Aurora does not feel right for me. (Denver, Lakewood: apartment complex, landscaping)

[log ravine]

The feeling is the same in Southeast Aurora (which is supposedly more
desirable), as it is
in North Central Aurora, where I currently reside. It doesn't feel right. I have not been to a whole
lot of other suburbs around Denver to gauge whether this feeling is metro wide, or just
specific to this town. I have been to Thornton, it did not feel right either.
I am not interested in living inside Denver because I have animals, and
I want the space that suburban living offers. I am a renter, btw.
My job is at I-70 and I-225. I have never had a long commute in my
life, and I am not eager to start now. My current commute is 15-20 minutes.
I am thinking of just picking up and moving somewhere else, a different city,
a different state because no good alternatives are showing themselves. Perhaps there is a place that feels right in the Denver
metro, although I am not sure (any suggestions, please). But any place
besides Aurora would require a much longer commute. I would
do it if I found the right area, however. Perpahs someone can relate to what
I am saying, and as such suggest a place that is very different. I cannot put my finger on why I feel so
uncomfortable in Aurora. But it doesn't sit well with me. Thanks for reading
this post, and providing any thoughts.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Where are you from originally? What characteristics in a city do you like or dislike? Without knowing the first thing about you, you're either going to get no responses or a hundred useless shots in the dark.

[vegaspilgrim]

Much of Aurora is aesthetically unappealing-- and it's especially evident when you drive up and down Chambers or Buckley from the north end to the south end. Most streets in Aurora are landscaped with ugly ash-tray medians with dinky landscaping and rotting fence canyons lining the roads. I-225 is a pretty ugly freeway, too, for the most part. Peoria looks okay, but I wouldn't brag about it, and Havana indeed looks like an old, grimy street in areas. I see where you're coming from. SE Aurora is not ugly, but it's incredibly... well, "suburban," and pretty boring. The area around I-70 and 225, actually, the whole NE sector of metro Denver is an ugly, depressing area, IMO. Sorry you have to work there. Truth is though, nowhere in Denver is perfect. Hope you find a better place to live, but I think ultimately you have to learn to accept imperfections.

[Ski Girl]

Hi there, I lived in Denver from 2002-2003 and from what I am reading now about Denver, particularly southeast Denver/Aurora it's gotten really bad and highly dangerous. Back in 2002/2003 this was quite a pleasant area and safe (I lived on E. Dartmouth Avenue). The biggest gripe I had other than the fact that I wish the apartments had other young professionals like myself was that the traffic was extremely heavy. But, Denver itself is a very nice city (at least when I left it back in '03) and I'm sure there are other areas you can consider. I like to think of Denver as everything including the suburbs because it's all kind of urban. I am from the northeast. I went back to the northeast because the job opportunities in Denver were very few and far between, but our idea of a suburb back east is something that is more rural than a Denver suburb. I even thought Lakewood and Littleton were a bit too busy. What I really really liked was Boulder, Louisville (very community friendly, much more laid back, open space, forests), but I couldn't get a job there and I would assume that you would probably have a rough time getting a job up there too. If you decide to keep your job, you might want to check out Castle Rock. It is a safe community, family friendly, a lot less rushed and from what I've been told the best school district in all of Colorado (again this is going back to 2003 so I don't know if that's still the case, but the schools there are very good so that says something about the community). Where are you from originally?

[vegaspilgrim]

Originally Posted by Ski Girl

Hi there, I lived in Denver from 2002-2003 and from what I am reading now about Denver, particularly southeast Denver/Aurora it's gotten really bad and highly dangerous.

No, that's absolute hogwash. You might want to start getting your news from a different source.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by Ski Girl

Hi there, I lived in Denver from 2002-2003 and from what I am reading now about Denver, particularly southeast Denver/Aurora it's gotten really bad and highly dangerous.

SE Denver/Aurora is fine in my book. NE Denver / Aurora is more the traditionally "bad" part of town

[log ravine]

Originally Posted by Ski Girl

Hi there, I lived in Denver from 2002-2003 and from what I am reading now about Denver, particularly southeast Denver/Aurora it's gotten really bad and highly dangerous. Back in 2002/2003 this was quite a pleasant area and safe (I lived on E. Dartmouth Avenue). The biggest gripe I had other than the fact that I wish the apartments had other young professionals like myself was that the traffic was extremely heavy. But, Denver itself is a very nice city (at least when I left it back in '03) and I'm sure there are other areas you can consider. I like to think of Denver as everything including the suburbs because it's all kind of urban. I am from the northeast. I went back to the northeast because the job opportunities in Denver were very few and far between, but our idea of a suburb back east is something that is more rural than a Denver suburb. I even thought Lakewood and Littleton were a bit too busy. What I really really liked was Boulder, Louisville (very community friendly, much more laid back, open space, forests), but I couldn't get a job there and I would assume that you would probably have a rough time getting a job up there too. If you decide to keep your job, you might want to check out Castle Rock. It is a safe community, family friendly, a lot less rushed and from what I've been told the best school district in all of Colorado (again this is going back to 2003 so I don't know if that's still the case, but the schools there are very good so that says something about the community). Where are you from originally?

Thank you for all your answers. I do not know what I was expecting by posting my question.
I am originally from Illinois, and grew up with rivers, forests, and whole lot of
agriculture. So I think I miss that. But it's not a place I want
to go back to. It is too cold back there in the winter. I still haven't
been able to put my finger on what bugs me about Aurora. I wonder
if it is the diversity, so to speak. My apartment complex has a lot
of Africans (immigrants from Africa), and most of them seem patentedly
unfriendly. But then again, I don't think this is not what bothers me. I just can't
put my finger on it. I was driving along I-25 yesterday up around
Firestone, and it felt MUCH different to me than Aurora. There
are pastures, open space. I then returned to the Denver
metro area, and once I reached Northglenn, the familiar feeling
of not liking it returned. Maybe I want a town that is independently
located; a town that doesn't blend into other cities and suburbs.
Longmont comes to mind, but it is too far away for commuting.
Likewise for Castle Rock. I am interested in what Ski Girl said about
the suburbs back East. Could you give me an example of the type
of city, and a describtion of the suburbs you are talking about?
This really sounds like something I would like. I am open to relocation.
Thanks.

[Mikieo415]

By what you have said, I think you already know the answer to your question.