Not many apartments within walking distance of light rail stops (Denver: leasing, neighborhoods)

[Phil P]

While I think the apartment I chose this summer was the best choice I could have made given the constraints, one thing I really don't like about mine is that 1.3 mile distance to the light rail stop. It's just far enough where walking takes time (like 20 mins) along a very non-scenic route. Likewise traffic is just atrocious on the side streets getting there. I'll have to wait 2 or 3 lights just to make a left onto Yale.

THEN, the parking lots are full. Yale stop fills up by 7:15 AM, Colorado by 7:45... It's that last section from the rail stop to my place that's the worst part of the commute.

So, I looked what areas would be potential considerations for moving to, places within walking distance of a rail stop and a bit outside of downtown, and there aren't many choices. Look at every line, A B C E W N... They all don't have many apartments up for lease near their closer stops (20 mins or less ride time).

Is this because they are all leased out or there isn't much available along them?

[SQL]

Originally Posted by Phil P

While I think the apartment I chose this summer was the best choice I could have made given the constraints, one thing I really don't like about mine is that 1.3 mile distance to the light rail stop. It's just far enough where walking takes time (like 20 mins) along a very non-scenic route. Likewise traffic is just atrocious on the side streets getting there. I'll have to wait 2 or 3 lights just to make a left onto Yale.

THEN, the parking lots are full. Yale stop fills up by 7:15 AM, Colorado by 7:45... It's that last section from the rail stop to my place that's the worst part of the commute.

So, I looked what areas would be potential considerations for moving to, places within walking distance of a rail stop and a bit outside of downtown, and there aren't many choices. Look at every line, A B C E W N... They all don't have many apartments up for lease near their closer stops (20 mins or less ride time).

Is this because they are all leased out or there isn't much available along them?

I think the majority of the light rail lots fill up after 7:30am. Evans is no different. Sometimes I use Nine Mile Station, and there's actually a parking garage. That gets pretty full around 8am. Yale is by far one of the worst stations in terms of parking space and proximity to apartments.

I'm guessing there's just not a lot of land around to build on. Alameda and 10th & Osage Stations have more living spaces nearby, but the parking lot situation is not that great.

[cowboyxjon]

The Wadsworth Station along the W Line has a parking garage that never seems to be full. There are apartments near the station, but they don't look very nice (at least from what I can tell by riding by on the train).

[Phil P]

Originally Posted by SQL

I think the majority of the light rail lots fill up after 7:30am. Evans is no different. Sometimes I use Nine Mile Station, and there's actually a parking garage. That gets pretty full around 8am. Yale is by far one of the worst stations in terms of parking space and proximity to apartments.

I'm guessing there's just not a lot of land around to build on. Alameda and 10th & Osage Stations have more living spaces nearby, but the parking lot situation is not that great.

Originally Posted by cowboyxjon

The Wadsworth Station along the W Line has a parking garage that never seems to be full. There are apartments near the station, but they don't look very nice (at least from what I can tell by riding by on the train).

That happens to be rather inconvenient that they fill up that early, it basically either makes you get to the office super early, drive forever, or just walk. It seems like all the garage ones always have room, but they are kind of far apart.

10th and Osage and Wadsworth are both kind of iffy areas and even still there aren't many apartments. It seems like they built all the lines through lower density residential neighborhoods or industrial yards.

[SQL]

Originally Posted by Phil P

That happens to be rather inconvenient that they fill up that early, it basically either makes you get to the office super early, drive forever, or just walk. It seems like all the garage ones always have room, but they are kind of far apart.

10th and Osage and Wadsworth are both kind of iffy areas and even still there aren't many apartments. It seems like they built all the lines through lower density residential neighborhoods or industrial yards.

Well, that's likely where they had the room to build it. There are some newer apartments over by 10th and Osage. But parking isn't that great. You really have to get there early (before 8am) to get decent parking options. Even at the garages, in my experience. I have an EcoPass.

[whoisjongalt]

There are a lot of nice apartments less than a mile from the Federal Center light rail station in Lakewood. It has a large parking lot but I'm not sure if it fills up as I've only been there on the weekends when it's never full. The train takes around 30 minutes to get downtown.

[hawkbill]

There are lots of apartments by Colorado station across the I25 bridge. Very short walk. Never looked in the area so can't comment about the quality. It doesn't help you now, but the Broadway station is going to see a lot of development in the coming years that includes apartment buildings. I agree though, the areas around the majority of light rail stations are criminally under developed.

[davidv]

Oxford Station (C and D Lines) has apartments being built 1 block from the station as we speak. I think they are leasing now.

[Willy702]

Once all the lines open there will be many more parking options and a few more apartment options. Living a short walk from a station is obviously a popular choice but landowners figured that out and are holding out for some steep amounts to the point that developments which seem like no brainers don't pencil out. Nothing like more than doubling the stations in the system in a years time to change the dynamics. Also helps the builders that rents have gone up so much in general.

[Phil P]

Originally Posted by whoisjongalt

There are a lot of nice apartments less than a mile from the Federal Center light rail station in Lakewood. It has a large parking lot but I'm not sure if it fills up as I've only been there on the weekends when it's never full. The train takes around 30 minutes to get downtown.

That's where I was last summer. It took over 1 hour and 0-10 minutes to get downtown, between walking to the station, riding, and walking from Union Station to the office. That's a longer commute than I or many people want. The apartments are still a ways away from the station and that's closer to the edge than the center of Denver metro.

Originally Posted by hawkbill

There are lots of apartments by Colorado station across the I25 bridge. Very short walk. Never looked in the area so can't comment about the quality. It doesn't help you now, but the Broadway station is going to see a lot of development in the coming years that includes apartment buildings. I agree though, the areas around the majority of light rail stations are criminally under developed.

They're not showing up on Zillow though. I don't know why.

Originally Posted by davidv

Oxford Station (C and D Lines) has apartments being built 1 block from the station as we speak. I think they are leasing now.

This is what I was looking for! For some reason, all these other places aren't showing big amounts of available options.

Originally Posted by Willy702

Once all the lines open there will be many more parking options and a few more apartment options. Living a short walk from a station is obviously a popular choice but landowners figured that out and are holding out for some steep amounts to the point that developments which seem like no brainers don't pencil out. Nothing like more than doubling the stations in the system in a years time to change the dynamics. Also helps the builders that rents have gone up so much in general.

I don't know that opening new lines will help that much because I don't know that many people drive very far to the current ones. I think it's just the localized radius, and a lot of new lines aren't going to be close to the existing ones.

There is an awful lot of empty or not very developed land around the lightrail routes, and I'm guessing that eventually they'll be pretty developed in like 10 or so years, but it's going to take a while for it to get permitted and rezoned and whatever else. I'm hoping by next May, when my lease is up, there'll be more options.