Considering a move from Tampa to Denver (house, middle school)

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by davidv

Denver does not fit your idea of walkable.

In 1950 (the beginning of the auto-centered city), the metro population was about 615,000 with 400,000 of those people in Denver.

In the last 65 years, the metro population boomed to about 3 million, with 675,000 of them living in Denver. The vast majority of the housing is auto-centered suburbs and sprawl.

Even in the walkable areas, you will not find many grocery stores, and the ones you do find are large chains.

Restaurants tend to be clustered on the main boulevards, not nestled in the neighborhoods. Become familiar with the following two words: strip mall.

Your husband's job is in an area not really served by mass transit, and is isolated from the surrounding area by a busy general aviation airport.

Driving on Arapahoe Rd. is a nightmare. Always. And they are doing construction on the I-25/Arapahoe interchange for the foreseeable future.

Your best bet is either A) Historic downtown Littleton, B) Old Englewood, or C) the older parts of Castle Rock. These are commuter towns with defined downtown areas dating back 100 years. Littleton and Englewood are connected to Denver by sprawl. Castle Rock is further out. All of the walkable areas are small oases surrounded by suburban sprawl.

Disagree

I lived in West Wash Park for a decade. Easy I-25 access, Whole Foods was 4 blocks from my house. I had a great, non chain coffee shop a block away. My dry cleaner was 2 blocks away. Light Rail was 8 blocks away at either Broadway or Louisiana. South Pearl Street dining, shopping, and weekend Farmer's Market was one mile and an easy walk or bike ride. Bonnie Brae's shops and restaurants were one mile, straight across the best park in Denver, which was also 4 blocks away. Old South Gaylord, was also just about a mile straight across Wash Park. Breweries and restaurants on Broadway were in the one mile range as well.

I think this is precisely what the OP is describing, but she can feel free to add.

[davidv]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Disagree

I lived in West Wash Park for a decade. Easy I-25 access, Whole Foods was 4 blocks from my house. I had a great, non chain coffee shop a block away. My dry cleaner was 2 blocks away. Light Rail was 8 blocks away at either Broadway or Louisiana. South Pearl Street dining, shopping, and weekend Farmer's Market was one mile and an easy walk or bike ride. Bonnie Brae's shops and restaurants were one mile, straight across the best park in Denver, which was also 4 blocks away. Old South Gaylord, was also just about a mile straight across Wash Park. Breweries and restaurants on Broadway were in the one mile range as well.

I think this is precisely what the OP is describing, but she can feel free to add.

Washington Park is part of the pre-1950s era city, but once you get to the post-1950s city (which is most of the metro area), walkability pretty much ends. Besides, commuting between Wash Park and Dove Valley is a 20-25 min. drive in the middle of the night. It's nearly double that during the day.

As for davebarnes' house at 3968 Vrain. It is at least 45 minute commute one way. My office mate commutes from that area to DTC. He hates it with a passion.

[emm74]

I agree there are small pockets with true walkability in Denver, and I wish there were more (and crossing my fingers that when my area is fully built out, I'll have at least some walkable amenities). But it's also a reality that none of them are really a pleasant commute to Dove Valley, in the heart of suburbia.

[Gorges]

Originally Posted by tinalimey

Hmm... well, thanks for the input, folks, even if it's not what I was hoping to hear. LOL

Guess I'll have to put up with suburbia for a bit longer if we do move. Can't imagine my husband will want to deal with a 45+ minute commute. Won't it make a difference that it's a reverse commute?

If our kitties pose a problem for rentals, then we'll have to buy something sooner rather than later. We're not leaving them behind.

If you want to try some place short term, you could check out the apartments in the lower DTC by the Dry Creek light rail station (Inverness & Dry Creek). It's suburbia with a lot of traffic during rush hour, but it's close to the Park Meadows shopping area, some restaurants within walking distance, and being able to walk to the RTD station would enable you to explore the city at your leisure while you get to know the area. Best of all, your husband should have a fairly easy commute on the back streets that loop around Centennial airport. Most of the apartments are pet friendly but I doubt you are going to find any place that will say 4 cats are ok. So, you'll have to deal with that in one way or another.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by davidv

Washington Park is part of the pre-1950s era city, but once you get to the post-1950s city (which is most of the metro area), walkability pretty much ends. Besides, commuting between Wash Park and Dove Valley is a 20-25 min. drive in the middle of the night. It's nearly double that during the day.

As for davebarnes' house at 3968 Vrain. It is at least 45 minute commute one way. My office mate commutes from that area to DTC. He hates it with a passion.

While I agree that if there is an accident or weather, the time can be worse, but It is 8:05am (peak rush hour) at Waze is saying 28 minutes from my house to Dove Valley right now.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by rushhournewb

How long would the commute be to Dove Valley from your area?

Too long.
Too painful.
I would have to "pack a lunch" in order to drive from my house to the middle of nowhere Dove Valley.

[Willistonite]

Lots of places in Denver close to the light rail. Denver is expanding light rail more each year, open to airport now.
You need to come and explore. Like Dave says above there are area's in Denver that are very walkable.

[bmac76]

One way to avoid several "pet rents" is to only tell them about one cat. Somebody might see that you have a cat, but it's very unlikely that anyone's going to count them.

[Pesare]

Originally Posted by bmac76

One way to avoid several "pet rents" is to only tell them about one cat. Somebody might see that you have a cat, but it's very unlikely that anyone's going to count them.

I wouldn't risk this because if they find out that you have more than one cat then they can evict you.

[Suzatlarge]

As has been discussed here in detail, your husband's job in Dove Valley and your desire for a "walkable" neighborhood, can only be reconciled if he makes a hellacious commute to and from work. Dove Valley is in the middle of suburban nowhereland, not conveniently close to anything except car-oriented living. It's not served by light rail.

I agree with the suggestions to look into areas around old downtown Littleton and the Englewood city center development, or older areas of Castle Rock. Although those places will require some commuting to Dove Valley, it won't be as bad as from Wash Park or other older areas of central Denver.

Good luck!