Family Neighborhood near Coors Field or farther afield? (Denver, Lakewood: fit in, daycare)

[Julanne]

My husband is considering a job near Coors Field and I am just beginning to explore the neighborhoods nearby. We have two young children, so schools and parks are important to us. We also don't want to be in a standard tract housing development. (We are moving from Valencia, CA in a planned suburban, car-driven community and would like something a little different.)

I have been reading all kinds of threads in this forum and getting lots on great information - so thank you all for all your advice to others! Now I'd like to focus in a little more on what would work for us! Part of the problem is that this early in the game we haven't narrowed down whether we want to be in the urban or not-so-urban. Bradburn Village appeals to us in its New Urbanism mix and the Highlands neighborhood also looks like it might work. From what I've read in the forums, I can rule out Highlands Ranch. I'm having a hard time ruling anything else out, though - so many parts of Denver look so appealing!

Does living in areas on the East or South side of Denver make for a hard commute? The current commute is about 45 minutes, so just about anything would be better, but part of the reason for making the move and the change is for an improvement in quality of living - which for us includes less commuting time and more fun places to walk to (parks, some restaurants, etc.)

We would like a house with 4 bedrooms and are thinking in the $500K - $700K range.

Any insight about places to explore would be great. Thanks!

[Bradburn1]

Bradburn is a great place to live and your husband could take a bus from the close park n ride right downtown in 30 minutes. Bradburn is like a little island of more urban in a sea of suburbia with a large open space bordering the south side--fairly unusual. It's super, super social with tons of kids so if you don't want to know your neighbors, not a good neighborhood fit. You will get more house for you money in Bradburn than in the older Denver neighborhoods or Stapleton (although I like those areas very much also and they are a closer commute for your husband). You can walk to tons of stuff from here including about 15 restaurants, 3 bars, doctors and dentists, several daycare places, and shops including the organic grocer Sprouts.

Our main benefit over other potential areas you might look at is our close knit sense of community (which Stapleton also has but it is so much larger, Bradburn is more like, well, a village LOL), our easy access to open space, large number of kids (most under 10), and our excellent public schools elementary through high school. There are plenty of houses in Bradburn either resale or new built that fit into your price range and desired size.

I love the Highlands neighborhood and frequently go down there to eat at Mead Street Station. It is very close to downtown and is a fun, funky area. However, the homes are older (much, much older although they are charming) which might mean some renovation and the schools are frankly not so hot (not sure how old your kids are). Because of this many (many) of my neighbors here in Bradburn have moved from the Highlands neighborhood to Bradburn because they get some of the urban aspects they like (walkability, some charm in architecture) but with the benefits of suburbia (great parks and great schools).

Here is where I would look given your criteria:

The Highlands
Stapleton
Lowry
Bradburn Village (main disadvantage is farther commute 30-40 minutes to downtown in rush hour, non rush hour is 20 minutes)
Washington Park
Observatory Park
Bonnie Brae

If you can manage a vist, get out and walk the areas and talk to people if possbile, that's the best way to get a feel for what an area is like to live in.

Feel free to PM me if you have specific Bradburn questions and good luck!

[tfox]

I've heard good things about Bradburn, so feel no need to dissuade the OP from living there, but I will point out that the city of Denver does have the Metro's area premier system of Parks, and some fine neighborhoods for the OP.

Highlands, and the other neighborhoods in the Northwestern quadrant of the city (aka "North Denver") would be very close (walkable in fact, from parts of the neighborhood). And, it's a good neighborhood. As for Public Schools, there are a bit iffy -- there actually are some pretty good elementary schools in the area (Sandoval, Brown, and Edison come to mind), but Middle Schools and especially high school (North) are not good. There are several Catholic schools in North Denver that do have good reputations, an option So, if you're willing to spring for either private schools or open enrollment for high school, when that time comes, then I think Highlands would work.

If you do want good high school as well, DPS' best option is East High School. So, you might look at a neighborhood that feeds into East. Good options would be Congress Park or South Park Hill. Both these areas have lots of families. These areas are both, I think, a step above Highlands in price, but I'd think still well within your price range. As for Parks -- both are close to City Park, Denver's largest park, as well as several smaller neighborhood parks. Congress Park, of course, has its own namesake park in addition to being close to Cheesman Park.

