"New Urban" around Denver vs. Footshills (Lakewood, Arvada: 2015, houses)

[Claire S.]

Originally Posted by woob

Are there any walkable, non-chain restaurants in Stapleton?

edit- only advantage would be being close to the future rail to DIA.

This is coming soon to Stapleton - stanleymarketplace. It's going to feature a food co-op, beer garden, brewery, yoga/wellness studio, other restaurants, and offices. Walkable from the majority of South Stapleton.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Texas Ag 93

I live in Stapleton and have been here for just under 2 years. Until reading some of Bradburn1's posts, I was not familiar with that neighborhood at all; but I like the way he describes it.

Honestly, I do not consider Stapleton to be all that "urban", "walkable", a "good mix of housing and retail" or any of the other terms that tend to get thrown about. To me, it is just a large, sprawling suburban neighborhood that happens to be within the city limits, relatively close to the urban core. I do love its central location, commute to the Med Center, great schools, green spaces and parks. The shopping at the Town Centers is decent, but other Stapleton area shopping (Northfield, Quebec Square) are misses in their design and retail offerings.

And, I don't know much about the inventory in your price range, but I have always heard that the average selling price for Stapleton homes was about $550K. Before we closed on our house, we rented a furnished condo for 2 months, and the unfurnished homes we looked at for rent in the 350-400K range left a lot to be desired.

It's so true. I was just in Stapleton with friends watching the soccer game on Sunday. Ive been there dozens of times in the past year and even rented a house there for a few months in 2008, but this time for some reason it really struck me how suburban it really is. I think it was because I was going to the shops instead of my friends' houses. The neighborhoods themselves have a pretty good feel because of the smaller lots, different builders and alley facing garages, but the shopping and dining options are terrible compared to the older city neighborhoods. Big box, big parking lot suburbia.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

It's so true. I was just in Stapleton with friends watching the soccer game on Sunday. Ive been there dozens of times in the past year and even rented a house there for a few months in 2008, but this time for some reason it really struck me how suburban it really is. I think it was because I was going to the shops instead of my friends' houses. The neighborhoods themselves have a pretty good feel because of the smaller lots, different builders and alley facing garages, but the shopping and dining options are terrible compared to the older city neighborhoods. Big box, big parking lot suburbia.

I think a BelMar type development would have worked much better where Quebec Square is. But it's my understanding that to "kick off" Stapleton, they had to build something that would immediately start raking in tax dollars, meaning it had to attract customers existing surrounding neighborhoods.

I believe there is a very different plan for devolopment on the south side of the train station that will be at Central Park Blvd. Meaning, high density, mixed use, transit-oriented. Maybe they'll nail it with that development.

[denverian]

https://www.denvergov.org/Portals/64...nal_120924.pdf

This link is the a PDF that contains the plan for the Central Park rail station area, which sounds more in line with what Stapleton people want. It also mentions that the Quebec Square shopping area is intended to be re-developed in the long term to be more walkable, mixed-use with residential.

So the reality is, Stapleton won't be "done" for many years.

[Texas Ag 93]

Originally Posted by Claire S.

This is coming soon to Stapleton - stanleymarketplace. It's going to feature a food co-op, beer garden, brewery, yoga/wellness studio, other restaurants, and offices. Walkable from the majority of South Stapleton.

I live very close to the Stanley Aviation Building, and am keeping my fingers crossed for this.

denverian, your comment Re: Quebec Square certainly sounds plausible and explains a lot.

I hope I don't come across as too critical of Stapleton. We do enjoy it (and frankly, that has surprised us).

[MissTerri]

I think that there are a lot of hidden gem neighborhoods in both Lakewood and Wheatridge. I don't think of these areas as walkable but they're close enough to Highlands and Berkeley so not too far out. I'm also a fan of Olde Town Arvada. In my opinion it's far more interesting then "new urban" neighborhoods such as Stapleton.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

The seniors die every day.
Complete turnover coming to WR in the next decade.
Many young people are looking at WR (east of Wads) or in Edgewater because Denver is just too expensive for them.
WR is putting money into making 38th Ave better for retail.

It will take decades for all the above to happen. Many people live into their 90s these days, and in their own homes for most of that. There are lots of "older middle agers" living in WR too.

When my DD and her spouse were house hunting, he suggested WR. (He thought the lots were bigger there.) I told DD they might as well move into assisted living. Much of the housing there is very dated; you might spend close to the value of the house updating it as well.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by Katiana

Much of the housing there is very dated.

Dated?
LOL
In my neighborhood, dated means 100 year old houses, not 40-50 year old houses.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by davebarnes

Dated?
LOL
In my neighborhood, dated means 100 year old houses, not 40-50 year old houses.

The thing is, 100 yo houses are hip; 40-50 yo houses, not so much.

[whoisjongalt]

Originally Posted by Katiana

The thing is, 100 yo houses are hip; 40-50 yo houses, not so much.

Actually 40-50 year old houses are VERY hip with anyone Gen X or younger. The more "un-renovated" the houses are, the better.

One of the most popular neighborhoods in Denver is Arapahoe Acres. Arapahoe Acres Historic District

Wheat Ridge does a great Mid-Century house tour every couple of years too.
2013 Mid Century and Modern Home Tour | Wheat Ridge 2020