Denver: The good, the bad and the ugly (insurance, neighborhood)

[vegaspilgrim]

14 different places-- and you're maybe just a few years older than me? Sheesh! Maybe that's the problem right there.

BTW, just so everyone knows FunkyMonk is now planning on moving to Las Vegas: http://www.city-data.com/forum/las-v...ml#post7217359

And what makes you think Las Vegas is going to be one bit better than Denver? What makes you think Las Vegas is one footstep more walkable than Denver???? (assuming you're not living in a hotel on the strip). What makes you think public transportation in Las Vegas is one iota better than RTD? Las Vegas' unemployment rate is even higher than Denver. Hey, move to Vegas (I love Las Vegas personally), but don't blame the city for all your problems.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by FunkyMonk

I lived in 14 different places and Denver is the LEAST walkable of them all.

Y'know, I just find that hard to believe. I lived in probably 8-10 places before coming here, including my hometown and my college campus area. I lived in the city of Denver before moving to Louisville. I would say Denver/Louisville ranks somewhere in the middle. Worst was suburban Albany, NY where there was virtually nothing to walk to and no sidewalks, plus Hershey, PA which had the same problem. Best was probably the University of Pittsburgh campus area. Where we lived in Denver (Sloan's Lake area) we could walk to the park, a convenience store, a liquor store, laundromat, a small grocery, a brand of Denver Public Library, and Mile High Stadium, among others. We could bike downtown and out west to Wheat Ridge, Egdewater, etc. Here in Lsvl, we can walk to a large Safeway, several parks, my kids could and did walk to school sometimes (we had a bus for ele b/c they had to cross a busy road, and we had a carpool for MS), and downtown Louisville with its coffee shops, library and other businesses. It is possible to bike all over town; my kids often biked to the rec center where they took gymnastics and worked.

[FunkyMonk]

I have lived in 14 places.
I've been moving every few years since I was about 12. And in the past 5 years i've really set out on my own, and i've made a lot of moves. I went to 4 seperate colleges in 4 seperate areas. So throughout college I got to see different places too.
Sometimes i'll move to a place, and it's not really for me, so i'll leave after just a few months.
Just in the past 2 years I have lived in 5 different places. It adds up fast. I travel light, and I don't have any big ties in life. So if I want to move, I just do it. Everything that is important to me fits in 3 suitcases, and I get on that plane or train and go.
I don't hate Denver at all, it's allright, but TO ME, it's just allright and nothing amazing. There is nothing about Denver that makes me want to rush out that door every day and sieze the day.
But I can see how some people would really love Denver. To me, the great thing about Denver is that Denver is a city that doesn't have any big problems, and most cities do have several BIG problems.
All of my complaints about Denver are really not that intense. The lack of walkability, and lack of excitement here are the 2 biggest downsides to it for me, and these aren't really even serious problems.
But I have my own unique opinions and tastes of where is a good place to be. And to me, Denver just isn't that right place. I have no hate for the city at all, but I also won't miss it when I go.
I am not rich and can't afford a lot of vacations. So I usually just make that move instead. Most people will plan a vacation to a certain place. Me, I just move there.

[FunkyMonk]

Originally Posted by vegaspilgrim

14 different places-- and you're maybe just a few years older than me? Sheesh! Maybe that's the problem right there.

BTW, just so everyone knows FunkyMonk is now planning on moving to Las Vegas: http://www.city-data.com/forum/las-v...ml#post7217359

And what makes you think Las Vegas is going to be one bit better than Denver? What makes you think Las Vegas is one footstep more walkable than Denver???? (assuming you're not living in a hotel on the strip). What makes you think public transportation in Las Vegas is one iota better than RTD? Las Vegas' unemployment rate is even higher than Denver. Hey, move to Vegas (I love Las Vegas personally), but don't blame the city for all your problems.

I am not expecting Vegas to be any better than Denver in these ways. I have visited Vegas several times and I know it's got lots of big problems. I am not looking for a paradise in Vegas. I'm just looking for an experience.
Also, Vegas is just one of about 4 things I might do. I have several other options to weigh out.
You sound like you are taking what I am saying way too personally and getting bent out of shape over it. Chill out man. You seem to take offense every time people critisize Denver.

[DenverAztec]

A Brookings Institution survey ranks the 30 biggest metropolitan areas according to the number of "walkable urban places" relative to the area's population:

1. Washington
2. Boston
3. San Francisco
4. Denver
5. Portland, Ore.
6. Seattle
7. Chicago
8. Miami
9. Pittsburgh
10. New York
11. San Diego
12. Los Angeles
13. Philadelphia
14. Atlanta
15. Baltimore
16. St. Louis
17. Minneapolis
18. Detroit
19. Columbus, Ohio
20. Las Vegas
21. Houston
22. San Antonio
23. Kansas City, Mo.
24. Orlando, Fla.
25. Dallas
26. Phoenix
27. Sacramento, Calif.
28. Cincinnati
29. Cleveland
30. Tampa, Fla.
- Associated Press

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Fil...leinberger.pdf

other links:
Denver ranks fourth in "walkable places" - The Denver Post

Walkscore City Rankings

Denver's Most Walkable Neighborhoods - Walk Score Neighborhood Rankings

Walkscore.com - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[FunkyMonk]

Originally Posted by DenverAztec

A Brookings Institution survey ranks the 30 biggest metropolitan areas according to the number of "walkable urban places" relative to the area's population:

