Moving to Denver but going to massage school in Boulder...need neighborhood info? (Westminster: rentals, home) - Colorado (CO) - City-Data Forum

lisegirl · 01-20-2008, 10:01 PM

I would greatly appreciate any thoughts on my situation. My husband (who is blind) and I are moving to the Denver Metro area in May. We are visiting late February and only have 5 days to explore and choose a neighborhood. I want to rent at first and then buy since location is very important to my husbands mobility. He is the independent sort (good for him!) and he doesn't like to rely on me for all his transportation needs. A little pocket neighborhood (like Baker) would be great but he also has to be within commuting distance of the massage school in Boulder.
As for myself, I am selling my successful restaurant of 12 years and would like to open another small gourmet, bohemian eatery in one of these little pocket neighborhoods. We have no children... are very social and like to meet people....love local community events (I have shows for local artists in my restaurant)...he is mid 30's, I am mid 40's....Know any neighborhoods that have need of a small, fresh, gourmet eatery? We would like to find a neighborhood that meet both our work needs.Thoughts on any of the towns along 36? Neighborhoods west of LoDo Denver?
Thanx so much...you all have given previous persons such great advice!

livecontent · 01-21-2008, 12:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisegirl

I would greatly appreciate any thoughts on my situation. My husband (who is blind) and I are moving to the Denver Metro area in May. We are visiting late February and only have 5 days to explore and choose a neighborhood. I want to rent at first and then buy since location is very important to my husbands mobility. He is the independent sort (good for him!) and he doesn't like to rely on me for all his transportation needs. A little pocket neighborhood (like Baker) would be great but he also has to be within commuting distance of the massage school in Boulder.
As for myself, I am selling my successful restaurant of 12 years and would like to open another small gourmet, bohemian eatery in one of these little pocket neighborhoods. We have no children... are very social and like to meet people....love local community events (I have shows for local artists in my restaurant)...he is mid 30's, I am mid 40's....Know any neighborhoods that have need of a small, fresh, gourmet eatery? We would like to find a neighborhood that meet both our work needs.Thoughts on any of the towns along 36? Neighborhoods west of LoDo Denver?
Thanx so much...you all have given previous persons such great advice!

The absolute best choice for you would be to live in Boulder. That is because it is dense and has good transportation, walkable, especially for the disabled--I am disabled and I use the public transportation frequently and have difficult time with wide open, far apart suburbs that are not walkable. Stores, Entertainment Parks would be very close together and very accessible to the blind. However, it is dense with much traffic, that would be my only concern. In addition it would be right there where the massage school is located.

I assume from your post that you do not want to live in Boulder. It is expensive. There are other options that you can live that are convenient to Boulder because buses run very frequently from downtown. Lodo could be nice to live and it would be convenient and there would be good transportation options for your husband who could easily walk to entertainment and shopping.

Areas along 36 are easy for transportation to Boulder by driving or taking the bus--as there are frequent bus stops along this way. However, the towns themselves are more spread out as suburbia, have less buses and the ability to walk and get around being blind would not be ideal---there are heavy traffic roads and businesses are not close together to be accesible by walking. Bohemian restaurants--no way.

Small dense neighborhoods like Baker could work and you can easily get to downtown and then Boulder by Bus. Neighborhoods off of East 17th, in North Capital Hill are also nice and just east of Downtown Denver and has many opportunities for restaurants. Lodo would work just as well. Neighborhoods west of Downtown, Highland, West Highland, and Berkeley are can be considered with West Highland and Berkeley along Tennyson as the most developed.

Some of the neighborhoods in the southern part of Denver are good as Platt Park, near the University but it would be farther from Boulder. The old city of Englewood is nice and dense, walkable and has a light rail station that could take you right to downtown and then Boulder. There are many pictures of this area on this website by one of my favorite poster, MobyLL, check these pictures out:

https://www.city-data.com/forum/denve...ry-modern.html

This may be an ideal place for you because it has its own art communty and is just South of Downtown on Broadway. In addition it has a free ART shuttle that goes around the little city. Info at the RTD website The Regional Transportation District Home Page.

I think it would be an ideal place for a Bohemian restaurant because of the diversity and the artist studios that abound around the area and up on Broadway. Also, rent would be more reasonable then the new rich areas.

In addition, just south of this on the light rail line in the dense old town city of Littleton. It would also be a nice spot for a little restaurant-from what you are describing. It has its own Lightrail station and is dense and walkable.

