand name "natural and organics".

As far as I know, the only real one functioning on the Front Range as a brick and morter store in a Fort Collins Food Coop on Mountain in old town Fort Collins. It has been around for as long as I have been in Colorado; I have been here almost 30 years. There use to be one on Pearl Street in Boulder--that just closed up this past summer.

There are some buying groups who attempt coop buying in bulk and then you pick up your share--but that is difficult arrangement I think for most singles who would not buy and store that amount of food.

There are natural markets near Universities and in Boulder, you will find small nich vegetarian markets on Pearl Street.

There are much more independent ethnic markets all over the metro area: Asian, Middle Eastern, Russian, Laotian, Italian etc. I would not characterize most of them as full line independent grocery markets. However, some of the Russian and Asian Market that I have been to have a very large selection. I can think of the largest---Pacific Mercantile in Sakura Square, a Japanese community, just north of Downtown Denver.

So the question where would I live if I wanted to shop at small neighborhood market stores. I would pick older areas of the city and areas where the new ethnic immigrants are moving.

Look at the pictures of Englewood on this thread, around Hampden and Broadway. Seek out areas along Colfax.

Go to places like South Federal and Alameda for many Asian Markets; North Pecos has Avanza Market, a full line Mexican Grocery Chain owned my Nash Finch (a big grocery distributor) Look to North Federal for Mexican food Markets.

Aurora has many ethnic markets opened by new immigrants. There is also a brand new chain from Los Angeles called Liborio Markets, specializing in South American Ethnic foods. It is building stores in this market. There is one in Commerce City and sone one on North Federal at 72nd.

However if you want an upscale yuppie environment then you would more likely find stores like Whole Foods. I shop frequently on W38th in a the highland square development which was the old Elitch's Amusement Park. It has a Sunflower Market. This is a small chain that has just started to open multistate. In addition there are a number of small Italian and Mexican Markets in North Denver, especially along West 38th.

I wrote this fast. There is too much to say--you got to get out and look and see the neighborhoods of Denver and then you will know what you like. I like the older stores that serve real basic foods to everyday people not the overpriced pseudo-ethnic, organic and natural food stores that service the new rich.

Livecontent

[Nique]

Wow, thanks for the long response!

I'm just trying to find something similar to where I am now. I don't like big-box stores, or "yuppie" neighborhoods, as you put it. My neighborhood is a lot of grad students, old hippies, and hipsters with kids, there are several bars/pubs, a used clothing store, and, as I mentioned, a local cooperative grocery store. There are several parks nearby and lots of neighborhood festivals all summer.

Basically I just want to be in an area that supports sustainability, buying local, community activism, that sort of thing.

[TropicanaRose]

This is a fabulous thread, and I'm having fun seeing people's take on two of my favorite neighborhoods- AAcres and Harvey Park. If you love mid century mod and have the money, Arapahoe Acres is just amazing. There are some gorgeous bargain MCMs here and there in Harvey Park, too.

My grandparents were the original owners and longtime residents of a nice ranch near the lake in Harvey Park. They also helped to found and build Harvey Park Baptist Church. When I was growing up, the neighborhood was absolutely immaculate- I have never seen any neighborhood that was more well kept. People had perfect lawns, and many had beautiful gardens in the spacious back yards. My grandfather was "known" for his roses. Most of the neighbors were GIs like my grandfather, and most of the women were SAHMs. There weren't many young families, but the few that lived there were really fussed over by the older folks. There were tons of back yard BBQs, and everyone seemed to know everyone else within a couple of blocks.

The neighborhood went pretty down-at-heels, I think towards the end of the 80s, early 90s. It was never a cesspool, or dangerous that I know of, but, as more and more of the old owners were less able to care for their yards, and eventually died or left, it just wasn't kept up in the same way. It also, I am sorry to say, became less friendly. A larger number of the older generation than we would like to think were very bigoted. I don't remember open hostility, but there were a lot of whispers about "the Spanish." By the time my grandfather left, around the mid 90s, it had become kind of depressing.

