Just sold my house in Boulder... can't wait to leave (Denver: rentals, neighborhoods)

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by Gottasay

It appears that you are a little bit older and a lot less "Boulder" than you used to be.

Finally, someone understands! That says it all, in your simple statement. I do not hate Boulder or Boulderites; I have just evolved, for good and for bad.

I go to Boulder, every once in while to get my fix. Years, ago I needed to walk on the Mall, just to feel good. I went regularly, then less regularly, then rarely, now getting close to never

I talk to people in Boulder. They give me that look of benign toleration and just roll their eyes and walk away. I am slowly, but surely, becoming one of the invisible and hopefully rarely seen or heard elderly.

Livecontent

[WhereTheSidewalkEnds]

Originally Posted by livecontent

I talk to people in Boulder. They give me that look of benign toleration and just roll their eyes and walk away. I am slowly, but surely, becoming one of the invisible and hopefully rarely seen or heard elderly.

Livecontent

That makes me sad!

We rarely go there any more either. When we first moved here we were there all the time. Now we'd rather just hang out here in good old Longmont.

[livecontent]

Originally Posted by jkcoop

That makes me sad!

We rarely go there any more either. When we first moved here we were there all the time. Now we'd rather just hang out here in good old Longmont.

I like Longmont. The Main Street has so much potential and it is a real authentic main street. I used to live in Niwot and I biked along the diagonal to Longmont--that is really funny because now I have a tough time walking. That was decades ago, when the turkeys would be sitting outside waiting to be slaughtered and the kids would cruise up and down main street and turn at the Dairy Queen.

The problem now with being ignored is that I have to use a cane and more often a walker. So, now, with also being a senior, I am really an invisible person in Boulder. People who are young and successful, or think they are, avoid looking at me--they are afraid to catch my disease. That is alright--I give them a good droll and a tremor for fun--it is really hilarious. They are so smart and sure of themselves--well, so was I.

In the poorer areas of Denver, more people engage me in conversation. Why??? I have not yet figured it out. Perhaps they see more disabled on the buses and on the streets. In Boulder, there are less old, sick and poor people.

I have not been to the Mall in years, I think I am going to roll down the Mall and see the sights--perhaps I can sit in my walker and do a little panhandling

Livecontent

[xeric]

Originally Posted by livecontent

I never voice that overused word, denoting a movement of air or the prurient connotation. It makes me cringe when I hear it and see it in print. It just makes me feel that the user has some limits of expression.

I know, but my hypothetical Boulder-basher gets so worked up by his dislike of the city that he can't help himself.

Originally Posted by livecontent

I have expressed that Boulder has too many pretentious people who are part of the youth, the aggressive and the wealthy. Yes, I know those same characteristics exist in all classes and all places. My observations just says that the Boulder environment distills and concentrates these characteristics.

Livecontent

When my mother first visited Boulder, she asked "Is there anyone in the city that's older then 30?" So I can see your point about age. But that's really just a function of the percentage of the population who are college students.

As somebody who has moved from Boulder to the far more ordinary city of Fort Collins, however, I can tell you that people who are so inclined simply flaunt their status in different ways up here. For instance a large house or expensive SUV/pickup truck convey status among certain demographics. In other cases it's living in the old part of town that differentiates one from the masses. I don't care for people like that whether they live in Boulder or the Fort, but I can find plenty in either town who don't fit that mold.

[xeric]

Originally Posted by docwatson

I would say, xeric, its not about a set of stereotypes or about finding ncie people, but about the atmosphere and political choices made, including the choice to severely limit housing choices and force many people to commute. Finding nice people in Boulder won't help me afford a house or live off the income of a small start-up business (unless of course they are nice enough to let me live in their house ...) I know many nice people in Boulder ... they are in their 20s and rent or live in cheap condos, or in income-restricted units; or they are older and bought years ago; or they have good incomes, generally two good incomes, which they must maintain to be able to live here. Some have a $500,000 house and shop at the dollar store and seldom go out to enjoy our restaurants, just to make ends meet. Middle-class families can't even afford a townhouse here. Likewise, none of the people I know in their 20s will live here when they have children and buy a house. Then we are constantly told how "liberal", "progressive" or "green" Boulder is.

