FOCO is bit overrated, don't you agree... (Denver, Fort Collins: renting, low crime)
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The traffic is awful for this size and structure of a city. It is very congested and way too many people trying to live, visit and move here. People talk about this city like its the promised land and that may be based on what you are comparing it with. But you can't compare it to every other city in the country. Apples and oranges.
But the city does have its plusses and minusses, just like everywhere else. It depends on what you like/don't like and are comparing it with I suppose. It does seem that alot of people rant and rave positively about FoCo. More than I have seen anywhere else I have been.
The traffic is awful for this size and structure of a city. It is very congested and way too many people trying to live, visit and move here. People talk about this city like its the promised land and that may be based on what you are comparing it with. But you can't compare it to every other city in the country. Apples and oranges.
But the city does have its plusses and minusses, just like everywhere else. It depends on what you like/don't like and are comparing it with I suppose. It does seem that alot of people rant and rave positively about FoCo. More than I have seen anywhere else I have been.
Can you give some examples of the "awful traffic". Are we talking like "I had to go 35 in a 45 on Harmony"? Or "I missed one light cycle on Mulberry getting out to the highway"? When is traffic ever stop 'n go in the Fort? (and I would not count stopped traffic from a train).
I would agree that getting from one side of town to the other isn't super speedy, but there aren't really any highways in town, so what are you expecting. And how often do you really go from one side of town to the other. The west side of town can take a bit of time to get over to I-5, but that's kind of what you sign up for moving to the west side.
I lived in FOCO 7 yrs - left 3 yrs ago. I have no complaints about the city itself and would love to return. It was the economic situation - applying for a job and being up against 50+ other applicants. I had a mgr who got really cocky over this (@pvh). But then, if more people were able to 'make it' there, the population would boom, adding more to traffic conjestion, sprawl, pollution, crime, ect. Cant have it both ways, i guess.
I prefer Texas over Colorado. But couldn't take the heat. Can't wait to leave here (Fort Collins). Counting the days . . .
Too many reasons to list . . but have lived in both sates for a number of years. Fort Collins is like Mars if you ask me. Just plain weird. Isolated, cold, NO VIBE at all. Stepford town for sure.NO history, no culture. Pretty during summer . . . whoopee.
You know that feeling you get when watching the astronauts land in the "Planet of the Apes." It's like that. Like, "That is so weird! Get outta there!"
I have written elsewhere more specifically on my observations. Just know that you should visit for a while, be into the outdoors, have a good job lined up first if contemplating moving here--as it is like no where else. (Also, it would help if you have no affinity for beautiful architecture!!!)
Last edited by dowhatthouwilt; 09-08-2011 at 06:48 PM..
dowhatthouwilt, I do respectfully disagree with you about Texas. But could you clarify what you mean when you say each of the following about Fort Collins:
No vibe?
No history?
No culture?
After living in Texas all my life, I'm READY for something "weird", quite frankly. But that's just me.
It's all subjective. But having lived in larger metro areas, in cities that are older (history), more amenities, more access to art/culture, fun activities--again all subjective--I just find Fort Collins to be severely lacking. My biggest gripe is all the "hype" and self promotion that the city does. It does not live up to the hype in my opinion. 300 days of sunshine. No freaking way!! Maybe 300 days with .5 hours of sunshine, but "days," no. And the smell of dead animal carcasses. They forgot to put that in the brochure. Horrid food. Don't get me started. . .
But many, many people find it to be a wonderful place. I just like to tell my "side" because I have been, frankly, miserable up here, and, as I previously mentioned, am counting the days . . . . I will survive, but did I mention the high (disproportionate) rate of suicide in Larimer County vs. national average? It's a great town in some ways, but it's just different. Don't know how else to put it. Just trying to show the flip side . . . . To each his/her own. I can't wait to get back to "civilization." Oh, and if you are a socialist progressive, you'd love it here.
Yeah, I kinda figured Fort Collins would be "lacking" compared to bigger cities, but that's to be expected. Everyone knows the larger the town, the more there is to do. But that also tends to mean worse crime, traffic, and pollution.
And I could take or leave the "history" of a city. I see no reason to care about that.
I'm planning a move from a one-horse town in Texas, so I feel safe in assuming that it will be an improvement for me. I'm not sure if I AM a socialist progressive, to be honest. But I know I'm sick of being surrounded by conservative extremists!
I just can't let this one go. Life is what you make it no matter where you live. We moved to the Ft. Collins area in May and have had a great summer. I checked out many, many states before we decided on this area. I traded an ocean view for the Rockies......not too shabby. We like everything but the mosquitos, but they are on their way out.....maybe going south for the winter like the Honkers.
There are all kinds of things to do here and we are out and about all the time. So far, we've been to a ballet, RMNP, white water rafting, out to eat numerous times, (I'll go anywhere for a fresh cinnamon roll or a home made pillow sopapilla!!!!), hiking above Horsetooth, the botanical area at the CSU campus, the Larimer County Fair, the Harvest Festival, Old Town, outdoor concerts, street fairs, dancing, cinema movies, toured Budweiser and saw the beautiful clydesdales, on and on....... And for those who can't make it to the Smithsonian, I think that the CSU campus had some ignaural gowns on display but we didn't make it. Boring? No culture? I don't think so.... I've lived in a lot of large-city areas and have visited many others...I had an executive life and I've done it all...for it's size, Fort Collins is great! It has everything but Trader Joe's...and Costco is 45 minutes away...(I hear that Costco has been okayed for Timnath....and Nordstrom is down the road a bit but the drive is manageable......LOL) It is also a town where people still turn their garages into beauty salons....and a lot of car washes are those spray-wand places....
Colorado State University is one of the top vet schools in the nation. It also excels in other majors as well. It's good enough for Temple Grandin, who was quite famous BEFORE HBO made a movie about her. Not that you negatively commented, but I wouldn't say the town is lacking in the education department and there are always cultural activities going on at the school. In fact, the town grew around the school, which was founded in 1870.
Yep, the main roads, including I-25, could use a bit of widening..(I am used to freeways with 6 and sometimes 8 lanes on each side)....especially when CSU starts up. I've been in hundreds of traffic jams in my lifetime, probably thousands since I worked in Los Angeles for years......the traffic here is NOTHING compared to other areas in the USA. At least they do a lot of the highway work at night, when most people are not trying to use the road.
Salaries are lower here than California, but take it from me, EVERYTHING but groceries is lower here, too......gas, housing, taxes, car registration, electricity, insurance...... Example: my HOA dues here for ONE year is several hundred dollars less than what I paid EACH month in S. CA.
Fort Collins is over 100 years old......it ain't the Alamo, but there is PLENTY of history here. Welcome to the wild, wild west! Old Town even has a ghost tour......
Somebody, somewhere, must be making money because the restaurants are busy all the time....I see very few empty buildings where restaurants have closed......
If one wants to go to a more upscale ballet, play or orchestral concert, Denver is not THAT far away...DIA will also get you where you need to go.......if one wants more western history, Cheyenne is not that far away either......
I imagine the cop was pulling somebody's leg.......50k, 1/3 of the population uses medical marijuana? I'm gonna have to watch people more closely the next time I go to Old Town or Bed, Bath and Beyond. Thanks for the chuckle.
Dow, good luck with your next destination, and yes, you are certainly entitled to your own opinion......I hope that you will find much happiness in your next place. Life is short.......there is no sense in being miserable.
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