Neighborhoods in Longmont (Denver, Westminster, Boulder: transplants, hair salon, real estate)

[WhereTheSidewalkEnds]

I figured you just had them turned around . When you move here you'll get better at directions! Just remember - mountains always west!

I don't know a lot about the neighborhoods in the n.w. part. Some are hit and miss.

Some of the "main" streets -

Hover, Hwy 119 (also known as Ken Pratt and The Diagonal), Main Street, Hwy 66, Hwy 287 (which is the same as Main, such the southern extension).

[TropicanaRose]

I think there are some very nice neighborhoods in NW Longmont in the Longmont Estates Elementary and the Hygiene Elementary boundaries. There are some very pretty homes on nice lots off Mountain View when you get a bit West on Hover.

Quail Crossing has a lot of foreclosures- rarely a good thing for the neighborhood. That's according to my friend in Prospect who keeps up with the RE stuff in Longmont.

[cincykate]

This is all very helpful information. I am anxious to get out there in a few weeks and check out the area!
Do I need to be concerned about gang related activity anywhere? I read one thing about it and am hoping it has been taken care of/was an isolated issue. I have a really hard time imagining a suburb of Boulder being big gang-bangin' country.. although, it seems to be everywhere to some degree.

[TropicanaRose]

Google "longmont crime map" and click on the first result (for some reason I can't link to it). On the left, click on "show all." Scroll down and click on "archive" if you want to see previous months.

Boulder has gang activity. Small towns in the midwest have gang activity. I think it's pretty hard to get away from anywhere. That said, it is mostly invisible here, at least for most people.

[cincykate]

Thanks Tropicana Rose! That crime map was really interesting-- had no idea that was out there.

What do any of you know of Longmont Estates neighborhood?

[TropicanaRose]

Longmont Estate's is a nice area. There are different Longmont Estates developments, probably ranging from the late 60s to the mid 90s There will definitely be choices in your price range. If you are in the NW part you will have quick access to heading up to the mountains. There are railroad tracks near the SW corner of the neighborhood. I don't know how the trains run. The houses I've visited over there are more to the north and definitely don't have a noise problem.

Do you ever use Google street view? I love it. You can take a virtual drive through the neighborhood.

[Comedy]

Here is my good deed for the day...

People here are 2 faced, and for all you Coloradans its not like that everywhere. Oh and before you give me the I have lived here for so long...I have 20 years under my belt.

Look you will meet nice people here, but as soon as you turn your back they will be pulling the knives out to stab you.

The southwest side of Longmont is a joke. When I moved to Phoenix in '99 there was nothing but farmland, now there are growing subdivisions. The people out there are idiots and horrible parents. The majority of kids that go to Silvercreek are doing Meth, Cocaine, Weed, and Ex. I should know I have to test them.

Prospect does have 1 good restaurant, but its toonland and gets old pretty quick.

Oh, people love the water here, check the water reports, they have many violations.

The Rec Center here sucks. You basically workout shoulder to shoulder, while little wannabe gangbangers loiter in the lobby. In 6 years that rec center has had 5 rapes. The last rape was to a mentally challenged girl.

People only live in Longmont because they can't afford Boulder. You may think why I live here. I'll be leaving soon and making my house nice for the next sucker.

The culture in Colorado is gone, and theres nothing but yuppies who live here. They all want to be Coloradans but there not. You'll understand when you get here.

I could easily write for the next hour why or why you shouldn't live here. If your a good person with morals, goals, and drive, then don't move to Colorado. If your a yuppy, selfish, arrogant, back stabbing idiot (or a Coloradan), then move to Colorado.

Some positives are the Natural History Museum, Denver Zoo, Childrens Museum, Water World, Casa Bonita, Rocky Mountain National Park, (Not Elitches, there sell outs), Nuggets, broncos, Cool summer Nights, Estes Park are awesome.

Oh it snows here. Don't let anyone tell you different. I have snow in my front yard from October to February. We get a couple 4-12 inch snows every year and about every 2-3 years we get the 2 foot + snows.

