what do you LIKE about Denver? (violent crime, homes, neighborhoods)

[stoopswillprosper]

i'm tired of people focusing on the negatives. what is good about living in denver, colorado?

[DenverLawGal]

One really really good thing, especially downtown, is the walkability and pedestrian friendliness of Denver.

[cowboyxjon]

I'm surprised by this thread because I think this forum generally carries a positive tone about Denver and the rest of the metro area.

With that said, I like that the cost of living is reasonable and that there is plenty to do for a city of this size. I also like the climate (drier) and seasons.

[Cupcake77]

Everything.

[rusty289]

Having moved back, I realized we really liked having walking trails. People thought we were nuts for just wanting to go for a walk and only having the side of the road or limited picnic parks to do it in. Plus of course the weather, focus on education, lack of bugs, less humidity and lower cost of living. Oh, and of course the view!

[Legs1357]

Originally Posted by cowboyxjon

I'm surprised by this thread because I think this forum generally carries a positive tone about Denver and the rest of the metro area.

I agree. And honestly I think the list of negatives is relatively short...you can only talk about the same stuff so many times.

[fosho303]

Denver has a lot of both positives and negatives, of course. Since this thread is only for stuff we LIKE about it, then:

1.) The climate and geography of Denver. The sun is nearly always out, which is great. And when you get tired of the city, the mountains are just a short car ride away! Red Rocks (in the foothills) is only about 45 minutes away from the western part of the city.

2.) You can bike a ton!! There are several bike paths, which take you from Cherry Creek reservoir (In the 'burbs to the Southeast) all the way past downtown to the inner-city areas to the Northwest and back south. Hopefully stop lights will learn to stop favoring cars so much, though.

3.) Speer Blvd. It might sound odd to like this, but it makes it easy and convenient to get from Cherry Creek district/Central Denver all the way to downtown for work/leisure/performances/shopping. Plus it passes through at least 10 different neighborhoods, so you get to really see Denver.

4.) How safe most of it is. You can walk many places in even late at night alone unharmed- it's great! However, going anywhere in the west or north apart from Downtown and Parkhill is pretty dangerous. This usually means just being vigilant in these areas, but in places like Sun Valley, Globeville, and northern Five-Points, there is a high rate of violent crime, ghettoization, and poverty- these places are very well best avoided.

5.) A unique panorama of different cultures. Though it might seem very white and Mid-western at first, there's a lot of diversity in Denver. Colfax Avenue, although a bit dicey, during the day is a great way to see many different cultural homes, restaurants, and shops- Mexican, Salvadoran, Ethiopian, Cuban, Somalian, Guatemalan, and Vietnamese, for example. And so is Federal Boulevard, but that's kind of a no-go zone at least for the moment.

Hope that helped!

[livecontent]

What do you mean Federal is a "no go zone"???? I have just been down there, stuffing my fat face with Asian food and taking in the sights. It has been the same for years and years; not really dangerous but that is from me---a guy who can live, and has lived in many environments.

I cannot understand the perceptions. Perhaps I go about my day with a smile and avoid confrontations. It is part of the street smarts, I learned in New York. Now, that I am much older--it is even easier because I find that I am treated with more respect, at least by the poor and less fortunate.

It is interesting to note that there are many senior residences along federal, just south of the Asian community, which starts at Alameda---they seem to get along just fine and many take a bus to get around.

Are you talking the more Hispanic Area, north from Alameda??? I do not have problems there, again maybe because I know how to flow with the "no go". I have also seen that aggressive young men are attracted to aggressive young men, in any and all cities. When I was young, I did not go where they went, and I did not engage in the same activities--so I avoided conflict. Now, that I am older, I do not attract aggressive young men and I am not attracted to their activities--to them, I am not worth the trouble and to me, I just keep smiling, with a little droll and a tremor--that keeps them at a distance.

Oh, yea, you are going to talk about crime against the elderly. Well, I have not seen that because I am home and in bed during the terrors of the night--when the aggressive young roam, dripping there abundant hormones. During the day, when I am about, the few that are kicking and sober--just avoid me.

So, to conclude and to keep with the theme--I like the ethnic variety of Federal Blvd and especially the Asian Food---good and cheap.

Livecontent

[fosho303]

I was talking about certain stretches of Federal mostly from 6th avenue past Colfax all the way to 38th in the north. Not all the 'hoods along here are dangerous, let alone slum-like, but it does, after all, pass through Sun Valley, Sunnyside, and it goes near Globeville. More violent crimes would happen here than you think.

South Federal is really good though for seeing ethnic shops and restaurants- especially the area near Mississippi and Alameda, with a lot of Vietnamese/Lao food and also Hispanic influences. Not to mention the great Indian food market in Westwood on Federal!

[chilaili]

I like that it has lots of great neighbourhoods that I'm still exploring such as Highland at 32nd & Speer, LoDo, Cherry Creek North, Washington Park.

I like the DAM, the Botanic Gardens, the History Museum and the Denver Public Library

I like watching people run, bike or just play with their dogs along the S Platte

I like that it takes me 20 minutes or less to drive into the mountains