Is Denver boring? (Boulder, Glendale: apartment complex, crime, buying)

[Mr. Answers]

I think Funky Monk hit the nail on the head.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by POhdNcrzy

YES, one think about the Denver-Boulder area in particular and also the ritzier mountain resort towns of CO, is the "California-LA-West Coast" cultural connection. Having lived in Los Angeles and Boulder (15 years), I really understand this now. To me, this is an appealing aspect of Colorado, the cutting-edge hipness that filters through.

I'm not so sure about that. Now that I'm actually live in LA (temporarily, while I'm here for a one year master's program at USC) and have done a lot of exploration all over LA, OC, and SD and have a basis of comparison, I'd have to disagree. The parts of Denver that imagine themselves to be "urban" and "hip" (SHUE, to use your ingenious acronym) are NOT modelled on a west coast style. Unless if by "west coast" you mean the Pacific Northwest, Seattle or Portland. The LoDo's, Highland's, Capitol Hill's, and Baker's (let the urban hipster's term "SoBo" die a rapid death!), of Denver are modeled after midwestern and east coast urban centers-- in terms of architectural design, the types of restaurants/eateries you see, the style of signage and colors and names of businesses and places. The most similar "west coast" city that "urban" Denver/Boulder resembles (or subconsciously imitates) is Seattle. Of course there are individual exceptions, but by and large the urban community of Denver looks eastward (and indirectly northwestward) for its model, not southwestward (aka SoCal).

Where Denver does have some California/west coast influence is in some of the latest generation of master planned suburbs-- Highlands Ranch being the most noteworthy/infamous (depending on your point of view). HR was actually developed by the Mission Viejo company, who built much of southern Orange County in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. It's no coincidence that a number of residents in Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, and Douglas County in general are from Orange County, CA. However even there the similarities are in terms of design and planning-- architecturally there is no mass produced subdivision anywhere in Denver that builds California style pink tile roof and stucco homes.

Want to see a really good example of what pure SoCal trendy "west coast"-iness is all about? As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look at this photo tour I put together a few weeks ago of Costa Mesa (a kind of urban suburb) and Newport Beach:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...ms-oc-2-1.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...ms-oc-2-2.html

Sure, that's in OC, not LA, but it encapsulates what "west coast" is about more than any one single place I can think of in LA. Look especially at the middle portion of the photo tour when I go through "downtown" Costa Mesa. And I just can't think of ANYWHERE in Denver or Boulder that looks and feels like that.

[vegaspilgrim]

One other thing-- for better or worse, Boulder is Boulder. I don't think Boulder's "trendiness" is imported from the "west coast" or California or the Pacific Northwest or any one region particularly-- a lot of it is homegrown. Boulder is not really my kind of place, but it is a UNIQUE place.

[Awesomo.2000]

I lived in Denver for about 3 years. I first moved into Glendale. I signed my lease on-line, and only visited downtown before moving there and signing the lease. I went online and found a apartment complex located on the Cherry Creek bike trail. It boasted about having walking trails, shopping nearby, etc. I thought it was going to be similar to like living next to Fairmont Park in Philly, or next to Schinley Park in Pittsburgh. (the two cities I was familiar with). It showed online that it was two miles from Downtown, so I figured it would be a tight, urban, city neighborhood probably filled with walkable business districts, and old tree lined streets, etc.

However, I was completely wrong, and disappointed when I moved there. I hated it. It was located in Glendale. The apartment complex was this homogenous suburban looking crap. The promised retail was target, and every chain stripmall down Colorado Blvd.

My apartment used the name Cherry Creek even though it was Glendale. I could see that Cherry Creek was something they were trying to emulate from an east coast type city; A neighborhood with three streets that make up a walkable buisness district. Many neighborhoods here have their own downtown type areas like Cherry Creek. It was just too yuppie and new looking for me. It didn't have any soul IMO.

My last two years there, I moved down into Capitol Hill. Then I started to like Denver. It was much better, and more neighborly. However, Capitol Hill reminded me of the first ring of suburbs outside of east coast cities. I lived on the Main Line just outside of the border of Philly, and about 10 miles from Downtown. That town outside fo Philly was more urban than the Capitol Hill in denver. But Capitol Hill was urban enough for me.

