Interesting article on living and leaving Boulder (Denver: 2014, condo)

[NW Crow]

I highly doubt the answer to the high cost of Boulder is Zurich, which was said to be the solution that one of people profiled was considering. If there is a way to live there cheaply, that would be a surprise and heavily subsidized by someone.


Would be a lot cheaper in Fort Collins or Greeley. Many deal with reality by commuting from Longmont. Sounds like these folks wouldn't on principle. Yes Boulder created this problem with the massive wall of open space and the nimbyism about density. Predictable outcome that will get worse and worse. Ok, then move elsewhere. If these places aren't philosophically righteous enough or cool enough for someone, that's the way it is. Move far away.


Boise, Missoula, Spearfish, Las Cruces, etc. Other folks balance their principles and budget where they can afford it. Pay for Boulder or San Francisco if you really want it but not many people are going to offer much sympathy if you can't make it in the heart of those outrageously high priced places and refuse to compromise.


If they moved 18 months after the city approved limited co-ops then it appears that they weren't going to satisfied there.


If you want to live in an elite priced, dense place you don't defeat sprawl entirely by living in a co-op and using public transit, riding a bike or walking. You (and family and friends) and your company and every company you or your neighbors use or might want to sometime have to either fit in (many can't) or sprawl to the periphery to make it work. Plenty of collateral responsibility for sprawl even for the "conscious and righteous living". The sprawl actually happened partly because of them and everyone else there and will get worse and worse.


I thought of living in Boulder long ago but it wasn't essential for me. I certainly would not pays today's massive premium for it.


Does anyone know how dense the places the folks in article live in? A converted single family home or a small complex is probably not dense enough to push toward truly meaningful change to the situation. Probably need 5-10-20 story buildings. Want to live a dense city lifestyle? Then yeah build a dense city (where the voting majority wants the same / not Boulder)... or move to one.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by MountainEarth

"Let (Boulder) become Palo Alto — a sterile, horrible place filled with old grumpy hippies and bro-grammers. Go make other cities great."

How sad that it’s come to that. But he’s not wrong. Google coming in was a big nail in the coffin.

I disagree. Housing prices had been rising long before Google came in, and actually, they were there long before they built that big office complex.

[brown_dog_us]

Originally Posted by NW Crow

Does anyone know how dense the places the folks in article live in?

Small co-op in a single family home.

[Neditate]

Originally Posted by Katarina Witt

I disagree. Housing prices had been rising long before Google came in, and actually, they were there long before they built that big office complex.

Correct. I lived in Boulder from 1982-1997. We sold the house we purchased in 1990 for more than twice what we paid for it. I've tracked it and it sold for twice that amount in 2007.

[bentstrider]

You got to "pay to play" in this city. I only go up there for the Thursday night bicycle ride that gets mixed reactions on various forums and such. While I enjoy the company and the crowds, it's back to my reality about eight hours back down south come Friday morning.
Nice place to visit and hang out in. I honestly enjoy it more than the surrounding cities and burbs. But until the prices come down or I find a way to make the income rise, a massive bicycle ride alone won't get me to move there.

[Neditate]

Originally Posted by seethelight

I moved from Boulder 8 years ago and couldn't be happier. There is plenty to complain about living in Boulder. Boulder was cool 50 years ago, not so much today. And anyone that has to defend where they live is slightly strange.

I'd counter that anyone who continues to post on a forum after 8 years because they hate a place is slightly strange. Get over it.

[COJeff]

Originally Posted by Neditate

I'd counter that anyone who continues to post on a forum after 8 years because they hate a place is slightly strange. Get over it.

I'm with seethelight. Boulder was cool 10 years ago when real hippies were still around. Now Boulder is just a bunch of pathetic aging hipsters.

[Hipchik]

Originally Posted by COJeff

I'm with seethelight. Boulder was cool 10 years ago when real hippies were still around. Now Boulder is just a bunch of pathetic aging hipsters.

LOL! 10 years ago? That's hilarious. There haven't been any "real hippies" in Boulder since the 70s when my hippie relatives moved there.

[brown_dog_us]

Originally Posted by Hipchik

LOL! 10 years ago? That's hilarious. There haven't been any "real hippies" in Boulder since the 70s when my hippie relatives moved there.

Yep.

[seethelight]

Originally Posted by Charlotteborn

Just another 'the grass is always greener' perspective. Unfortunately, when they move there will be a new set of issues for them to complain about.

That's your opinion, however many if not most people don't think the way you do. Boulder isn't that great and it's strange that so many people from Boulder knock people that want to leave. I left 8 years ago and couldn't be happier. Speaking of grass, is there any left? Not the kind u smoke.