There is not 300 days of sunshine, there is 256. You can't have 4 season climate, great skiing, with 300 days of sun. There 365 days a year, and 2 months of nasty weather out of 4 seasons doesn't add up.

Now you can ignore me if you like and move here. Please do. Because I don't want your type living where I'm moving. So if your leaving where your from then that means I don't have to live near you.

Remember theres no reason to plan for the possitive, thats what we want. But you had better be prepared for the negative.

[chilaili]

Okay, I'll throw in my 10 cents' worth as a rebuttal. Firstly, I find Coloradoans way more friendly than where I used to live in the upper Midwest. You can actually have a chat with a total stranger at the supermarket without being treated like a lunatic. You can ask for directions or help with choosing a restaurant without being treated like an idiot. People SMILE at you while you're wandering around Target - weird, I know. And if someone doesn't like you or doesn't want to hang with you, they will say so, rather than pretend otherwise and then make endless excuses not to.

I moved to Longmont because I LIKE it there. I think it has a lot going for it. The Westside historic district is pretty and has a couple of great parks with lots going on there in the Summer months, as well as Martini's Bistro. The Eastside historic district is a little shabbier but still nice to walk around and you can find the library there, the Pumphouse (great fun in the evenings) as well as Lucile's for breakfast or lunch. Main Street doesn't look fantastic but there are quite a few hidden gems such as a fabulous secondhand bookshop, antique/junkshop, the pottery store, the Longmont theatre and symphony orchestra. Down near Prospect you have the Longmont Museum (Exhibits, Longmont Museum & Cultural Center, Longmont Colorado) and Prospect itself is pretty cool. Yes it's had some growing pains with the shopping/dining district but name me one area that isn't suffering that right now!

I admit I don't know anything about the schools or the rec centre but I enjoy living in Longmont. Rhythmn on the River is coming soon, the Farmer's Market is open every Saturday morning, the SEVEN greenways are available for walking, running, biking, the municipal golf courses are open all year round. There are SIXTY neighbourhood groups in Longmont alone (Community and Neighborhoods Information, Longmont, Colorado).

I think Longmont is what you want to make of it. If you come here determined to be miserable, then you will be. If you decide to be an active member of the area and thoroughly enjoy the town and its environs, I think you'll be happy.

[cincykate]

First of all, thanks for the feedback and replies. I appreciate all of the information and will use it to find the appropriate area for my family to live.

Comedy, not sure what to make of your response. I will definitely look into the water thing and obviously the rec center is a real concern. I do, however, find it hard to believe that all Coloradoans can fall under such a blanket statement. We actually have no choice.. my husband's job is bringing us to Boulder! I guess we will try to find the best area for us.

SW Longmont is not our only area we are looking in, but would like to find an area that has good schools. I hear NIWOT schools are great, part of SW Longmont feeds into there, right?. The drug situation is scary everywhere! Unfortunately, I don't think I'm up for home-schooling..

[darjoh]

I want to respond to the comment by "Comedy" about the rec center. You need to consider the fact that the rec center is a public place, and anyone can go there. The "rape" issue mentioned about the mentally challenged girl is obviously not elaborated on. Most likely it was another mentally challenged person that commited the "rape". It happens to be quite common among mentally challenged groups. Think about it, they are mentally challenged, they don't know the true meaning between right and wrong. After a swim in the pool, and then going to the lockers to clean up, mentally challenged individuals will "touch" each other. It happens. The problem is, people who are not familiar with the behaviors of mentally challenged children or adults, immediately assume the worse. Don't let one opinion destroy something that is a benefit to the community.
Going by the name "comedy" I wouldn't take too much said by that person to heart. It is only one person's opinion, and I would guess that person is a troll of sorts. My wife and kids are involved in lots of activities within the community, and the rec center and other places. There are way more desireable people in this area as opposed to "undesireables".
Like another poster said, its what you make of it, and the people you choose to interact with.