Best neighborhood for 31 y/o professional with girlfriend and dog... (Denver: apartment complex, to rent)

[twemh]

Hi All,

Me and my girlfriend will be moving to Denver from Baltimore in January.

Looking for some neighborhoods that are good for us.

I'm 31 year old white male
She's 28 year old mixed race female
Not married (yet)
Have a dog
No Kids
Both have good jobs. She works for govt and I'm in sales. Combined household income $200K plus.

We are looking to rent our first year and want to experience Denver and all it has to offer.

I work in in Lodo, She works in Centennial.

Like most we want it all, but here are some priorities...

1- Would love to be in an area with youngER professionals, but I'm over 30 now we are not big drinkers bar types. We would certianly frequent great places to eat and drink, but we don't stay up all night. Would like easy access (10- 15 mins) or so to downtown, without feeling like we are in the mix constantly. Don't want to be in an apartment building that resembles a dorm with 22-25 year olds staying up all night acting...their age . We are old souls, but would still love to meet some people our age and make some friends.

2- Don't want it to be a hassell to take dogs for walks and go to the bathroom (i.e.) high rises could be problematic

3 - Good Grocery stores and a good GYM

4- We love beautiful parks, museums, bike paths

5- Bonus if train access to downtown, because my employer pays for this and could save me money on my commute.

Thanks in advance to all for your input,

twemh

[ayoitzrimz]

I'm kinda thinking city park, uptown maybe? I'd say stay north of Colfax between Broadway and Colorado Blvd?

Other options will be Cap Hill, and Cheesman Park IMO

Some would say LoHi but it feels too hustle and bustle for you I think. The neighborhoods above don't have rail access and the east rail line (or whatever they call it today) will be too far north for you BUT local buses abound and honestly you can bike downtown on most days (which is what I do, but from further east)

The above will leave you close enough to visit Downtown whenever you please and still allow some respite. Cheesman park is nice and so is city park (careful living right ON city park because they throw a TON of events in the summer months)

[twemh]

Thanks ayoitzrimz. What about Congress Park?

Reason I ask is we found an apartment complex Colorado Pointe that looked nice and in our price range there. It's on colorado blvd and east 9th ave.

You said stay north of colfax. Why is that? This is definitley south of colfax. Is crime an issue?

Thanks
Twemh

[ayoitzrimz]

Definitely not an issue with crime, I was just trying to "draw" some boundaries of the neighborhoods I recommended. Colorado Pointe is ok, I wasn't a fan - it's right on Colorado Blvd so noise is a factor and I don't particularly like complexes that wrap around a pool. It's a nice place and well kept I believe and that area is nice. So you won't hate it for sure; however, I tend to stay clear of Colorado Blvd and I wouldn't live on Colorado Blvd or on Colfax but that's just me - one block over and it's totally different.

Edit: some would argue that crime is much less a factor South of Colfax than it is North of Colfax but either way Denver is overall very safe. Congress park is a nice neighborhood.

[mic111]

I don't think that is a high crime area. However Colorado Blvd is largely undriveable as the traffic is so thick. Where in Centennial does your girlfriend work? What type of dog do you have (Denver has BSL)? Are both your jobs accessible from the train lines? If so then I would look along one of the train lines.
FasTracks System Map

[ayoitzrimz]

mic111 is right - hard to live in Denver with a pitbull or a dog on the BSL list. I have a GSD and had trouble renting. So... something to keep in mind unless you have an apartment friendly dog. My friend that lived in Colorado Pointe had a weimaraner in the apartment so I don't think they have size restrictions and actually that management company was one of the few that allowed GSDs so they are lenient

[pikabike]

Originally Posted by twemh

Hi All,

Me and my girlfriend will be moving to Denver from Baltimore in January.

Looking for some neighborhoods that are good for us.

I'm 31 year old white male
She's 28 year old mixed race female
Not married (yet)
Have a dog
No Kids
Both have good jobs. She works for govt and I'm in sales. Combined household income $200K plus.

We are looking to rent our first year and want to experience Denver and all it has to offer.

I work in in Lodo, She works in Centennial.

Like most we want it all, but here are some priorities...

1- Would love to be in an area with youngER professionals, but I'm over 30 now we are not big drinkers bar types. We would certianly frequent great places to eat and drink, but we don't stay up all night. Would like easy access (10- 15 mins) or so to downtown, without feeling like we are in the mix constantly. Don't want to be in an apartment building that resembles a dorm with 22-25 year olds staying up all night acting...their age . We are old souls, but would still love to meet some people our age and make some friends.

2- Don't want it to be a hassell to take dogs for walks and go to the bathroom (i.e.) high rises could be problematic

3 - Good Grocery stores and a good GYM

4- We love beautiful parks, museums, bike paths

5- Bonus if train access to downtown, because my employer pays for this and could save me money on my commute.

Thanks in advance to all for your input,

twemh

The area of Littleton near its downtown, or in the area near C470 and Santa Fe--close to the Aspen Grove shopping center and the fantastic South Platte greenway--sounds perfect. Please remember that "dog bathroom" use includes bagging and properly disposing of the waste, not leaving it on the ground or putting it "somewhere else" away from your own yard. As Jefferson County Open Space says, There Is No Poop Fairy.

That area has excellent light rail service to downtown. It is also a short distance from Centennial. It is not cheap to live there, but at your combined income I would guess you can swing it.

We used to bike and walk there fairly often. In winter when our own foothills neighborhood sat in dark, snow-covered frigidity, the open, dry sunshine along the South Platte was uplifting. Great birding there, too, since it is along the Platte flyway.

[twemh]

We have a golden retriever so I don't think that would be an issue. Yeah I agree on the thoughts on the wrap around pool. Good note on the Colorado BLVD traffic issue. My job would be accessible as it's right in LoDo, I'm not sure about hers. Perhaps we should rethink and look at the train lines?

Though I like the idea of City Park. Looks like a nice area.

[Augie Daugie]

I would look around Baker, Wash Park or Platt Park.

[Texas Ag 93]

I like the earlier suggestions of City Park, Cheesman Park, Congress Park. Still great locations, but quieter than the areas so often suggested for 20 somethings like LoDo, Highlands or Capital Hill, although all those would be good suggestions as well.

Here is a useful map that shows the many neighborhoods and enclaves in Denver (I think city and county only).

Neighborhood Map Denver | City And County Of Denver CO