1. Washington
2. Boston
3. San Francisco
4. Denver
5. Portland, Ore.
6. Seattle
7. Chicago
8. Miami
9. Pittsburgh
10. New York
11. San Diego
12. Los Angeles
13. Philadelphia
14. Atlanta
15. Baltimore
16. St. Louis
17. Minneapolis
18. Detroit
19. Columbus, Ohio
20. Las Vegas
21. Houston
22. San Antonio
23. Kansas City, Mo.
24. Orlando, Fla.
25. Dallas
26. Phoenix
27. Sacramento, Calif.
28. Cincinnati
29. Cleveland
30. Tampa, Fla.
- Associated Press

http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Fil...leinberger.pdf

other links:
Denver ranks fourth in "walkable places" - The Denver Post

Walkscore City Rankings

Denver's Most Walkable Neighborhoods - Walk Score Neighborhood Rankings

Walkscore.com - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I just don't see it myself. I think Denvers core area is great for walking, and maybe that's what this "survey" is reflecting.
But if you live outside of the center area in Denver, you have to take the bus or ride a bike to get anywhere in reasonable time. I don't see how you can debate the enormous sprawl of this city..... it's here. And if you happen to live in the wrong part of that sprawl, you're out of luck.
But maybe my perspective is skewed because I was recently living in other countries with great subway systems and trains, where most of the populations didn't drive cars, and you can walk out your front door and do just about anything within 5 minutes.
For a US city, I guess Denver might be just about on par. Especially when compared to other midwestern and southwestern cities, it's the norm.

[DenverAztec]

I hear what you are saying, it depends on the area of town you live in. I can walk to everything I need and my car often sits parked for weeks. Then again I am in Capitol Hill and not some of our suburbs.

Living in the Marina or Sea Cliff neighborhoods of San Francisco, or the Richmond area of Houston, great homes but you will totally need a car to get to anything other then a few parks. NYC and Chicago are incredibly dense and the ammenities like a grocery store or hospital have little to no options to develop or build. Denver does have the same issue downtown, hence the need for a super market there.

Overall, we do well as a city compared to so many others twice and three times our size. Prime example is Phoenix - zero action downtown, all one big spawling burb. The city tries but the citizens refuse to live in the core. In Houston, the citizens fight light rail going through their neighborhoods. A reason why they are 21 and 26 on the list above yet they are the third and fifth largest cities in the country.

[livecontent]

DenverAztec,

Very good post about the walkable neighborhoods. It made interesting reading. One of the points that it makes that there exist many walkable neighborhoods in the suburbs, especially in the newer western cities and Denver has more walkable areas in the suburbs.

I have a problem with the ratings because it is done on the amount of businesses within walkable proximity. Unfortunately, many of the top walkable neighborhoods in Denver do not have a good mix of businesses that have basic necessities of life. To me, I believe that a neighborhood, to be considered walkable, must have a basic grocery store. In addition, a good all purpose store, like a Walmart or Kmart is needed. A good hardware store would add to the amenity. It would also nice to have a bank, a drug store.

Sure Restaurants, Bars are nice but if they are the only businesses then it does not serve diversity of needs in a neighborhood. Also, overpriced, expensive specialty stores are desirable to some but again, it must be part of a mix with basic shopping. Obviously a park and public transportation are important to get to health care, either nearby or a short ride. LODO is at the top of the rating for Denver but it really needs stores for basic necessities.

My address is rated at a walkable rating of a 74 and it is considered in the suburbs. I can walk, if I am able, to a King Soopers, Banks, Hardware Store, Auto Repair and Parts, numerous fastfood and sitdown restaurants, Walgreens, Movie Theatre, many parks, creeks, reservoir lakes, some bars and numerous other shops and stores. Also, a Walmart is within 1.5 miles and on a bus line done the road from a mall and a Kaiser Clinic.

A Rail Station is proposed down the street, 1/3 of a mile, on the Gold Corridor which will take me to Downtown Denver in about 4 minutes, with only three stops to Union Station. I think then I will have it much better with the exciting amenities of Downtown and the basic necessities of my neighborhood.

Now, I do not live near any overpriced "fluff" stores that cater to the "new rich"--soon to be the "new poor", if thy do not learn some thrift. So, it is not necessary to go into the city to be in a walkable neighborhood--a plain vanilla suburbs may be all you need.

Livecontent

[Sassberto]

having lived in city neighborhoods for many years I have found that "walkability" means different things to different people. For me it used to mean "walk home from bars" but now that I don't go to bars it just means... walk around the 'hood. When I was younger / single / without kids it was important to be near bars and restaurants but now I would rather live near a park or open space.

[Katiana]

Originally Posted by Sassberto

having lived in city neighborhoods for many years I have found that "walkability" means different things to different people. For me it used to mean "walk home from bars" but now that I don't go to bars it just means... walk around the 'hood. When I was younger / single / without kids it was important to be near bars and restaurants but now I would rather live near a park or open space.

LOL! I remember those days! When I said the U. of Pittsburgh campus area was the most walkable of the areas that I have lived, that's what I was doing at the time! I can remember getting done with my shift at the hospital, and going directly to bar! We didn't even stop in at the dorms to change out of our uniforms (a flagrant violation of our uniform policy!). But yeah, now that I am in a different place in time, I like to be able to walk to parks, etc. It's also nice to be able to walk to a grocery/convenience store to pick up a few things.