Moving to Denver--walking neighborhood, Catholic Church/School/ urban amenities (Lakewood: to rent, amusement park)

[MLarma]

Greetings,

My husband and I have accepted positions in Denver and are interested in educating ourselves about which neighborhoods might be best for our needs.

About us:

He'll be working with St. Joe's and I with Regis U.
We're in our early thirties and currently have no children
I am from the East Coast and he Omaha and have lived in various East/Midwest cities, always gravitating to walking, historic neighborhoods near universities.

We are practicing Catholics (progressive, social justice types) and our looking to be connected with a dynamic parish. We would ideally like to rent and then think about purchasing in the coming years. We do not have children but would hope that if we did have them in the future they might attend the parish school.

Other interests include: yoga ( I teach), bicycling, running, walking, veg restaurants, foreign cinema, the arts in general).

From my research, I am looking at Platte Park, Congress Park, Wash. Park and
the Highlands as lead contenders.

Our budget to rent is no higher than 2k. Ideally a two bedroom with basement for guests.

Also, how important is it to be close to the light rail, does it actually connect important points of interest? airport?

Thank you!

[davidv]

Catholicism in Denver tends to be on the conservative side. The last archbishop was a strong conservative who was chosen to lead the Archdiocese of Philadelphia after several years here. The guy before him was made a cardinal and now is at the Vatican.

That said, you might try the Highlands/Old Wheat Ridge area. There is a church with a school - Sts. Peter and Paul - as well as good access to the other things you are looking for. It is a gentrifying area especially the old Elitch gardens area (38th and Tennyson).

For now, Light Rail is limited in the number of places you can go. Within the next 4-6 years, several new lines will open and make getting around town much easier.

[davebarnes]

Regis
Berkeley
Sunnyside
West Highland
Highland
Sloan's Lake

[reatlor21]

Based on what you are looking for I would highly recommend the Highlands area.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by MLarma

Also, how important is it to be close to the light rail, does it actually connect important points of interest? airport?

No one actually rides RTD trains.
It does not connect to the airport.
List of United States light rail systems by ridership - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[MLarma]

Thanks for the leads here. My husband is really drawn to the Highlands but for some reason I feel as if it is a drive from downtown, especially with Speer being kind of congested. Also, is the neighborhood walkable? I get the feeling like Governer's Park, Congress Park, Alamo Placita are more connected to things like parks, botanical garden, bike path, shopping, ect.

Platte Park seemed really cute, too, and more laid back then the other neighborhoods. But I don't live there so not sure. If Highlands is best for what were going for than I think it should be at the top of the list.

Needs include:

Farmer's market/organic food mart of sorts
Access to bike trail
Catholic Church & School
Walking neighborhood: parks, restaurants, yoga
post office
library
hospital? (We have Kaiser coverage(
commute within 15-20 minutes to work

Thx.
m.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by MLarma

Highlands but for some reason I feel as if it is a drive from downtown, especially with Speer being kind of congested.

My wife drives from Berkeley (39th and Vrain) to Cherry Creek North (2nd and Detroit) in less than 20 minutes. Straight down Speer.

Originally Posted by MLarma

hospital? (We have Kaiser coverage(

https://www.kaiserpermanente.org/
Lakewood, Westminster, Downtown

Originally Posted by MLarma

Library

http://denverlibrary.org/ Near your house no matter where you live.

Originally Posted by MLarma

post office

1766 W 46TH AVE, DENVER, CO 80211-9998

Originally Posted by MLarma

Catholic School

http://www.archden.org/index.cfm/ID/99/

[livecontent]

I live about 2 1/2 miles from Regis University, in Arvada, having lived in the Denver area for about 33 years. I am Kaiser member and I go to the Franklin Clinic for specialty care which is next to St. Joseph, the Kaiser Hospital. I use the Kaiser Hidden Lake Clinic, on North Sheridan. I grew up in New York and being a Sicilian, my life was centered on the Catholic Church.

If you are working at Regis University, then live near Regis, either in North Denver or the nearby suburbs of Wheat Ridge or Arvada. These are all good suburbs to live and you would be close to Regis and it is an easy commute to St. Joseph, either by car or the excellent public transit.

North Denver is the growing and "in" place to live in Denver. It has a very strong Catholic presence, as North Denver, which in Denver "speak" is the area of Denver in the northwest that is centered on West 38th, is the original traditional Italian neighborhood in the area.

You will find Regis University and many old Catholic Parishes. The nearest parish is Holy Family Holy Family Denver Roman Catholic Church Colorado Latin Mass Spanish Mass is off West 44th, near Berkeley Lake. There are catholic orphanages, senior residences, and schools all in the area. There are the fraternal organization of Knights of Columbus and other social halls for Italian Catholics, as Sons of Italy and Potenza Hall (the Italian region of origin for many North Denver Italians).

Many Italians over the years moved to Wheat Ridge, Arvada and Lakewood and North Denver become more Hispanic, which is still maintained the Catholic presence. However, today, the area is becoming fast gentrified and being redeveloped so that the creative, the new rich and the young professional are moving into the neighborhoods of North Denver. North Denver was never a decayed ghetto, it was just getting old.

This is a link to the official neighborhoods of Denver
http://www.denvergov.org/denvermaps/...ghborhoods.pdf So, you can understand the neighborhoods that people are talking about.

Right near Regis in the Berkely neighborhood is Tennyson Street. It is an old trolley neighborhood running from about west 52nd. to west 38th. This area has many stores, shops and restaurants and is one of the big desired places to live. It is also just north of the old Elitch's Garden Redevelopment which is the our old amusement park site Highland's Village Garden West 38th, itself, has many locally own shops and restaurants and extends to very nice neighborhoods in Wheat Ridge to the West.

Another Good neighborhood is West Highland which has nice commerciall walkable area at Lowell and West 32nd. the nice housing extends west to Sheridan, the Denver boundary and is south of Berkeley. You can also choose the Highland neighborhood which is very close to Downtown. It was once a very difficult area but now is being redeveloped and gentrified with many popular restaurants.

I have written much on Arvada and Wheat Ridge, just do a search on my name and the keywords. It is just too much to repeat. A good Catholic church and school that you may consider is in Olde Town Arvada, which a great walkable area. It is shrine of Saint Anne Shrine of St. Anne Living in Wheat Ridge or Arvada would be a very good place to live because they have good safe, stable neighborhoods under the excellent Jefferson County School System. All these areas are very close and have easy access to Downtown by foot, bus, bike or car.

All these areas are a very easy commute to St. Joe, as I said and certainly are very close to Regis. In additon, I have noted the strong Catholic identity of the area. I can write about the expansive parks and lakes in this area of Denver and the nearby suburbs but I have written too much already.

I want to note that I am an Atheist but I have strong respect for the Roman Catholic Church because of their social mission to help those who are disadvantaged. I think the Church has helped stabilize North Denver through some tough times and is an important institution in support of families, so that is why I give you this information.

Unfortunately Regis University decided to move their high school, way out to the Southwest metro area, off Arapahoe and Parker, where richer people live. Holy Family closed their high school and moved it again, to a wealthier area in Broomfield. Many people found those moves to be unacceptable and disturbing and I provide this as only information because I do not know the whole reason. Holy Family did open an few years ago another high school, Arupa, with Jesuit Support, to serve the less advantaged students in North Denver.

Livecontent

[MLarma]

Thank you! Much to dig into here. I appreciate this so, so much! This will come together

[PracticingCatholic]

If you're looking for a Catholic Church in Denver, look no farther than Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Littleton. It's hands down the best Catholic Church in the city! Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church | Home