i need help from the locals (Denver, Colorado Springs: crime, how much, house)

[Igcnmama]

well my name is Keshia and im from Michigan. i live here with my husband and our 4 children. we have all boys and their ages are 5, 2 and 1 year old twins. Dan (my husband) and i have been thinking about moving for some time. the town we live in is great, and its up and coming but right now its just not good for us. he is a builder and the market for building around here is horrible, there have been so many building company's that have been going under, and recently he has been running out of work too. My father recently moved to colorado so his wife can join the military, they are now living at the base and he kept telling me how beautiful it is there and how much great stuff there is to do. is this just because he is new, or is it really great there? ive went threw the travel sites and the town's vistor info and of course they make it seem perfect, but when looking threw this site, ive seen quite a few negitive comments about the town. so questions i would like to know...

How is the family atmosphere there? anybody with small children would be great to answer that for me.

are things expensive? such as regular groceries/gas/homes

how is the building industry?

how is the job market? (i am a high school grad, but have no other schooling)

are there fine dining resturants in the area? (im a waitress and am used to working in fine dining for good tips)

what is the night life like?

how is the crime there?

and a overall look at colorado springs..
what is your take on it?
is it easy to go from town to town?
what is the best feature for colorado springs
what is the worst feature of co springs?
and if you could pick one other town in the area to live, what would it be, or if no other town why?
are the neighboring towns ok? worse or better?
what are the town people like? friendly, mean (im used to seeing alot of people i know and having friendly neighbors)


i know that is A LOT of questions, but im so nervous, and i want to make sure we are doing the right thing. like i said, we have already made plans to move out there, but first we will be spending chrismas with my father, so we will be there for 6 days to check it out. any reccomendations on what i can see while im there to give me a idea? nothing is set in stone yet, and hopefully you guys can help me with my decision. thanks so much
Keshia

[Terytee]

Take a look at all the recent posts and I think you'll find all of your questions have been touched upon. "Why Choose Colorado Springs" and "Colorado Springs, the Negatives,". "Why Would Anyone Choose to Live Here," and many more.

There's another poster here: Michiganbornandproud, and I'm pretty sure she hates it. You may want to get in touch with her.

Just don't be another new resident that can't wait to leave!

In my opinion, the best thing to do, is come out before hand and see it for yourself, that way, you have no one else to blame.

I've been here a year from the DC area and absolutely dig it. I think I'm in the minority.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Terytee

I've been here a year from the DC area and absolutely dig it. I think I'm in the minority.

I think you are in the extreme majority.

[Charles]

My comments in italicized aqua.

Originally Posted by Igcnmama

well my name is Keshia and im from Michigan. i live here with my husband and our 4 children. we have all boys and their ages are 5, 2 and 1 year old twins.

Hey, I got three girls 3, 5, and 8 and another girl due in October. Maybe we can plan now and save a little money on weddings?

...he kept telling me how beautiful it is there and how much great stuff there is to do. is this just because he is new, or is it really great there?

He is correct. It is beautiful here. Sunny, mountain views. On the north side of town everything is new and well planned out. People are cheerful. Kids are playing soccer in spring and fall and in winter they're playing indoor basketball, lacrosse, and swimming.

How is the family atmosphere there? anybody with small children would be great to answer that for me.

I live near Monument, which is essentially an extreme northern extension of northern Colorado Springs. In this sense, the northern region has sort of morphed together. The north side of the Springs and Monument are in the Academy (D20) and Lewis-Palmer (D38) school districts. Two of the best. I coach my two oldest in soccer and basketball.

Colorado Rush Pikes Peak

Tri-Lakes YMCA - Serving Monument, Palmer Lake & Woodmoor, CO

In winter we're swimming!

Woodmoor Waves (broken link)

http://www.woodmoorwaves.org/waves%201%2D3%2D07/woodmoorwaves/welcome_files/droppedImage.png (broken link)

are things expensive? such as regular groceries/gas/homes

No.

how is the building industry?

Not good from what I've read.

how is the job market? (i am a high school grad, but have no other schooling)

Then you are competing with everyone else.

what is the night life like?

Weak if you expect the south bay or the OC or west LA.
Less weak if you expect Denver, But still not a singles' paradise.

how is the crime there?

