I'm outta here! (Denver, Aurora, Aguilar: crime, homes, gated)

[suzco]

Just an observation. . .

Most (not all) of the posters we hear from who have moved to the area or are looking to move here and who find Denver and/or Colorado to be rude, unfriendly, not meeting their expectations or lacking in important ways, etc. seem to be young, single men between the ages of 18 and 35 or so.

Any ideas as to the reason for that pattern?

[wanttomoveeast]

Colfax is always a blast for me. Often I just park and walk. I miss the days of walking from my downtown job to Cap. Hill. I'd take a variety of ways home and loved seeing the new shops and sad to see the old ones shut down. Now, I hardly ever go over there, and when I do, I'm amazed at all the new stores/restaurants.

Originally Posted by denverian

Oh, I know. I guess our neighborhood is so social, I don't feel isolated in any way. Strange how I went from being so adventurous to not going far from home. I think the furthest I've been from my house in the past year is DIA to fly out of town for work.

I always wanted to live in Hawaii and people have told me that I'd get "island fever". I doubt it since I already stay so close to home! I was very social in my single days in Denver - but again, lived on Cap. Hill and my life was all downtown and central Denver. I guess I'm just happy whenever I drive down Colfax!

[wanttomoveeast]

That's a very interesting observation. I'm not sure about it. I noticed that a lot of newbies here are east coasters, a very very different culture. It's kind of the same thing for me when I come in contact with a freshly moved east coaster, sometimes I cringe at their how should I put this? demeanor? In any case, it's just a totally different culture.

Perhaps if they are all single, young men, they are thinking Denver will be more city-like as in Atlanta, Miami, etc.?

Originally Posted by suzco

Just an observation. . .

Most (not all) of the posters we hear from who have moved to the area or are looking to move here and who find Denver and/or Colorado to be rude, unfriendly, not meeting their expectations or lacking in important ways, etc. seem to be young, single men between the ages of 18 and 35 or so.

Any ideas as to the reason for that pattern?

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by ottodog

I say we give Texas back to Mexico and just call it even.

Actually, despite it's reputation, I love Texas. Between the tackiness of Houston and the class of Dallas to the San Antonio nightlife, I would be hardpressed to hand Texas over to the Mexicans. Now, New Mexico would be an easy one...take it and don't look back. Plus, I think Texas is the only state down on the border that would actually put up a fight! Gotta love the Don't Mess with Texas mentality (even if it was initially designed to prevent littering). I think Texans take that to heart. Actually, come to think of it, we could give them El Paso. That place is an armpit.

[the3Ds]

Originally Posted by D-town 720

Bart is a subway? thats news to me. Never heard that in the 30 years I lived in the SF bay area...

Just came from Sacramento and it isnt even in the same league as Denver. Sac is more like memphis, OKC or colombus. Mid size cities with suffering skylines, vacant downtowns, and a lack of fortune 500 companies.

You're right. BART is no more a subway than RTD. Limited lines, few connections and just because it goes underground a few times does not make it a subway. The bus system in San Francisco is good but not much different than Denver.

What I do like about San Francisco is that it is a very walkable city. Plus, with the steep hills, it's a great workout. Still not worth living with 7 roommates in a 2 bedroom apartment though. My best friend from college and her husband pay nearly $4000 a month in RENT to live there. They do get paid better but that's highway robbery. They actually thought it was a great find. I guess perspective is everything.

[David Aguilar]

I recently received this unsigned rep from a post I left in this thread:

aurora is the most lame god awful suburban hell hole made in America. How can one live there? I would kill myself if I did.

Well, Mr. or Mrs. Unknown, I will agree parts, if not most of Aurora is lame. I don't know what you think makes it god awful. Suburban hell hole? Yeah, a lot of it, and not to offend anybody, but especially the parts built within the last 15-20 years, IMO. But the folks in the newer parts are quite alright, I just don't like how their houses/neighborhoods are designed, but that's just me.