[steveindenver]

Stapleton. If you want an older home in a more established neighborhood TFox hit them all.

[Julanne]

What do you think the commute times would be from Stapleton and Bradburn to the area near Coors Field? I can tell the distances from the map, but realize that sometimes traveling THROUGH cities can be more time-consuming and frazzling (is that a word?) than a commute on a more major thoroughfare. On the other hand, I can see how traffic out of the city along that more major thoroughfare could be much worse. What do you all think?

[Jerry Bckr]

Depends on the time you leave, but I'm guessing Stapleton would be closer. I don't drive those areas but I'm guessing Stapleon might be 15 minutes closer. Anybody want to chime in that drives these communities?

[livecontent]

Picking a place to commute to near Coors Field for a job is not difficult because it is the center where all the buses and commuter rail come into Denver. So, if I was thinking about the commute, the best option and the sane option is Public Transit.

Thinking about Public Transit, you can consider many areas but if your job is 9-5 M-F then there are many, many express buses from all areas. However, if that is not the case, then you should be near a commuter rail station or a well served bus route, that is a route that runs all hours with frequent stops. Doing that you can find many neighborhoods, in and out of Denver that would suite your needs and lifestyle.

If are thinking about public school system. The systems are defined by the county. The City and County of Denver are one and the same, if you like a city school. There are many great neighborhoods in Denver, from Park Hill, Stapelton, Universty, University Hills, Southmoor, Platte Park, Hamden South, Rosedale, Congress Park, Washington Park, Hill Top etc. There are so many nice neighborhoods in Denver and they would all give you a easy public transit commuter to Downtown with great parks and walkable neighborhoods.

If you prefer a suburban school in a suburban county than you have many choices. The nearest county would be the best choice for commuting, giving that many areas can provide similar amenities.

The nearest suburban County to Downtown Denver is Jefferson County to the West. It is also has some of the best schools. Denver ends, for the most part at Sheridan which runs North and South. Saying that the nearest City that is in this county, again nearest to Downtown, would be running south to north would be parts of north Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, Arvada and parts of south Westminster.

Living on the east side of these cities, nearest to Denver will give you the best commute to downtown and the best suburban schools. In addition, these neighborhoods also provide some very interesting areas with extensive parks and older homes intermixed with some newer developments but in established walkable neighborhoods.

Westminster has many choices and a great almost 24 hour regional bus from the Westminster Center, which can also be used from Arvada.

I live in Arvada. It certainly has many parks and walkable neighborhoods and good transit to Downtown and is one of the few areas with an separately established old city neighborhood. It will benefit from the proposed Gold Line, a new commuter rail line, but the buses now are adequate.

Wheat Ridge has wonderful old treed neighborhoods and is right down the road on West 32nd-West 44th from the gentrification that is happening in North Denver, in Berkeley and Highlands. Very good bus transit and the closest to Downtown. West 38th is nicely developed in Wheat Ridge and extends west to a highly sought out neighborhood of Applewood at Youngfield. Big Meandering Lush Treed Parks along Clear Creek north of 38th, south of 44th. Good Hospital Campus, Lutheran Medical Center, on 38th near Wadsworth.

Lakewood has some older areas along West 15th which is Colfax. Bus is great and the commuter rail, just south of 15th is now under construction. Nice Neighborhood around Belmar, the Lakewood City Center, extending west on Alameda to the Federal Center past Kipling to Union. Big new hospital now under construction at this area.

What would I pick??? I would live in the City of Denver. There are just so many choices. Southmoor, University, Platte Park, Rosedale--generally south central can be good.

