What are your thoughts on the possibility of the Colorado Springs metropolitan area growing into a major metropolis?

[otowi]

We still benefit from Spencer Penrose today - not just in what he did for us back when he was alive, but from all the work of the El Pomar Foundation which comes from his estate --- https://www.elpomar.org/About-Us/our-historyver2/

[Vision67]

Originally Posted by smdensbcs

Folks from Denver ripping on CO Springs for its sprawl and lack of infill is quite a little bit of pot and kettle. Denver sprawled for decades before CO Springs barely began to sprawl. Denver is STILL sprawling. Seems to me a city with developable space around it, wherever it is in the great US of A, will sprawl if it is growing in population, until the drive time reaches a tipping point and enough people decide to go back to the original central areas and gentrify.

Why does it sprawl? Because it can.

My kids live in San Francisco. It's land locked. There is an obstacle to adding just about any housing development. NIMBY. So the good thing about that is that older properties get refurbished.

In Colorado Springs, as people go through their life, if they can afford it, they move to the newer areas.

For example, I have a friend who at age 26 had a new home built near Academy and Palmer Park road. In about 1973, that was a new neighborhood. But he moved north by the late-90s because his old neighborhood had begun to deteriorate. Many of the neighboring properties had become run down and had been turned into rentals. The streets had begun to deteriorate, the retailers left empty stores, and the crime rate increased. He no longer felt safe. So he moved.

It was possible for him to buy a new house in a new neighborhood with new streets and new, fresh retailers nearby. That's how it works for those with enough money.

To stop sprawl, just look at Boulder. They have strict zoning and a buffer around the city to restrict development. I doubt that the developer owned planning department in Colorado Springs would go for that.

[Kar54]

As a native Denverite, I would avoid moving back at all cost. I do agree with those who have commented that our economy, or lack there of, is what will keep us from becoming a major metro in my lifetime. I believe our best opportunity for growth is already occurring. In some respects we are becoming Colorado's "Inland Empire".

As Denver continues its rapid growth, home ownership is out of reach for the average earner. I know more and more people who are now working there and living here. Folks willing to make the commute so they can afford to buy a home for less than you can rent one up there. I see one of our alternatives as becoming similar to the Riverside/San Bernadino metro than a rival to Denver. If we could develop heavy rail service from here to DT Denver, we'd most likely see an even greater influx of Denver workers becoming Springs residents.

[DrDog]

I hope the reference to San Bernadino was very general because that place is a bit of a pit.

[Kar54]

Originally Posted by DrDog

I hope the reference to San Bernadino was very general because that place is a bit of a pit.

Yes, I know, have property there. We could end up like Pueblo.

[LHS79]

Originally Posted by Kar54

As a native Denverite, I would avoid moving back at all cost. I do agree with those who have commented that our economy, or lack there of, is what will keep us from becoming a major metro in my lifetime. I believe our best opportunity for growth is already occurring. In some respects we are becoming Colorado's "Inland Empire".

As Denver continues its rapid growth, home ownership is out of reach for the average earner. I know more and more people who are now working there and living here. Folks willing to make the commute so they can afford to buy a home for less than you can rent one up there. I see one of our alternatives as becoming similar to the Riverside/San Bernadino metro than a rival to Denver. If we could develop heavy rail service from here to DT Denver, we'd most likely see an even greater influx of Denver workers becoming Springs residents.

And that is exactly why I25 is a mess now.


No way in he** would I ever want to commute to Denver on that stretch, especially in winter.


Some people must be pretty desperate!

[Kar54]

Originally Posted by LHS79

And that is exactly why I25 is a mess now.


No way in he** would I ever want to commute to Denver on that stretch, especially in winter.


Some people must be pretty desperate!

Completely in agreement. If we had commuter rail service it may be different. However, my ex, son-in-law, nephew and brother all live here and commute there. Granted, they live in the Gleneagle/Black Forest areas, but not something I'd want to do. But realtors, my wife being one, are selling homes to folks employed in Denver. A $400k house here will run you up to $800+ up there, depending on location.

I guess some can justify the time/ROI. Not me.

[BornintheSprings]

Originally Posted by Kar54

Completely in agreement. If we had commuter rail service it may be different. However, my ex, son-in-law, nephew and brother all live here and commute there. Granted, they live in the Gleneagle/Black Forest areas, but not something I'd want to do. But realtors, my wife being one, are selling homes to folks employed in Denver. A $400k house here will run you up to $800+ up there, depending on location.

I guess some can justify the time/ROI. Not me.

I'd happily take a pay cut than make that kind of commute. For me 20 minutes is the max I will drive. A commuter rail system would be awesome we could be innovative and make it high speed like in China or Japan.