Moving From Milwaukee to Denver - Thoughts on Capitol Hill Neighborhood? (Highlands Ranch: crime, home)

[GW-MKE]

My girlfriend and I are planning to move from Milwaukee to Denver this summer, and are considering the Capitol Hill neighborhood. I've heard mixed reviews on the crime rate, though. My concern is she'll be working late at night and will have to rely on public transport to get her from downtown to Cap Hill (around 14th and Downing, if that matters). Reading some other reviews, East Colfax has a somewhat seedy reputation, but appears to be getting better.

My question is, should I be worried about her? Also, when we talk "bad neighborhoods" how bad are we talking? Milwaukee obviously has a higher crime rate, but the neighborhoods are much different. Crime can rigidly be drawn through strict neighborhoods and specific street intersections. In our current neighborhood, crime isn't bad, but you certainly have to be careful at night, as college students are seen as easy targets.

Other threads say that crime is bad but getting better along Colfax, however most of those threads are from 2006. Can someone provide me with some more recent insight??

[outside1]

Colfax is the main corridor for entertainment in Denver. Yes you will see some homeless people and because there are many great bars and concert venues some drunk people. What you rate as safe or not safe is a matter of personal conjecture.

I think if you asked 10 people who live in or near Capitol Hill if Colfax was dangerous they would laugh and say no. If you asked 10 people who live in Parker, Highlands Ranch or other suburbs they would all shudder in fear and say that it is.

Make no mistake though. It is not "getting better" or "coming around" at least not in relative terms in the past decade. This is simply because it was and is not a bad place to begin with in the recent past. Back in the 80's there were problems with hookers and even today there is the problem of the drug dealers out in front of the Capitol. No place is perfect.

You are going to smile when you realize that "bad" areas in Denver are few and on a relative scale not bad at all.

I don't understand the commute question though. From downtown to Cap Hill? Capitol Hill is downtown. The 15 runs along Colfax and is an ... entertaining bus for certain.

[GT28107]

Coming from Milwaukee and you're worried about crime?

[GW-MKE]

Thanks for the help, outside1. She'd be coming from UC Denver, so that's what I mean downtown vs. CapHill. How is the 15 "entertaining?" From the standpoint of harmless drunks and weirdos, I take it?

GT28107, like I said earlier, crime in certain parts of MKE are absolutely terrible, but it's extremely contained. There aren't pockets of crime in each neighborhood like some cities. For the most part, it's divided by streets, and a really nice neighborhood can border absolute crap based on crossing a specific street (and that's not exaggerating).

[denverkid]

Originally Posted by GW-MKE

Thanks for the help, outside1. She'd be coming from UC Denver, so that's what I mean downtown vs. CapHill. How is the 15 "entertaining?" From the standpoint of harmless drunks and weirdos, I take it?

There's a bus stop at Colfax and Downing (one block from 14th and Downing). Either the 15 or the 15L will take her directly to the Auraria Campus. The 15 takes 13 minutes, the 15L takes 12 minutes. Between the two, the bus frequency is about every 8 minutes during the day.

The 15 can be entertaining - especially late at night (it runs 24/7). It's always packed (you'll never see just 3 or 4 people on the bus), and a good number will be bums and drunks. That said, I've ridden the 15 hundreds of times and have never had a problem or felt unsafe.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by GW-MKE

Thanks for the help, outside1. She'd be coming from UC Denver, so that's what I mean downtown vs. CapHill. How is the 15 "entertaining?" From the standpoint of harmless drunks and weirdos, I take it?

That's about it, and you're right, they mostly seem harmless.

On Colfax and on Broadway too you will occasionally be offered all kinds of illegal substances by complete strangers (not too likely on the bus itself, but you never know). A simple "no" seems to send them scurrying away, though.

[awarren09]

Residential neighborhoods near downtown tend to be expensive so unless you can afford a multimillion dollar home you may consider a suburban area.

[outside1]

Residential neighborhoods near downtown tend to be expensive so unless you can afford a multimillion dollar home you may consider a suburban area.

Ignore this.

[denverkid]

Originally Posted by awarren09

Residential neighborhoods near downtown tend to be expensive so unless you can afford a multimillion dollar home you may consider a suburban area.

[janilew]

My daughter in law used to ride her bike after closing a shop on 16th street mall back to governors park. I worried but she is fine. This is a big city, only prudent to carry pepper spray or other self protection. Love the capital hill area!