If Boulder opened up its open-space to development, it would certainly be more affordable, but then it would end up looking like most other cities of similar size in the US. Quite frankly the vast majority of America is generic and the last thing I'd want to see is for the few places that have some uniqueness to give that up. Some people pay premiums to live in places that have a lot of aesthetic and other amenities. Would San Francisco appeal to you if it were full of chain stores and suburban looking homes?

[Umbria]

Originally Posted by Neditate

"Come to Missouri, my friend. Not perfect but lots, lots better than Colorado."

LOL! I just have to thank you for the biggest laugh I've had all week!

I happen to agree with Neditate and I live in MN. I won't go into all the reasons why but there are many - 1 being that attitude (not altitude).

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by xeric

If Boulder opened up its open-space to development, it would certainly be more affordable, but then it would end up looking like most other cities of similar size in the US. Quite frankly the vast majority of America is generic and the last thing I'd want to see is for the few places that have some uniqueness to give that up. Some people pay premiums to live in places that have a lot of aesthetic and other amenities. Would San Francisco appeal to you if it were full of chain stores and suburban looking homes?

Agree.

Someday, gasoline will be back to $4/gallon, or more. Much more. When that happens, cities with density, strong planning that limits sprawl, bike paths, and good transit will be heralded for their vision, genius, foresight, etc. Awards will be issued.

When I worked for the Army, those guys raved about Germany. I got there twice on business to see it for myself. Cities are VERY compact, very few SFHs, lots of mid-rise multi-family dwellings, awesome transit of all sorts and tons of walking and bicycling. It was normal for a town to end abruptly and see farm lands on the other side of the street. Land use and strict zoning were a fact of life there and have been forever. I could walk to everything I needed when staying on business and take a bus to the base. Small shops all over the place, mostly locally owned small businesses. Cities like San Francisco remind me of that and to some extent Boulder does too.

[LisaBoulder]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

Agree.

Someday, gasoline will be back to $4/gallon, or more. Much more. When that happens, cities with density, strong planning that limits sprawl, bike paths, and good transit will be heralded for their vision, genius, foresight, etc. Awards will be issued.

When I worked for the Army, those guys raved about Germany. I got there twice on business to see it for myself. Cities are VERY compact, very few SFHs, lots of mid-rise multi-family dwellings, awesome transit of all sorts and tons of walking and bicycling. It was normal for a town to end abruptly and see farm lands on the other side of the street. Land use and strict zoning were a fact of life there and have been forever. I could walk to everything I needed when staying on business and take a bus to the base. Small shops all over the place, mostly locally owned small businesses. Cities like San Francisco remind me of that and to some extent Boulder does too.

Your post reminded me of a quote that I heard. It was "If you don't love sprawl, you'd better love density". I think the the city of Boulder has embraced the 1st part but is not totally committed to the second.

[sesamekid]

Originally Posted by livecontent

I like Longmont. The Main Street has so much potential and it is a real authentic main street. I used to live in Niwot and I biked along the diagonal to Longmont--that is really funny because now I have a tough time walking. That was decades ago, when the turkeys would be sitting outside waiting to be slaughtered and the kids would cruise up and down main street and turn at the Dairy Queen.

The problem now with being ignored is that I have to use a cane and more often a walker. So, now, with also being a senior, I am really an invisible person in Boulder. People who are young and successful, or think they are, avoid looking at me--they are afraid to catch my disease. That is alright--I give them a good droll and a tremor for fun--it is really hilarious. They are so smart and sure of themselves--well, so was I.

In the poorer areas of Denver, more people engage me in conversation. Why??? I have not yet figured it out. Perhaps they see more disabled on the buses and on the streets. In Boulder, there are less old, sick and poor people.

I have not been to the Mall in years, I think I am going to roll down the Mall and see the sights--perhaps I can sit in my walker and do a little panhandling

Livecontent

LC, you crack me up!

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by xeric

If Boulder opened up its open-space to development, it would certainly be more affordable, but then it would end up looking like most other cities of similar size in the US. Quite frankly the vast majority of America is generic and the last thing I'd want to see is for the few places that have some uniqueness to give that up. Some people pay premiums to live in places that have a lot of aesthetic and other amenities. Would San Francisco appeal to you if it were full of chain stores and suburban looking homes?

My five year experience living in the Bay Area taught me most people who live in San Francisco do so because then they can be snobs about it. Countless people living there are willing to endure over hour commutes each way telling everyone they couldn't possibly live anywhere else. Come to think of it some in Boulder would be proud if they could do the same.