What's the story with HIGHLANDS of Denver? (Arvada, Highlands Ranch: middle-class, transplants)

[Tiger Beer]

What's the story with HIGHLANDS of Denver?

I just viewed google maps, and the housing looks very small (quaint), condensed, and has a great character to it...pedestrian-friendly, walkable, etc.

Granted I don't know Denver very well, but is that typical style of Denver housing? Are the Highlands unique? What other areas of Denver look like that?

[steveindenver]

What other areas of Denver look like that?

All of it.

[HighlandsGal]

I think the Highlands area actually has the biggest proportion of modern style dwellings in the area...........of course, this is because the old houses have been torn down on those properties.

[tfox]

Originally Posted by steveindenver

All of it.

Well, not ALL of it, certainly not ALL of the metro area, or even all of the city of Denver. But Denver did have a huge boom from about 1880 - 1910 or so, and many of the Denver neighborhoods you hear discussed on this site date from that time period. In addition, the cores of a few of the suburban areas like Arvada, Englewood, and Littleton also date form that era, and in parts look a lot like what you saw in Highlands. These types of neighborhoods make up, about... oh... I'd guess about 40% of the city of Denver. The rest of the city of Denver is built in waves since then, and even some areas of the city of Denver (Stapleton, Green Valley Ranch) are still being built now.

Highlands, for its part, was more of a middle-class area originally, so that's why many of the houses are small by today's standards. Interestingly, a number of the very rich in that era originally settled in mansions in Capitol Hill, and many of those were later abandoned -- some were destroyed, others cut up into apartments, turned into commercial properities, and some have been restored back into mansions today.

[HMDenver]

I've been living in Highlands for almost 7 years now. It's a good mix of Bungalows, Victorians and new construction townhouses mainly. About the time I moved there it was undergoing re-gentrification. Many people were moving to the area and fixing up the homes. It has gone from being a largely Hispanic community to being a more diversified urban community. There are several areas of 'The Highlands'. Due to the explosion of interest in the community many homes have been demolished and replaced by new townhomes. This is still happening but at a slower pace and they are trying to put new zoning codes into place. There are also a few historic districts within the area. It is a great area with easy access to the highways and downtown. There are several shopping areas such as Highlands Square, Tennyson, 32nd Avenue, LoHi (lower Highlands).

There are several other areas similar to this but according to the stats I keep hearing, Highlands is the hot place for the moment. If this type of area is what you're looking for you can probably find the same in other areas directly surrounding downtown area. On the fringes of downtown there are a few as well but farther to access downtown. Hope this helped.

[Cupcake77]

I thought all the transplants moved there. I don't even really like the area, but my cousin moved there. it seems kind of cramped to me. Are the schools even good? I am pretty sure they don't go to Creek.

I am back in Greenwood Village and the traffic from the highlands ranch people makes it so congested now during rush hour, it makes it miserable to try and get out and in of my area. It wasn't like that before I left and HR wasn't so built up.

[Scott5280]

Originally Posted by Cupcake77

I thought all the transplants moved there. I don't even really like the area, but my cousin moved there. it seems kind of cramped to me. Are the schools even good? I am pretty sure they don't go to Creek.

I am back in Greenwood Village and the traffic from the highlands ranch people makes it so congested now during rush hour, it makes it miserable to try and get out and in of my area. It wasn't like that before I left and HR wasn't so built up.

Actually they are making reference to Denver's western (Highland neighborhood) on this thread, but I agree I remember (Highlands Ranch) down south when it was nothing more than prarie, and Greenwood Village being much more open and equestrian. Highlands area and LOHI as people refer to it is one of the IT hoods at the moment..and they even have a Basil Docs. mmm.

[Cupcake77]

Originally Posted by Scott5280

Actually they are making reference to Denver's western (Highland neighborhood) on this thread, but I agree I remember (Highlands Ranch) down south when it was nothing more than prarie, and Greenwood Village being much more open and equestrian. Highlands area and LOHI as people refer to it is one of the IT hoods at the moment..and they even have a Basil Docs. mmm.

Sorry I was living in the armpit of the country for a few years and just moved back.

[FentonForche]

HMDenver is pretty spot on. If you're a fan of The Highlands, you're definitely with the zeitgeist. However, I'm not sure to what extent the schools are lagging there, even with gentrification. DPS is known for being inferior to the majority of the suburban school districts.

What other neighborhoods look like that? Well, parts of Washington Park and the surrounding environs do--though a lot of those houses have been either leveled or pop-topped. But the area around Pearl St and Gaylord St, for example, still have a lot of smaller turn of the century bungalows. Also, the area between DU and Broadway will have some of that.

[zenkonami]

As far as schools go, it seems that North High School has been in horrific shape for some time. Is Highlands served by North?