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If I ever lived in a major city again, I'd sure consider Denver, and I'm writing down "Adams County/Arvada."
No humidity, the outlines of the mountains, and better public transit than most. Thanks for the info.
If I ever lived in a major city again, I'd sure consider Denver, and I'm writing down "Adams County/Arvada."
No humidity, the outlines of the mountains, and better public transit than most. Thanks for the info.
The housing prices are not too bad and we also like Colorado Springs. I am however watching the snowstorm and aware that I was complaining yesterday when the house was all the way down to 69. I may be right where I need to be. LOL
This thread is so long I can't remember whether or not I posted this but I'll take a chance. I have lived car-free all my life first in Chicago and then in Portland OR. One really has to plan for this and sometimes pay for it as well. For example I live in a neighborhood with excellent public transportation which is not true for all Portland neighborhoods. I am also twenty-thirty minutes away from my job downtown and two blocks from the grocery store.
For all these conveniences, I pay more for rent than I would if I lived in less accessible areas. But it's worth the cost to me and it's probably cheaper in the long run than car payments. But this lifestyle is not for everyone. Not being able to hop into a nice warm vehicle on a cold rainy or winter day is a deal breaker for some. Not having the freedom to go wherever whenever could also be of concern. And there is no living in the countryside.
Some people I know compromise by renting a car for long trips out of town or wherever they need to go that can be reached by public transport. I will be moving out of Portland when I retire and the one thing I will need to have wherever I go is good public transportation.
This thread is so long I can't remember whether or not I posted this but I'll take a chance. I have lived car-free all my life first in Chicago and then in Portland OR. One really has to plan for this and sometimes pay for it as well. For example I live in a neighborhood with excellent public transportation which is not true for all Portland neighborhoods. I am also twenty-thirty minutes away from my job downtown and two blocks from the grocery store.
For all these conveniences, I pay more for rent than I would if I lived in less accessible areas. But it's worth the cost to me and it's probably cheaper in the long run than car payments. But this lifestyle is not for everyone. Not being able to hop into a nice warm vehicle on a cold rainy or winter day is a deal breaker for some. Not having the freedom to go wherever whenever could also be of concern. And there is no living in the countryside.
Some people I know compromise by renting a car for long trips out of town or wherever they need to go that can be reached by public transport. I will be moving out of Portland when I retire and the one thing I will need to have wherever I go is good public transportation.
I have read a number of your old posts. We have communicated before and you know that I prefer living without a car. I have not totally achieved that goal but eventually. However, I have not been brave like you and I have mostly owned a car, over the years.
You have written that you have considered Denver. However, you may find similar problem issues in Denver that you dislike about Portland. There are areas of Denver that are getting expensive. It is attracting the same young crowd that are competing for the same jobs and salaries are not really the best. Age discrimination is a big problem. But if you are retired, live simply so you do not have the need to work--that is best way to beat the system.
Obviously, the climate is much different that Portland and the sun and less water in Colorado is the main determinative factor of the weather and the topology.
Public transit is excellent in some neighborhoods; just adequate in others. So, you have to choice the neighborhood wisely. Excellent Public transit in Denver exist as much in less expensive neighborhoods. Having to choose to pay more for housing to have good public transit is not necessary--in most areas. There are some areas near new rail stations that new expensive housing are being put in place.
What is very interesting is that Denver in this initial construction of commuter rail, has chosen to follow commercial rail corridors and along the main highways because land acquisition was easier and cheaper. Of course, the stations are being built and planned along those rails.
Obviously, properties that were near the railroad and highways were not the most desired, so the homes built are many times, the less expensive. Now, what you see is that some of these less desirable neighborhoods are attracting attention from buyers and developers.
There are some homes that are now near new stations that were built as early developments for young returning GI, in the 40s and 50s, after World War II. They are on much bigger lots than today and we are starting to see redevelopment and buying and scrapping the house off.
