Changes in last 16 years? (Colorado Springs, Fountain: rental, home, neighborhood)

[snowshine]

Hi, I'm fairly new to this forum. We love the west, so we have decided to try and relocate within the next year or so, as we're not getting any younger. We went back and forth between Colorado and Montana for quite some time, and asked a couple of questions on this forum regarding towns in Colorado and Montana. We appreciate the replies. We have live and let live attitudes about life, don't care too much for political polarization, etc. Where we are living now just doesn't suit us. Much as we'd love to settle in a small mountain town, we really can't because of my husband's work. He has to travel, so we need to be near a major airport like DIA, and near major population centers to generate new business.

We have finally decided to relocate to Colorado Springs within the next year or two. It's not perfection for us, but there are many positives. We are not looking to buy a home, but instead, find a reasonably priced small rental home with a garage, probably somewhere north of Austin Bluffs/Garden of the Gods Road, but we're not really sure of location/neighborhood yet. We have plenty of time to figure out all the details.

I lived in the Springs about 16 years ago, so I am familiar with it. I loved it there so much that I am having a hard time coming up with any serious negatives about living there, especially when I compare it to where we are currently living. (The Southeast US.) I've been back to visit briefly only twice in the last 16 years. Although I noticed the growth, especially on the north end, and the changes to the downtown area, I don't know much about how it's changed in other areas, and in other ways.

So this is my question to you folks on this forum:

For those of you who have lived there a for long time, (more than 15-20 years) how has it changed in the last 15 years? What do you like/dislike about those changes? Do you still like living there?

Thanks very much in advance.

[otowi]

Let's see - 16 years ago would be about 1994. I guess since then the Springs grew quite a bit on the northeast side - the northern Powers corridor area. Maybe become politically a little more divided, with more people less supportive of government in general. Southeast Springs around Sierra High School has declined a bit. Widefield/Security/Fountain have grown quite a bit. Falcon has grown quite a bit. A little more of an impersonal feel, perhaps, to the city as a whole. Economic ups and downs are normal here so I don't consider the current "downturn" as unusual, nor water issues which always will be when you live in an arid place like this. Downtown has had some more economic activity and some nice public art projects. America the Beautiful Park and the Uncle Willy Fountain have come, prospered, and struggled.

All in all it is a little larger, which has its positives and negatives.

[snowshine]

Originally Posted by otowi

Let's see - 16 years ago would be about 1994. I guess since then the Springs grew quite a bit on the northeast side - the northern Powers corridor area. Maybe become politically a little more divided, with more people less supportive of government in general. Southeast Springs around Sierra High School has declined a bit. Widefield/Security/Fountain have grown quite a bit. Falcon has grown quite a bit. A little more of an impersonal feel, perhaps, to the city as a whole. Economic ups and downs are normal here so I don't consider the current "downturn" as unusual, nor water issues which always will be when you live in an arid place like this. Downtown has had some more economic activity and some nice public art projects. America the Beautiful Park and the Uncle Willy Fountain have come, prospered, and struggled.

All in all it is a little larger, which has its positives and negatives.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Very interesting. I grew up in NYC area, so I am okay with "impersonal." Where I live now, people are friendly but extremely superficial/phony. I think I prefer reserved, but real.

[bandicoot300]

Originally Posted by otowi

Let's see - 16 years ago would be about 1994. I guess since then the Springs grew quite a bit on the northeast side - the northern Powers corridor area. Maybe become politically a little more divided, with more people less supportive of government in general. Southeast Springs around Sierra High School has declined a bit. Widefield/Security/Fountain have grown quite a bit. Falcon has grown quite a bit. A little more of an impersonal feel, perhaps, to the city as a whole. Economic ups and downs are normal here so I don't consider the current "downturn" as unusual, nor water issues which always will be when you live in an arid place like this. Downtown has had some more economic activity and some nice public art projects. America the Beautiful Park and the Uncle Willy Fountain have come, prospered, and struggled.

All in all it is a little larger, which has its positives and negatives.

I would agree with many of things mentioned above, and add the following:
The Powers corridor has replaced Academy Blvd, as the retail "center" of the Springs. With the exception of the Fountain area (see above), North has definitely become more desirable than South when it comes to quality of living. Colorado Springs has probably been "Taborized" more than other places in the state, which IMO is not a good thing. The small town feeling of 15, 20 or 30 years ago has changed. Colorado Springs is a mid-level city with many small town infrastructure components. It is both a great place, and a place that has room for improvement.

Just my $.02.