Strip Mall Hell (Denver, Aurora, Boulder: apartment complexes, homes, neighborhoods)

[160500]

One of the things I worry about re: Denver is the strip-mall-big-box-lack-of-character aspect of these suburbs I am reading about. Having lived most recently in downtown Chicago and before that downtown Boston, and currently in a small old Midwestern town with lots of character, I am concerned about the sterile, I-could-be-anywhere feel that I am reading about in these posts.

My question is, which areas in the greater Denver metro area are least like this and which are most like this? That will help me begin to narrow down my list of possibilities.

[dj32]

Why would you move to the burbs if you live in downtown Chicago now? I find the cost of living in both cities to be comparable- i.e. if you live in Gold Coast now, you can afford riverfront park... if you live in Old Town you can afford Lodo, etc etc... If you like Lincoln Park you'll love Highlands....
Do a search on this forum and you'll find tons of info about Denver neighborhoods....

We moved from Chicago 8 years ago and have always lived in the city, with a family. I went to Aurora today for the parade of homes and kept thinking who in the world would spend 2.5M for a home in Aurora... don't get me wrong it is kind of nice in a very rolling plains kind of way but I felt like I could be anywhere- I could be in a suburb of any city USA.

[.gif]

Originally Posted by 160500

One of the things I worry about re: Denver is the strip-mall-big-box-lack-of-character aspect of these suburbs I am reading about. Having lived most recently in downtown Chicago and before that downtown Boston, and currently in a small old Midwestern town with lots of character, I am concerned about the sterile, I-could-be-anywhere feel that I am reading about in these posts.

My question is, which areas in the greater Denver metro area are least like this and which are most like this? That will help me begin to narrow down my list of possibilities.

downtown denver has a lot of character. unfortunately, most of the suburbs don't. they are how you describe. stay away from highlands ranch, englewood, centennial, littleton, lakewood, aurora, ken caryl. very sterile. they might be good places to raise children, but they are, for the most part, quite boring.

your best bet would be to look in one of the denver neighborhoods. unfortunately, i don't know too much about them as i live in the suburbs. i do like the highlands area (not to be confused with highlands ranch), bonnie brae, the neighborhoods around capitol hill, washington park, etc. some of these places are very expensive to live in.

[tfox]

No one has mentioned Boulder yet. It does have some strip malls too, but I think no one would ever accuse the town as being "strip mall hell." That being said, it's not like you'll save any money by leaving Denver by heading to Boulder.

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by 160500

One of the things I worry about re: Denver is the strip-mall-big-box-lack-of-character aspect of these suburbs I am reading about. Having lived most recently in downtown Chicago and before that downtown Boston, and currently in a small old Midwestern town with lots of character, I am concerned about the sterile, I-could-be-anywhere feel that I am reading about in these posts.

My question is, which areas in the greater Denver metro area are least like this and which are most like this? That will help me begin to narrow down my list of possibilities.

I agree that strip malls are usually not the most attractive of structures (although they can be), and that new strip malls do tend to have mostly generic chain stores and big box stores. HOWEVER, some of the older strip malls in Denver are JAM-PACKED with unique, local businesses, ethnic restaurants, ethnic grocery stores, the kinds of things that have CHARACTER. If you choose not to see that, sorry, but that's your loss. A great example is the part of Denver around Leetsdale between Alameda and Quebec-- especially around Leetsdale and Monaco. This is basically a 1950's era suburban area, within the Denver city limits (and Glendale). You'll find a wealth of cultural diversity and authenticity in the strip malls there-- Russian restaurants, Russian bookstores, Indian restaurants, Japanese, Jewish/Kosher establishments, the gold dome shaped Greek Orthodox church (a Denver landmark), bird stores, and a whole bunch of other stuff I could go on all day about.

Within a 1 mile radius of those strip malls you have true diversity of homes-- old 1950's ranch homes, brand new custom built McMansions on old lots, old apartment complexes, new high rise apartments-- and a true diversity of income-- everything from rags to riches. Also, some of the most well-established churches and synagogues in the Denver metro area. If you think that Denver lacks character just because many of the structures are in the shape of a "strip mall," then I feel sorry for you. Real people who value real culture will look for culture wherever it is found, regardless of what shape or form it takes.

[Katarina Witt]

vegaspilgrim is correct. The other thing about strip malls is that they make shopping, at least for groceries, drugs (meds), and similar stuff accessible w/o traveling 10s of miles to a downtown shopping area. I like it that there is a grocery store 1 1/4 miles from my home.

You should come out and see the burbs for yourself. Don't believe everything you read on City-Data.

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by dj32

I went to Aurora today for the parade of homes and kept thinking who in the world would spend 2.5M for a home in Aurora...

I dont know anyone that would buy one of the parade homes for 2.5m, they were pretty horrid this year, with the exeption of the Knutson-Gloss (architect) which seam to design the homes that bring in the most awards, which was Village homes this year. Everything else had no WOW to them. with the second home being the worst due to time constraints in the building.
(unfinished trim, one window installed upsidown, dented and scratched doors / trim)

lol, sry. i get pretty critical of the parade each year.