Now, developers are scrambling to buy up all the vacant land near the railroad lines that are planned for commuter rail. It makes me laugh because we are starting to see condos built right next to rail lines and highways. It reminds me of New York City and Chicago.
So some of the poor less advantaged people are sitting good and will start seeing the houses appreciate. I bought a home new in a housing development that was built as an infilled development in an older neighborhood within a mile of the rail line. Now, a rail station is being planned about 1/3 mile from my house.
Years ago, I was ready to sell and move to a new more expensive home and suddenly I got real sick and I was now disabled. So, now it appears it is better that I stayed in this house because I will have good public transit. Maybe the gods are being good to me because a few years ago, a King Soopers Grocery with other stores, were built in front of my development. I even got luckier because two years ago, a Super Walmart was built down the road, about 1 1/2 miles, and anchors more stores and shops.
It even got better with a reservoir with hiking paths alongside was built within 1 mile of my house. Now, there are plans to have a regional park built on an old quarry site, adjacent to the reservoir.
Now the older neighborhoods of Northwest Denver which I am down the road about 2-3 miles is become the "in place" to live with renewed neighborhoods. Also, I live within 5 miles of Downtown Denver and it is booming with housing, entertainment, new buildings--many being built along the commercial rail corridor in the Platte River Valley, next to downtown.
I do not know what to think. I live in a poorer neighborhood and now it is become a better place to live. That is because I live on the "wrong side of the tracks" which now have become "right side of the tracks" and the place to be. I would never have guessed.
Livecontent
Last edited by livecontent; 10-31-2009 at 11:00 PM..
Now, developers are scrambling to buy up all the vacant land near the railroad lines that are planned for commuter rail. It makes me laugh because we are starting to see condos built right next to rail lines and highways. It reminds me of New York City and Chicago.
And Portland too. They have built new expensive condos right behind the Amtrak station. Then the residents complained about the train whistles being too loud. New condos have also sprung up around new light rail lines downtown. Sadly in order to offset the cost of the new streetcars and light rails, bus service has been pretty deeply cut even though ridership has gone up. Trains can only go back and forth, buses can go anywhere. It hasn't been the best of plans.
Colorado has been moved a bit down on my list but it's still an option I think. I too moved to "the wrong side of the tacks" twenty years ago when I moved into my present neighborhood. But it's become trendy and expensive. Ugh. Progress is certainly a double edged sword.
This is an interesting post. You are certainly a well traveled and experience person. How did you ever land in Singapore??
Yes, public transit can be done right but it requires a certain tough decision making. My understanding of Singapore is that there is limited debate and therefore the government can make quick decisions. People there are expected to conform for the total public good.
I think in the United States we have taken personal freedom and personal choice too far to the extreme. Consequently, the overall good of society suffers for selfish personal demands that compromise safety and quality of life.
Here in Denver, we have just got over a big snowstorm and I was out shuffling snow. I was thinking that most of my snow removal is done just to clean the driveway to get the car out to the road. Now, if I did not have a car, I would not have that big problem. I would only have to clean a path to the door and the front sidewalk. Another good reason to go without a car.
There has been a movement to build new condominium housing in cities with good public transit that do not include the costly expense for land acquisition and maintenance for parking of personal cars in the development. All residents would not own cars. Of course, you see that in NYC in older coop housing. One of the reasons why many New Yorkers do not own a car and never learned how to drive.
If you think about it, it cost government, businesses and society just to maintain all the parking spaces for cars. There are more parking spaces than cars because they have to exist in multiple locations for the convenience of the motoring public. If we do away with most personal autos, we can do away with all the ugly asphalt and have more gardens, farms and trees within the cities. We would also not have the expense of garages and driveways.
I have a two car garage and one car.Maybe I should dump the car, covert the garage to an additional room; plow the driveway and plant corn, tomatoes and beans--a victory garden for my new independence from the auto beast---and less snow shuffling.