I like Northwest Denver: Sloan Lake, Highland, West Highland, Regis, Berkeley etc. You can even walk to Downtown from many parts of this area; I have done it, eating at all the little restaurants along the way. The previous poster Tfox has given you some good advice. I am very familiar with this area and it has a good choice of Catholic Schools, as it is the original Italian neighborhood in Denver. Now, it is more mixed, with Hispanics, Asians; Big influx of new East European and new young creative professional people who see the value of this area. This area, for the most part, was never fully decayed and always maintained long term native residents. It is an area that has an established old traditions and history; it is valued in Denver memory as "North Denver". It also has some of the biggest parks and lakes in Denver.

Actually, I can live anywhere in Denver and have a good experience. Denver is not like many cities; it is a city that is attracting more people. It is safe, clean and exciting with an extensive park system and varied housing. I come from the east coast where people commuted into decayed cities from the suburbs. If you work in Denver; you can easily live in Denver.

If it is the suburbs??? Then I would pick the fastest commute and good established neighborhood---I would live off West 38th in Wheat Ridge. Close Second, I would Pick living off West Alameda, near Garrison. Big Parks and near to the current Park n Ride on Union which will be a big rail station, adjacent to a new hospital.

I would forget about Bradburn. It is too far out. Driving would be bad, at times. There are comparable and better areas to Downtown and better Public transit.

Livecontent

[WilliamPacker]

If you move to north Denver but are scared of North high school, there are good suburban alternatives. I've heard good things about Wheat Ridge H.S. and Westminster is building a new high school overlooking Hidden Lake on 68th & Utica. Those schools are a short commute from the neighborhoods in NW Denver.

I'm not bashing North H.S. or suggesting people don't send their kids there. I don't know much about the school. I do wonder, if North's reputation doesn't improve, what the yuppie parents in the area will do when their kids reach high school age.

[Julanne]

Wow - thank you so much for all the great information. We are definitely still interested and excited about the possibility of living in the city, so I will look into all these areas you suggest, livecontent. And the idea of WALKING to work (!!!!) is so unheard of in the suburban Los Angeles neighborhood we live in that I can barely wrap my head around it!

As for high school, it is tempting to "worry about that later," since our boys are 6 and 3, but I know that it can impact the feel of an area if the high school is "a problem." I am not opposed to private school, and in fact grew up in private school systems myself, so that is an option for us, too. And I wonder, like WilliamPacker, what happens when the newer, younger families in the area age. I know that is similar to the neighborhood I live in now, where there are many younger families coming in and private elementary schools to serve them (though the public schools are excellent), but not many choices for private high school, YET.

Lots to think about!

[livecontent]

I do not know too much about the quality of the schools. North High has been around many years and has established a bad reputation. The location makes the land extremely valuable because of the location. There are ideas to close the school and built a brand new one; and hopefully this will break the cycle of the "bad" and start a new refreshed school.

The school in Westminster, north of Hidden Lake, is a part of Adams County School District 50 which serves parts of Westminster and parts of Arvada which are in Adams County, and the unincorporated parts of Southwest Adams County. This is my school district that is on my taxes.

Wheat Ridge High School is a served by Jefferson County Schools. I was not aware that they were building a new High School. When, you are older, you do not pay attention to schools.

If you think about it, the best and quickest street to Coors Field is West 38th, going east over the 23rd Street Viaduct, over the rails, I-25, the Platte; and you are right there, north of the field. So any place living near 38th Avenue, all the way to west to Wheat Ridge is just a good drive, without taking the highways. The 20th Street viaduct is just south of Coors and you have 15th Street and Speer which connects diagonally on Irving Street to 46th Avenue. Anywhere you live in Northwest Denver (North Denver is "Denver Speak") is an easy commute over the neighborhood roads, by car, bus, bike, or "feet" to downtown. In addition, you have the new 16th Street Pedestrian Bridge over the I-25 that connects the Highland Neighborhood directly into the Platte River Valley with all the parks and paths--to walk downtown and Coors Field.

These are the main reasons why this part of the Denver Metro area is growing with new housing because it is very much desired to live close to the city center of Denver. I am amazed by the amount of new construction. the vitality, the new shops and the people; both young professionals and new immigrants. This all meshes well with the older established residents and traditions. I have seen these neighborhoods for many decades, and It makes me happy to see that Denver is becoming a better place to live
and

Livecontent