The beginning of the end for suburbia? (Denver, Englewood: neighborhoods, college)

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

Once again, mikie, rkb, and tfox are right on the money. What I find interesting about this discussion (and other similar discussions that have occurred on the General US forum) is this whole imagined urban/suburban dichotomy is more about ideology than it is about urban geography and demography. With the possible exception of Capitol Hill, not really anywhere in Denver is all *that* "urban." A lot of people incorrectly assume that just because they live in an older neighborhood designated as a "national historic district" or they live within the City and County of Denver, that they are so urban, when in reality most Denver neighborhoods are old suburbs. What passes for "urban" in Denver would be considered a total joke in Brooklyn, NY (let alone Manhattan). Most of your Denver "urbanites" wouldn't even last a week in the real city. Urban neighborhoods in Denver are not necessarily any less vehicle-dependent (whether that's a bus or your own car) than designated "suburban" neighborhoods. There is no reason why suburban areas cannot be retrofitted with more public transportation. In fact, this is exactly what has happened with the construction of the southeast light rail line. Often "urban" has more to do with high priced, impractical boutique stores, coffee places, and imitation Philly cheesesteak joints than anything else. What I've discovered recently, as you could tell by my recent photo tours, is that if you want to find real authenticity of what living in an interesting American city is all about, you got to go to the older suburbs-- areas that are 20, 30, 40, 50+ years old that have had plenty of time to grow, mature, and change, often quite asthetically ugly, but that haven't been overrun with gentrification and the ideology of new urbanism.

And one thing-- I disagree that the eastern suburbs of Denver are necessarily at a disadvantage compared to the western suburbs. One thing that I think WILL change is the lifestyle of people using Denver as strictly a base camp during the week to make money and sleep while they go at their adventures in the mountains every weeekend may be slowing down, regardless of what part of town you live in. With rising transportation costs, in the future, people who want to remain living in or move to Denver will have to reconcile themselves to the fact that they live on the HIGH PLAINS-- not the Rocky Mountains. When you leave the base camp mentality aside, the eastern half of the metro area is no worse than the western half. In fact, I think Aurora in particular, while it has many problems, also has many locational advantages. As the cost of living in the central city skyrockets (due to supply and demand), Aurora will always be there as a more affordable option. And as I've discovered lately, Aurora is actually a lot more interesting than it receives credit for. I predict that as soon as the light rail is extended up I-225, the interchange around I-225 and Iliff is going to become HOT. I've already seen evidence of new-urbanist style condos being constructed in that area. There's no reason that density won't continue to increase in parts of Aurora in the future. But shhhh... don't tell anybody else about this. Let them think it's all going to hell.

This holds true for my own Dallas and many other cities. However some of the historic neighborhoods here were orginally 'streetcar suburbs' and are built in a compact manner. In the worst scenario, we can walk for all our basic needs and if the electricity is out, our houses were built before AC to catch breezes.. In my Lakewood in East Dallas, the prices have gone up an average of $75,000 per single family home in the last year (May to May report).

[TimtheGuy]

Originally Posted by rybert

Just a better reason to expand the rail and connect everybody!

That is just not cost effective. Forget the rail!

[Ludachris]

Originally Posted by denverian

I used to like driving. Then I drove to and from work in Orange County for 10 years. Now, not so much. I guess I just view it as time wasted, plus it's frustrating.

I have this view towards working for a living...

I'd be much happier driving if I didn't have to work!

[bhcompy]

Originally Posted by TimtheGuy

Add in the fact that many people actually work in suburbia these days. I know I do.

That too.

I work for ADP, and ADP has saved a lot of money by putting a lot of their business locations in suburbs(and have done so since inception). In Colorado they're located in Aurora and Ft Collins. In California they're located in La Palma and Buena Park. In Chicago, it's Hoffman Estates. In Toronto, it's on the outskirts of town. In Atlanta it's in Alpharetta. On the outskirts of El Paso, TX. Dallas office is in Bedford, TX. etc etc.

Now to save even more they are consolidating everything into buildings they own. People that have jobs that can work from home are being sent home to work permanently. Leased buildings are being dropped when the lease expires. So any way you look at it, you have a well-respected, multinational, publically traded company helping push ideas that are revamping how industry works and how people can live.

When one major company has that kind of success and cost-savings, it pushes others into action as well as they see the benefit. We have people moving out from expensive areas like LA and going to Montana, Wyoming, etc because they can now live wherever they please and save money in the process. I'm moving to the Denver-area whenever my wife can transfer her job to Aurora or at home because suburbia in Denver is what me(and other socal'ers) see as a very affordable and reasonably paced place to live that gives us the amenities we like and the neighborhoods we wished we could afford a house in in socal. who needs to care about oil prices when you live where you work?

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by rybert

Medical/Education/Sport Complex

I would like to get into residential. (and city planning as my posts allude to )

Residential is such a great part of the industry to be in, Right now it is defiantly kind of slow. But you dont have the High pressures of the commercial design side of things, and you get to see the look on your clients faces first hand, and not the board members faces as they tell you you need to change a few things Lol. You also have the opportunity to follow the project in EVERY aspect from begining building programs to end construction sets.

I LOVE residential design.

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by steveco.

As far as residential architects you are going to have literally a enormous selection from small firms to big corporate outfits. What it really boils down to is what you would prefer. Personally I would go for a smaller outfit. less stress and more attention

I agree, I work in a firm of 8 of us, it is like a family, and we turn out a great deal of projects all over the U.S. (and a few other countries)

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by rybert

Well... I'm still working on licensing... so I need a diversity when it comes to filling out my IDP stuff.

I am more comfortable with the atmosphere of medium-sized firms (20-50 people), and have heard/seen that it is more difficult to get a variety of experience with small/large firms. Although I don't see why you would be pigeon-holed in a small firm (it seems to me they would need you to be well versed in all areas).

As far as benefits go... yeah... I want them. We are in safe-harbor mode at the firm I'm at now... some I retain 100% of my employees 401(k) contribution from day one. We don't have dental though... that would be nice.

to tell you the truth, you dont need the AIA license to do Residential within most of the U.S. unless you are doing multi family stuff, I do however wish to return to college and work my way to my license, Right now I am just a lowly Designer lol. But I love it

[rybert]

Originally Posted by Noahma

to tell you the truth, you dont need the AIA license to do Residential within most of the U.S. unless you are doing multi family stuff, I do however wish to return to college and work my way to my license, Right now I am just a lowly Designer lol. But I love it

Right on! I'm already so far down the path to become licensed that I think I'll make the last push and just do it.

As far as being a CADD monkey goes... my desk is surrounded by peanut shells.

I see a lot more of the RFI and consultant end of business, but the principals aren't shy about covering my desk with red-lines. I would love to design more... but you have to start somewhere I guess.

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by rybert

Right on! I'm already so far down the path to become licensed that I think I'll make the last push and just do it.

As far as being a CADD monkey goes... my desk is surrounded by peanut shells.

I see a lot more of the RFI and consultant end of business, but the principals aren't shy about covering my desk with red-lines. I would love to design more... but you have to start somewhere I guess.

I understand the redline suff lol. Trust me, there is MUCH less of them in the residential field than in comercial. We have one in the office that is about half way through the tests, think we are going to throw him a party when he is done. After my wife finishes her next stint of College, I am up to work my way there.

[Lakewooder]

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