Livecontent
If I had the kind of public transport you have at your disposal, I would dump the car in a minute. Think of the yearly savings, plus the reduction in chances you will get hit by someone gabbing on a cellphone or putting makeup on while driving. Not to mention that as we get older we ourselves could cause an accident. The best place for older folks to live is on a transit line!
This thread is so long I can't remember whether or not I posted this but I'll take a chance. I have lived car-free all my life first in Chicago and then in Portland OR. One really has to plan for this and sometimes pay for it as well. For example I live in a neighborhood with excellent public transportation which is not true for all Portland neighborhoods. I am also twenty-thirty minutes away from my job downtown and two blocks from the grocery store.
For all these conveniences, I pay more for rent than I would if I lived in less accessible areas. But it's worth the cost to me and it's probably cheaper in the long run than car payments. But this lifestyle is not for everyone. Not being able to hop into a nice warm vehicle on a cold rainy or winter day is a deal breaker for some. Not having the freedom to go wherever whenever could also be of concern. And there is no living in the countryside.
Some people I know compromise by renting a car for long trips out of town or wherever they need to go that can be reached by public transport. I will be moving out of Portland when I retire and the one thing I will need to have wherever I go is good public transportation.
Minervah, I'm impressed you've lived car-free. Are you close to retiring/moving elsewhere, and if so where have you found that has excellent public trans?
If I had the kind of public transport you have at your disposal, I would dump the car in a minute. Think of the yearly savings, plus the reduction in chances you will get hit by someone gabbing on a cellphone or putting makeup on while driving. Not to mention that as we get older we ourselves could cause an accident. The best place for older folks to live is on a transit line!
Yes, that is what I should do but I seem to have some excuses. The main one is that my parents are in their 80s and live about 8 miles away, past a bus route. I have to increasingly have to give them support and get to their house faster.
In the past years, I have got more problems walking, it is become increasingly a problem to walk to the bus stop and to the grocery store which is about 1/3 mile away. I still do it but now with a rollator/walker--so really that is my new vehicle. The planned rail station will be about 1/3 mile, so I think I can make it with the walker. I do qualify for the handicapped bus, pickup and return, but reservations have to be made the day before.
I do drive less--as I said before I drove about 2200 miles last year--so it is a little victory. When I was healthy and younger I used to do all kinds of walking and bicycling and saved the use of my car. I have a 15 1/2 year old car, which I bought new, and it has only 70,400 miles (always one car)--so I have always been frugal in the use of a car.
Yes, that is what I should do but I seem to have some excuses. The main one is that my parents are in their 80s and live about 8 miles away, past a bus route. I have to increasingly have to give them support and get to their house faster.
In the past years, I have got more problems walking, it is become increasingly a problem to walk to the bus stop and to the grocery store which is about 1/3 mile away. I still do it but now with a rollator/walker--so really that is my new vehicle. The planned rail station will be about 1/3 mile, so I think I can make it with the walker. I do qualify for the handicapped bus, pickup and return, but reservations have to be made the day before.
I do drive less--as I said before I drove about 2200 miles last year--so it is a little victory. When I was healthy and younger I used to do all kinds of walking and bicycling and saved the use of my car. I have a 15 1/2 year old car, which I bought new, and it has only 70,400 miles (always one car)--so I have always been frugal in the use of a car.
Livecontent
That's great. You'd probably be a good candidate for a car share. I don;t know how that works with liability (would both parties have to have insurance) - but if you have a neighbor you could each do 3 1/2 days a week if you both promise to stay within 10 miles of your houses...
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Our left coast cities have car sharing programs, with community operated and placed vehicles. They even get preferred parking spaces in town. It would not help if one had difficulty commuting to get the car.
The car rental companies are a bit bent and are making it tough with their Lobbying efforts (preaching declining revenue for the state).
I looked into sharing a camper van, and was considering LLC ownership, with each driver having their own coverage.
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