Urban living in Denver (Lakewood, Arvada: best neighborhood, amusement park, loan)

[D-town 720]

Dang my address got a 97 out fo 100. Make sense though since I live in the CBD.

[Scott5280]

My address received the full 100 points for walkablity; I have been known to leave my car in the gararge for days on end especially during these great Spring days. Ironically my commute is often to the outlining suburbs, or to the foothills just to take a hike with the dog. Gotta love Denver..

[movementarian]

Originally Posted by DenverAztec

I still don't get how LoDo ranks so high as there are no grocery stores, theaters or gyms in the area. You can walk to the 16th Street Mall or into Curtis Park/Five Points but not sure I would give it a score above 90.

Isn't there a Vitamin Cottage Grocery on 15th and Platte, a movie Theatre on 16th and Glenarm, and 5+ gyms within walking distance of LoDo? There's also theater, an arena, a baseball stadium, and one of the highest concentrations of restaurants in the area. I wouldn't advise living in LoDo as it has a Deranged Hobo score of 70 and a Drunken Idiot score of 97 - but it certainly is a short walk to things.

[JProg305]

He he. Deranged Hobo and Drunken Idiot score. That's funny. Why do so many "entertainment" districts always have such a high percentage of roid rage meatheads and buffoons looking for fights. Well, I already know the answer to that question, but it seems to be a truism.

[HighlandsGal]

weird.....we go to at least one rockies game every homestand and i never see any of these crazy testerone meatheads or whatever in LoDo after the game when we go out for drinks.....

[DenverAztec]

Originally Posted by movementarian

Isn't there a Vitamin Cottage Grocery on 15th and Platte, a movie Theatre on 16th and Glenarm, and 5+ gyms within walking distance of LoDo? There's also theater, an arena, a baseball stadium, and one of the highest concentrations of restaurants in the area. I wouldn't advise living in LoDo as it has a Deranged Hobo score of 70 and a Drunken Idiot score of 97 - but it certainly is a short walk to things.

You have to leave LoDo to get to the stuff you mention, other then the baseball stadium and the bars. Vitamin Cottage is not Lodo and a decent walk if you actually bought groceries there to carry back home. You can walk to the 16th Mall to get to the Pavillions theaters, which are not in Lodo, and the gyms like the Ritz or the Denver Athletic club for $250.00 a month with the expectation that you join for life. I have a nephew who lives in Lodo is always in Capitol Hill for everything except the Rockies games.

Originally Posted by HighlandsGal

weird.....we go to at least one rockies game every homestand and i never see any of these crazy testerone meatheads or whatever in LoDo after the game when we go out for drinks.....

You can see them primarily at closing time. The city government is considering asking the bars to extent their business hours to 3:00 or 4:00, even though they can't serve liquor past 2:00, specifically to prevent all the fights that happen at closing time on the streets. Later closing times will keep folks in the bars longer and a slower disbursement onto the streets.

I was just down there Friday night and had the typical "what are you looking at?" and intentional shoulder bumps from the Alpha punks. I suspect that none of them live down there as they couldn't afford it based on their attitudes and drunkeness and will bother those who are alone, as I was when I left my friends to walk to my car. I am not even sure that many of them are in the clubs as much as they are there to hang out in the area and cause trouble at closing time.

During the day, supper time, early bar hours, all is great, it is just at closing time when issues happen. And of course, the warmer temps bring out such scurge. I am at that age and temperment that I just mind my own business and don't entertain the thugs. Need to worry about breaking hip more then my pride!

Police shoot one dead, injure second suspect in LoDo fight - The Denver Post

LoDo Businesses Form Task Force To Fight Crime - cbs4denver.com

LoDo Businesses Form Task Force To Fight Crime - KCNC Denver - Truveo Video Search#

[movementarian]

Originally Posted by DenverAztec

You have to leave LoDo to get to the stuff you mention, other then the baseball stadium and the bars. Vitamin Cottage is not Lodo and a decent walk if you actually bought groceries there to carry back home. You can walk to the 16th Mall to get to the Pavillions theaters, which are not in Lodo, and the gyms like the Ritz or the Denver Athletic club for $250.00 a month with the expectation that you join for life. I have a nephew who lives in Lodo is always in Capitol Hill for everything except the Rockies games.

As I mentioned, I wouldn't advise living in Lodo, but its probably one of the most "Urban living in Denver". I also think that Walkability thing shouldn't be taken too seriously (especially the boundaries they consider for Lodo or the fact 7-11 is considered a grocery store - seriously?). But as a person who has lived in dense and walkable american & foreing cities, it seems similar. You walk very far to a grocery store that has pretty limited selection and is probably overpriced. Then you trudge heavy bags for an awful walk home. Its often not a good experience. The typical weekly drive to SuperTarget to stock up on everything makes more sense if you have a car and live in America.

Regarding the Pavillion theater, I don't consider that Lodo, but seriously, that is such a close walk it has to fit the bill as being walkable (or Mall shuttle-able). And the gyms - the 20th street city gym has been there like 100 years and it can't cost more than $20 a month - I believe you can do it for the day or for 3 month increments.

I'm not sure why I'm defending Lodo or the walkability score website as I really don't like either of them. Other areas of Denver are better and more manageable. And that website is full of bad foundation data - it even considers Stapleton's score to be like a 35.

[DenverAztec]

Eventually LoDo will have the ammenities it needs as more and more is being built there and still incredibly popular. I checked out a few new loft/condos in the Ballpark and Curtis Park neighborhood this weekend and one cut the price from $700K to $400K as they are not selling at the moment. Great time to buy in the area as it is all still developing.

[Katiana]

I honestly don't think living in the downtown area of any city will ever be seen as desirable by people wanting to raise families. I'm all for living in the city, but residential neighborhoods are so much more geared to actually living there. The downtown is supposed to be the commercial/business area, IMO.

[jjacobeclark]

Originally Posted by steveindenver

You never lived in Denver. You lived in said suburbs. Your comments on this subject are about as valid as mine on the moon.

I lived in the City-County of Denver the entire time I was out there. My first apartment was at 1915 Sherman St. in Uptown, my second apartment was at 1376 Columbine St. in Congress Park, and my last place was 3411 S. Dayton St. in Hampden Heights. All of these addresses fall within the City-County limits of Denver.

Originally Posted by steveindenver

Learn to read.

I read just fine. You said "The key is to have *access* to a car when you really need one." How does somebody with no family or friends in Denver have *access* to a vehicle at all?

Originally Posted by steveindenver

The highlands is a part of Denver proper as it is in the City and County of Denver. The pedestrian bridge you refer to runs through a public park that closes at 10pm and they hand out tickets. Again, if you actually had experience with the area here you would know that. You don't. Moderator cut: not necessary, rude

You may be right about the pedestrian bridge being closed at night, but I doubt it. That still leaves Water St. and Speer Blvd. to get you to and from Downtown. I have friends that live at W. 23rd/Clay and they manage to get around just fine. I'm pretty sure W. 29th Ave. turns into 15th St., so there's yet another way to get to Downtown from the Highlands.