I am sure that other posters would recommend other neighborhoods but the main criteria would be dense and walkable, easily accessible to Boulder and somewhat Bohemian--which to me means diverse, rich and poor, and older.

Livecontent

Bradburn1 · 01-21-2008, 08:02 AM

I agree with Livecontent, if you can swing Boulder, do that, it fulfills all your needs.

We would LOVE to have you in my neighborhood, Bradburn Village, which is in Westminster (Westminster/Broomfield border--120th and Sheridan) and about 20 minutes commuting distance to Boulder with good public transit. We are a small, walkable neighborhood that is super super social. I wouldn't venture to say we were Bohemian (one of my best neighbor friends has 4 kids and bright pink hair does that count? LOL) but people here for the most part are open minded and very friendly, but we certainly aren't diverse which sucks. We do have a great little gallery here as well as lots of restaurants, bars, services, and a soon to be organic grocer in short (10 minutes) walking distance.

However, we are a new area (what Livecontent would refer to as a "new rich" area which I have to admit, does fit) and he is right on the money about the rent, it would be much more expensive than an older, established neighborhood or a strip mall. However, I can say if you opened a restaurant like that here it would be full all the time, but I'm not sure that could make up for the high rent!

You might also look at Louisville which has a great walkable downtown area and is very close to Boulder.

Katarina Witt · 01-21-2008, 09:58 AM

I am going to suggest Louisville as an alternative to Boulder or Denver. Denver is awfully far from Boulder if commuting to school on a daily basis. I know people do it for work, but that is sort of "different".

Louisville has a walkable downtown, with the public library and a lot of restaurants and some boutiquey type places. Public transportation to Boulder is quick and frequent.

A Bohemian restaurant just might fly in Louisville. I would probably patronize it!

lisegirl · 01-23-2008, 09:47 PM

Thank you all for your replies. I will research all these options...taking the time to answer these questions helps a bunch....you are the "moving angels"!

Mike from back east · 01-24-2008, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lisegirl

Thank you all for your replies. I will research all these options...taking the time to answer these questions helps a bunch....you are the "moving angels"!

Suggest that everyone please show their appreciation by using the feedback process. Click the scale of justice in upper right-hand corner of helpful posts and say thanks with a positive feedback to bump up their score. I know, it's silly, but it works. If you don't care to type in a messge, you can also click on the + sign in the lower left-hand corner for a "quick rep" boost without leaving a message.

TropicanaRose · 01-24-2008, 10:41 AM

I also think Louisville would really be wonderful for you. The Boulder-Denver distance is not a big deal when you go every now and then, but every day? It's a grind. Louisville is a very warm and welcoming community, and the housing cost and rental cost will be a bit lower than Boulder's. Opening a restaurant in a good location in Boulder will be extremely expensive. A friend of mine looked at a place with good foot traffic near Pearl Street Mall recently. $750k for the privilege of signing a lease!

I think Louisville could use a bohemian spot- as long as it is family friendly.

KateHerms · 01-24-2008, 06:45 PM

Hey there! I am planning on going to Massage school as well in Boulder to BCMT. I have been doing a lot of research on where to live as well. Reading your post was a lot like mine! Hahha! I have considerd moving to Denver as well because of better housing and more affordable living and commuting to Boulder. I have read that a lot of people say that its a tough drive all the way to school. I think living in Boulder is a lot more expensive. I have never been to Colorado, but have heard amazing things about both cities. I live in Maui and love it very much. But I think my bf and I are ready to be closer to family in the midwest. (Without living in the midwest of course...ahhah)
So we are in this together! Good luck with your restaraunt. That sounds delicious!
Keep me posted...
Kate

Katarina Witt · 01-24-2008, 07:06 PM

Check craigslist, etc for rental comparisons. One of my DDs lives in Denver, one in Boulder. The one in Denver has a better rental deal, but is not living in an undergrad "student" apt, either. The rents are not that far apart. There are also rentals in many Boulder County towns already mentioned, which may be cheaper than Boulder.

I would definitely recommend a visit out here before committing to living here, KateHerms. You may not like the looks of the place. Check some other threads for descriptions of the area. It is nothing like Maui or the midwest.

KateHerms · 01-26-2008, 05:25 PM

Thank You Pittnurse70! I think visiting the area is a great idea as well. I will be there to visit this March. I will check out the other surrounding communities too. Is the higher rent in Boulder worth it? Is it really a fun and exciting city from what I have heard?