Apartment communities in and around Denver (Lakewood, Westminster: apartment complex, rental, loft)

[NeuroSean]

My wife and I are planning on moving to the Denver area in the beginning of Febuary. I am taking a job as a Ph.D researcher at UC health science center (Colorado and 9th for right now but will likely be moving to Fitzsimmons after about a year). My wife is in the process of applying for jobs (newspaper reporter so reporter and some public information type jobs)

Anyway I was hoping for some specific apartment complexes that people have had decent to good experiences in. Prefer a quite area, cat friendly with decent sized places. Distance from health science is not overly critical, but something central so that if the wife takes a job after the move that she is not likely to have some hour or more commute to get from one end to the other.

I have looked through a bunch and found a couple that look ok and seem to not have a terrible rating on apartmentrating website so if anyone has any input on the following that would also be appreciated.

South Oneida Club
Breakers
Covington at Cherry Creek
Whisper Creek
Belmar Villas
Links at Legacy Ridge

Thanks in advance for any help in getting this stressful part of the move figured out.

[2bindenver]

Since Belmar is west in Jefferson County & UC is in Denver & Fitsimmons farther east...I'd cross belmar off the list.

How long do you plan on renting?

[NeuroSean]

Rental time is somewhat variable. I would guess no less than 6 months, and depending on wife's job and income situation and how long I end up doing a post-doc there as much as 3-4 years. My hope is that after the first year renting I can extend the post doc to another 2-3 years and maybe buy something but that is still up in the air.

As for Belmar I know its opposite of the HSC, but the wife's job hunt has taken her over to that area for a couple of possibilities so I am open to that region, assuming that I won't be stuck in hour long commutes.

[xxman777]

Your commute probably won't be an hour but it will probably take around 45 minutes. If your wife finds something closer I would suggest looking in or near the Breakers.

[NeuroSean]

The Breakers does look nice,thought the apartment ratings site has a mixed to negative view, but with enough positives to make it a possibility. It is a little pricer than I had hoped, but the location is certainly close to the HSC.

Does anyone know anything about the South Oneida Club? they don't have any apartment rating so its either very new or people just are not happy/angry enough to post about it.

While I dont want to flood the topic with too many hypotheticals, and I plan to come back for advice and suggestions when/if she gets a solid offer, if the Westminster paper pans out are there any suggestions for things heading north and west out of the HSC and prior to the westminster area that are nice. My thinking in that is that Lakewood becomes the better area, she goes north and I go east and we are more centrally located.

Thanks for all the help so far

[Bluesky]

I am a CO Native and currently live in Belmar (in a complex adjacent to the Villas) and it is a very central location in the Metro-Denver area...only Lodo in Denver is more central. I commute downtown and it is 20 minutes average each way, so you would be looking at around a 30 minute commute to work. I absolutely love Belmar and it offers many benefits that the other complexes you are looking at do not offer. Primarily, it is a planned community with a lot of shopping/restaurants/movies/bowling...etc, within walking distance. Belmar park is right across the street (and it is awesome for walking, jogging). It is also close to the mountains and downtown. It may not be right next to either of your work places, but it is definately worth consideration. You are also not restricted to the popular/high volume commute routes. There are countless routes you can take to work.

I have know several people that live in the Breakers and they like it but the location is very over-rated.

Cherry Creek is very nice. The commute to your job would be a breeze from Cherry Creek.

Another area you may want to look is the newly developed residences in LODO. Look around Confluence Park and Coors Field. Very neat areas and you would be centrally located. However, your commutes would be more (but not completely) restricted to high volume routes to both your workplaces.

Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the other complexes you mentioned. I don't have time to find the info right now, but will see if I can find anything else about them for you.

[xxman777]

I don't really know much about South Oneida Club but I have known people who lived in some the complexs around it and they weren't very nice. South Oneida Club is newer then the surrounding complexs but it might just be a matter of time.

Bluesky is right Belmar is an awesome development but if it takes him 20 minutes to get to downtown that should give you an idea of how long it is going to take to get to Fitzsimons. It isn't a bad drive to 9th and Colorado though. I second the other areas that he suggested, a little more centrally located and nice, fun areas.

[2bindenver]

Try Stapleton. http://www.stapletondenver.com/homes/apartments/

10 minutes to either campus & 20 minutes to Westminster

[NeuroSean]

Thanks everyone for the great advice and suggestions.

Bluesky- What do you mean by the location is "over rated". Is it not as close and convenient as they claim, or is the area kinda run down and not as nice as the complex would lead you to believe.

2bindenver- Stapleton is nice, but the apartments on the URL were VERY pricey and to be honest I am not sold on a loft type environment.

I think right now Belmar and the Breakers are the two "best" options, but cost is a factor with both of the, more so the Breakers. We'll see how the wifes job prospects start to pan out and I'll try and get some more feedback when/if she has something.

Thanks again

[NeuroSean]

two more questions as I have continued the search, and my time frame starts to narrow.

1- Anyone know anything about an apartment complex named Jefferson Square, 8600 E Jefferson Ave Denver, CO 80237. This one looks a little nicer than the south oneida club and is only a little bit further.

2- Bluesky, you mentioned Belmar and I have been looking around that area. I like what I see but I am having trouble getting names of some of the complexes. I know there is Belmar Villas, and Belmar itself, but any help on adjacent complexes would be helpful

Thanks