If I stayed out there I would have no idea where I would live. I hate urban sprawl, however, I have no problem with old towns outside of cities that are still considered suburbs, but are actual towns with their own buisness districts, walkable streets, their own character, etc. Here in Pittsburgh there are many old towns outside the city that are considered suburbs, but are actual real towns. I felt Denver didn't have many at all. It seemed like once you left Denver 99% of everything was a suburb built from urban sprawl.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

I'm not so sure about that. Now that I'm actually live in LA (temporarily, while I'm here for a one year master's program at USC) and have done a lot of exploration all over LA, OC, and SD and have a basis of comparison, I'd have to disagree. The parts of Denver that imagine themselves to be "urban" and "hip" (SHUE, to use your ingenious acronym) are NOT modelled on a west coast style. Unless if by "west coast" you mean the Pacific Northwest, Seattle or Portland. The LoDo's, Highland's, Capitol Hill's, and Baker's (let the urban hipster's term "SoBo" die a rapid death!), of Denver are modeled after midwestern and east coast urban centers-- in terms of architectural design, the types of restaurants/eateries you see, the style of signage and colors and names of businesses and places. The most similar "west coast" city that "urban" Denver/Boulder resembles (or subconsciously imitates) is Seattle. Of course there are individual exceptions, but by and large the urban community of Denver looks eastward (and indirectly northwestward) for its model, not southwestward (aka SoCal).

Where Denver does have some California/west coast influence is in some of the latest generation of master planned suburbs-- Highlands Ranch being the most noteworthy/infamous (depending on your point of view). HR was actually developed by the Mission Viejo company, who built much of southern Orange County in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. It's no coincidence that a number of residents in Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, and Douglas County in general are from Orange County, CA. However even there the similarities are in terms of design and planning-- architecturally there is no mass produced subdivision anywhere in Denver that builds California style pink tile roof and stucco homes.

Want to see a really good example of what pure SoCal trendy "west coast"-iness is all about? As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look at this photo tour I put together a few weeks ago of Costa Mesa (a kind of urban suburb) and Newport Beach:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...ms-oc-2-1.html
http://www.city-data.com/forum/membe...ms-oc-2-2.html

Sure, that's in OC, not LA, but it encapsulates what "west coast" is about more than any one single place I can think of in LA. Look especially at the middle portion of the photo tour when I go through "downtown" Costa Mesa. And I just can't think of ANYWHERE in Denver or Boulder that looks and feels like that.

Ahh - The Anti Mall. I've been there many times - we moved to Denver from OC 3 years ago. The only parts of OC I really like are Costa Mesa, because it has an urban vibe to it and it's fairly liberal, and then Laguna Beach for its beauty and funkiness. The rest of it's a pit, IMO.

[wanttomoveeast]

Don't leave me out cuz I'm right there with you. And I'm on my way to Miami.

Originally Posted by POhdNcrzy

Just wanna say briefly, Wankel7, I think you are really on target with your post.

Also, FunkyMonk, I lived in Boulder for 15+ years and I can really relate to your observations about Denver.

I think for people like you and me, we're looking at NYC, LA, maybe Miami, maybe Seattle, maybe Chicago. That's about it. Problem with those places is you need major buck$$$$$$ to take advantage of what they offer and to even just survive there.

If it's any consolation, I can really relate.

[inquiz49]

I think it is. The Jeffco suburbs on the other hand are alot more fun to be in.

[Scott5280]

Boulder does have a similar attititude to Laguna Beach, and has kind of the same vibe as the Newport Peninsula...I have lived in all three places and actually used to see many ex-Boulderites in both Newport and Laguna...Cherry Creek North along third avenue has kind of a Coastal California town feel..Colorado is Colorado....But Boulder California as I heard it called often the 8 years I lived there does have a Cali--vibe..
The people in Boulder claim to hate Californiacation--so they must be doing alot of self loathing these days...

[wanttomoveeast]

Scott: hahahaha, I think a lot of the Boulderians are Calif. That explains it. I think Boulder would be fabulous if it could have Laguna's coastline and pier. But nooo....

[Scott5280]

Oh ya Denver isn't boring in my opionion; I grew up in Denver and used to refer to it
as DENVOID...Woke up early this morning in middle of the city, and took the dog for a hike to the top of Conifer MT. and came back down by 10 am in shorts in November...
If you like the clubs of LA, San Fran,NYC; crave the highest cultural enviornment possible---love late night dining---Denver is not your place....If you love the outdoors
and wanna cycle,ski, and simply be twenty min. from downtown to foothills serenity or
Boulder than Denver's not bad...