More than one lives here. As of July 2007, 311,793 people besides me live here as well.

I have yet to kill myself, but Mr./Mrs. Unknown, you will be the first to know if I do.

Not everywhere has to be AS EXCITING as say Manhattan, Hollywood, Castro District, etc. We also don't have to pay premium prices to live in an EXCITING place, nor do we have to deal with the ills that plague those places. Not everybody HAS TO LIVE where everybody else HAS TO LIVE.

If it makes you feel any better, we have some urban blight just around the corner at Mississippi and Peoria. Or is it suburban blight?

Y'know living in Aurora isn't so bad. Maybe if you put your elitist ways aside for just a moment you could see/understand how the rest of us manage to live.

For future reference Mr./Mrs. Unknown, please don't rep me just to tell me how much you hate where I live. Save your rep points for something positive, please.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

I recently received this unsigned rep from a post I left in this thread:

aurora is the most lame god awful suburban hell hole made in America. How can one live there? I would kill myself if I did.

Well, Mr. or Mrs. Unknown, I will agree parts, if not most of Aurora is lame. I don't know what you think makes it god awful. Suburban hell hole? Yeah, a lot of it, and not to offend anybody, but especially the parts built within the last 15-20 years, IMO. But the folks in the newer parts are quite alright, I just don't like how their houses/neighborhoods are designed, but that's just me.

More than one lives here. As of July 2007, 311,793 people besides me live here as well.

I have yet to kill myself, but Mr./Mrs. Unknown, you will be the first to know if I do.

Not everywhere has to be AS EXCITING as say Manhattan, Hollywood, Castro District, etc. We also don't have to pay premium prices to live in an EXCITING place, nor do we have to deal with the ills that plague those places. Not everybody HAS TO LIVE where everybody else HAS TO LIVE.

If it makes you feel any better, we have some urban blight just around the corner at Mississippi and Peoria. Or is it suburban blight?

Y'know living in Aurora isn't so bad. Maybe if you put your elitist ways aside for just a moment you could see/understand how the rest of us manage to live.

For future reference Mr./Mrs. Unknown, please don't rep me just to tell me how much you hate where I live. Save your rep points for something positive, please.

When we first moved to Denver, I had to spend the summer of '05 in an extended stay at 225 and Illiff before our house wad completed in Stapleton, alone with our dog. So I walked the dog around the neighborhood just to the east every day to get exercise, and contend with boredom. I'd say that neighborhood was built in the late '60s and early '70s. The thing I noticed was how diverse it was - meaning it seemed fairly evenly mixed among white/black/Hispanic people. It seemed rather quiet, architectrually uninspiring, but shady and quiet. And I did happen to meet a few people around there that seemed perfectly happy and normal. Certainly not a "hell hole". I'm sure the Aurora area just south of Stapleton is a majority of decent people too.

[wanttomoveeast]

Originally Posted by David Aguilar

Not everybody HAS TO LIVE where everybody else HAS TO LIVE.

This is a fantastic statement. I don't want to live here, but who cares? Plenty of others do. I've considered S. Calif. again, and with tons of them moving here, they all think good gawd, why are you moving out here? It's just... just.... not everyone has to live where everybody has to live! To each his own and hurrah for our quests of happiness!!

[David Aguilar]

Originally Posted by denverian

I'd say that neighborhood was built in the late '60s and early '70s. The thing I noticed was how diverse it was - meaning it seemed fairly evenly mixed among white/black/Hispanic people. It seemed rather quiet, architectrually uninspiring, but shady and quiet. And I did happen to meet a few people around there that seemed perfectly happy and normal. Certainly not a "hell hole".

Thank you. My neighborhood to the NW of I-225/Mississippi fits the same profile (described above) as well, and we are perfectly happy (and normal) here too.

[FunkyMonk]

There are no hell holes in Denver. Aurora isn't bad at all. It's just like the rest of Denver. Lots of people in Denver are afraid of Black and Mexican people though so they fear Aurora.