Not bad. Most of COS is pretty safe. I moved from LA. COS is nothing.

and a overall look at colorado springs..
what is your take on it?

Great for married people, families, educated people, and high tech people (especially those in the defense industry).

is it easy to go from town to town?

Very easy to Denver



what is the best feature for colorado springs

Stability.

what is the worst feature of co springs?

Winds in March and April.

and if you could pick one other town in the area to live, what would it be, or if no other town why?

Huntsville, AL




are the neighboring towns ok? worse or better?

Yes, Monument is excellent. Close proximity to the jobs in both the Springs and Denver.

what are the town people like? friendly, mean (im used to seeing alot of people i know and having friendly neighbors)

This is a relative question. We normally don't have problems with people in general. We are sociable. Life is too short to have problems with people.


i

[Igcnmama]

thanks for all the good advice charles. i really thank you we will be coming out dec 20th to take a look around, and hopefully we will find a town that is right for us. i heard the weather in monument is really cold. what are your thoughts on fountian? the pictures make it seem like its a bit run down

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Igcnmama

thanks for all the good advice charles. i really thank you we will be coming out dec 20th to take a look around, and hopefully we will find a town that is right for us. i heard the weather in monument is really cold. what are your thoughts on fountian? the pictures make it seem like its a bit run down

Monument is only about three to five degrees colder than COS in winter but it gets more snow. It's also cooler in summer. We don't need A/C in our home at 7300 feet in altitude. The hottest it has ever gotten inside our home is 86 (At the same time it was 73 in the basement) but that was very dry with a nice breeze - didn't feel uncomfortable. And even temps like that are maybe five days a year. Last year we had double the normal amount of snow - and that was our first winter here moving from SoCal. A couple of days were kind of scary for me driving to work at 5AM on a dark and icy Highway 83 on the Palmer Divide. I think next time it is really bad I will call in sick or just go in later when the sun is up and the plows have really scraped the roads down.

I like living near Monument because of the reasons I wrote earlier: Halfway between jobs in the Springs and jobs in Denver. Excellent Schools. Fountain is too far from Denver for jobs so I sort of eliminated it when we were looking for a house. Our algorithm for finding a house was to identify the best school districts (12, 20, 38) then pick the one that is in a good practical location (Northern Springs, Tri Lakes, Palmer Divide) and then find a neighborhood (Kings Deer) and then a house.

I rarely go west of Powers or south of Woodmen so I can't comment on the too many neighborhoods in the Springs. Most of the time I commute south on Powers and head to Schriever and often come home through Falcon north to Hodgen Road in Black Forest.

[Igcnmama]

what are the resturants there like? are there choices for many fine dining? i love working as a server and i prefer working for high class places rather then a applebee's one beacuse of the money (obviously) and two because i get to spend time with people at their tables and actually make them have a nice time and enjoy their food. is their quite a selection of these or are there mostly brand name corprate resturants? ex brann's olive garden dennys perkins bob evens- you get the hint

[Maynerd]

Originally Posted by Igcnmama

what are the resturants there like? are there choices for many fine dining? i love working as a server and i prefer working for high class places rather then a applebee's one beacuse of the money (obviously) and two because i get to spend time with people at their tables and actually make them have a nice time and enjoy their food. is their quite a selection of these or are there mostly brand name corprate resturants? ex brann's olive garden dennys perkins bob evens- you get the hint

There's a ton of fine dining available in the Springs. Most likely have web sites to check them out. I'd take a look at The Blue Star, anywhere at the Broadmoor, Peppertree, MacKenzie's Chop House, Mona Lisa, the Craftwood Inn, the Cliff House, Paravicini's, the Sunbird. And that's just off the top of my head -- I'm sure there are a bunch of others.

[Igcnmama]

thanks so much! that helps alot. my father just accepted a job at the broodmoor. it looks huge, he sent me pics of it

[Mike from back east]

The Broadmoor is simply awesome, esp that Sunday brunch. There are 10 or 11 eateries there alone.

Upscale eateries on the north end that I know of are Plate World Cuisine, Saltgrass Steak House and PFChiangs. The latter two are chains but they pack in the people and serve great food, tips should be very good. Not sure if you count Mimi's Cafe or The Elephant Bar as upscale enough, but they also pack them in, on north Academy.