5 Notable Denver Neighborhoods
By Douglas Brown, FrontDoor.com | Published: 10/30/2008
Lower Downtown Denver, or LoDo, is filled with older, smaller buildings that have been converted into lofts, new condo towers and a density of restaurants, bars, and shops.
This neighborhood's namesake park, a 165-acre sprawl of trees, grass, flowers, lakes and running paths, is what makes Wash Park one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Denver. But its dense cluster of quaint buildings from the 1920s and the mountain views help, too. Then there's the restaurants, pubs and coffee shops in the area. If the urban vibe isn't enough for you, Wash Park is also one of the city's most family-friendly neighborhoods. Most of the Wash Park is zoned for the Bromwell Elementary, one of the city's best elementary schools. The neighbors: Young couples with kids, singles, retirees. View Washington Park Real Estate
Lower Downtown (LoDo)
Downtown Denver is divided into two regions. One contains a lot of skyscrapers and office workers. The other -- LoDo -- is filled with older, smaller buildings (many made of brick) that have been converted into lofts, new condo towers and a density of restaurants, bars, and shops. Just a decade ago, LoDo was fine for people who wanted to live among the action, but it didn't have much to offer outside of places to drink and eat. Now LoDo has Riverfront Park, a rolling, meandering grassy swatch of real estate fronting the Platte River, offering great mountain views, places to barbecue and plenty of space to hang out. The park has made LoDo that much more desirable. You will not find a single-family home in all of LoDo, but you can nab a spacious loft, albeit one that will set you back a good bit (lofts range from $300k to well over a million dollars).The Neighbors: Wealthy retirees, young professionals with plenty of cash and no kids, middle-aged professionals with plenty of cash and no kids, a smattering of well-to-do families with kids.
Uptown
You want funky. You don't want crime, and you'd like a big park in the neighborhood. Uptown may be your place. This is one of Denver's older neighborhoods, filled with turn-of-the-century Queen Anne and Victorian houses, but it's near the booming new downtown with its skyscrapers and fresh condo developments. So if you work downtown, your commute is nominal. A decade ago there wasn't much happening along 17th Avenue, Uptown's main drag, but now it's lined with restaurants, bars, coffee shops and boutiques. Uptown borders City Park, a 330-acre sprawl of nature that rivals Washington Park for the city's best green space. In addition to a big lake with swan-shaped paddle boats, City Park holds the Denver Zoo and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.The neighbors: 20-something hipsters, 30-something hipsters, artists, urban-embracing families.
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