Now, it is looking very nice again. We always go by the old house and church when we are anywhere nearby, and it has made me happy to see the neighborhood bouncing back. It seems like a neighborhood that is as happy in its new diversity as it was in its old homogeneity. I don't know anyone who lives there now, so I have no idea what the vibe of the neighborhood is as far as knowing everybody, but it is once again a pleasant looking and feeling place. Many people waved to us the last few times we've been through.

My husband and I considered it when we were thinking of moving to Denver- especially when we saw a great MCM place. However, the lack of a nice shopping area very close by, and the schools were big turnoffs for us. I suspect it is the same for many young families. You can always choose a private school, but it's nice when you feel good about the neighborhood school.

Incidentally, there is a realtor who specializes in Modern in the Denver area. He has a website with lots of great pictures and history. I don't know him well, but he was very responsive to us when we were looking. I'm not sure that we're supposed to link to commercial sites, but if you google "Modern Denver real estate" it is the first result. Lots of great info for those that love Modern design.

[dj32]

i wish there were more mid-century modern hoods...

Another one is Krisana Park- a tiny enclave around Holly/Evans and points north of it (I think)

I have been pointing out and recommending Southern Hills and Southmoor alot lately. They have definitely "caught on" but are not as expensive as WAsh Park, with more ranches and larger lots

Bow Mar is beautiful. I also was in an older part of Littleton last week, not a gated community or new subdivision. It was about a mile south of main street. It was beautiful back there. Felt like Cherry Hills, with out the humungous mansions (but there were a few).

Also Alamo Placita is a neat little area, very convenient to downtown and Cherry Creek.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by th3

A favorite little neighborhood of mine is Cory-Merrill in SE Denver. It is surrounded by popular Washington Park on the West, Bonnie Brae on the North, and Observatory Park/DU on the South. To me, if you find a block without a rebuild on it, it is 1940's small ranch homes right in the city. You definitely don't read about this neighborhood in the papers!

Good suggestion--People should try to find these little out of the place areas and neigborhoods. I used to stop in Observatory Park to have a quiet lunch when I was a salesman and drove all over town. That Bonnie Brae Neighborhood was a real surprise with the Bonnie Brae Inn. Unfortunately it burned down and I understand was replaced but I was never in the new one.

I also love the shopping east of this neighborhood on Colorado--the old Southgate Plaza. It had some interesting restaurants. I remember an old Deli--I think it was Hummel's--I have not been to that area for a long time.

Livecontent

[BlueWillowPlate]

Originally Posted by livecontent

Good suggestion--People should try to find these little out of the place areas and neigborhoods. I used to stop in Observatory Park to have a quiet lunch when I was a salesman and drove all over town. That Bonnie Brae Neighborhood was a real surprise with the Bonnie Brae Inn. Unfortunately it burned down and I understand was replaced but I was never in the new one.

I also love the shopping east of this neighborhood on Colorado--the old Southgate Plaza. It had some interesting restaurants. I remember an old Deli--I think it was Hummel's--I have not been to that area for a long time.

For people who imbibe, Bonnie Brae has one of the best wine shops in Denver at Ohio and S. University.
They have an incredible selection, fair prices and knowledgeable staff. There used to be a Dolly Madison next door which turned into a nice ice cream shop.
AFAIK, the Hummel's I knew used to be in what is now the Cherry Creek Mall, then moved to Cherry Creek North but high rent chased them out and they are now at 9th and Jersey--which brings me to two other neighborhoods:

Mayfair
and
Montclair.
Montclair is home to Baron von Richtofen's castle. But it also has plenty of green spaces, and it is easy to get to downtown, DIA or Cherry Creek from Montclair. Shopping is nearby on both sides of the neighborhood. There is a rec center.
We lived in a 50's brick home on Pontiac Street in Montclair from 1980-ish until 1987. Obviously this was before Lowry or Stapleton were redeveloped. We have friends with a nice two-story who still live in the neighborhood.