moving -- but where should i go in CO?

[nashville_brook]

i'm a marketing communication professional (writing/design). i have two small dogs. no kids. divorced. turning 40. i prolly won't have a job when i load my moving van -- so i need to locate somewhere that's a decent job market and hang on tight until i can find a job.

i'm a fan of 'walking neighborhoods." i can't live in a suburb. my soul will likely shrivel and die. and while i have a 'fantasy' of living downtown -- i don't think i'd enjoy that lifestyle as a dog owner. it's important to me to be 'near' a good restaurant or two. maybe a bookstore. i don't have to have the world at my doorstep.

i'm amazed at how much i liked denver on a recent trip, but i couldn't stay long enough to 'get a feel' for the residential breakdown. i'm to the point of scouring craigslist for rentals.

my question is bascially this -- what neighborhoods and areas that are good for single adults? if you were me, where would you look?

[DavidDvorkin]

1. Capitol Hill

If you can find something affordable.

[nashville_brook]

2. thanks -- capitol hill is actually looking more affordable

for older apartment buildings. i'm not finding many house-apartments with dog space in that area -- but if i have to i'll bite the bullet on that.

[nashville_brook]

3. here's another question -- how difficult is it to commute into 'town'

from 'the country'?

i'm finding some really interesting rentals outside of the metro.

[GardeningGal]

4. Depends on what part of the metro area

They've been working on a big expansion of the highway and light rail for the southeast corridor and it will be finishing up this year. I think the highway portion finishes in a few months and the light rail will open in November. Traffic can be a pain during rush hour.

Here's a link to the local station about the lastest on TRex.

http://www.9news.com/trex/

[nashville_brook]

5. i think i would go west toward the mountains, but wow

i would think the southeast suburbs wuld already be covered by rail. that's good to know. thanks.

[MissMarple]

6. Fort Collins and Durango are dog friendly, have excellent restaurants,

are relatively liberal, especially when compared with Colorado Springs. Manitou Springs, joined physically at the hip to Colorado Springs, is similar. Colorado Springs isn't so bad either, downtown is small, walkable, surrounded by several viable older neighborhoods, and the restaurant scene is getting pretty good, as well. Colorado College gives the downtown area a liberal flavor. And we have a solid gay/lesbian community. The guys just started a gay chorale.

[lakercub]

7. Colorado Springs has a lot of character

and a lot of nice areas if you stay within certain boundaries. If you stay South of Fillmore, west of Union, and north of Fountain Blvd., you will be fine. West is fine because you get into Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs. Both can be tourist traps, but there are nice things to do in these areas...as well as the Garden of the Gods. These areas are where the locally owned stuff is as well as walking and bike paths (to be fair there are now a lot of bike paths). Outside of these areas things are either industrial or sprawling suburban hell (There are, of course, exceptions...like Palmer Park). CC also really does help this area. I live up by UCCS and there just isn't anything to do yet up there. As the college grows, it will expand, but I'm afraid it will just be a thousand more chain stores.

Unrelated: I've been on DU for a couple of years and I finally got to 100 posts. Took me long enough.

[MissMarple]

8. Hi lakercub!

I understand there are big changes coming for north Nevada. I do hope it is not all big box stores, although it is rumored that Costco could be one of them. Restaurants and small shops connected by bike and walking paths would be nice. Public transportation here needs improvement, but it is better than it used to be. With gas prices like they are many more people will be needing better transportation options. I know of a guy who rides his bike almost every weekday from South Eighth Street to Wasson High School. But he does it because he likes to ride his bike a lot.

[lakercub]

13. Hi MissMarple

I have actually started biking to work from time to time. The trails have been improved quite a bit. I have to cross Nevada Avenue at Moutview, but that's no big deal. Then I don't have to cross a real road until Chestnut (I have to cross Mark Dabling, but that's empty on weekday mornings). Then the trail takes me up to the Forest Hill Rd light on Garden of the Gods Road. That is real busy, but there is a light so, again, it isn't that bad. I work right up against the bluffs on the north side of Garden of the Gods.

I also love biking downtown (I hate biking back however as it is all uphill :( ). The Greenbelt/Santa Fe trail is real nice as it goes past CC into downtown. Then a drink at Pikes Perk or Old Chicago, maybe go to Hathaway's or the Book Broker, and I have a thouroughly nice afternoon. I also love going down to the Olive Branch, Il Vicino, Michelle's, Poor Richard's, and Jose Muldoon's.

We have much to thank Richard Skorman for.

[MissMarple]

16. You bike a lot! And, yes, indeed, we will miss Richard.

Our immediate loss. But in the long run, perhaps, our gain. :)

[fizzgig]

12. you might have a hard time finding work in fort collins

i'm not sure what the marketing job market looks like up here (there are a decent number of firms, but they are mostly very small)

and we're not much of a city, if you want to be able to walk anywhere, you'll have to live near downtown. we're still very much a college town unless you decide to live in the south part of town where all the new growth is, and as i never go down there, i can't tell you much about it

[Shilohtd16]

9. west highlands

good social scene great dogparks and lots of cute little businesses.

[leftofthedial]

10. capitol hill

northwest denver

wash park, DU (those might be pricy)

there are several micro-neighborhoods good for pets and good for walking around the metro area, some technically in "suburbs," but more like little town centers of their own.

the job market? not so much, although since you're not 45 yet, someone may talk to you.

[nashville_brook]

15. it can't be worse than nashville

i hope.

[paulk]

11. Capital Hill for sure

Baker district, going down S. Broadway is affordable. Highlands, especially near Tennyson is nice, definitely a younger crowd...

Wash Park is expensive, as is anything near Cherry Creek.

[serryjw]

14. I agree, I live here

The entire neighborhood has a ton of dogs. Close to Cheeseman Park. Rent will run about $500-600 depending on what you want. You will get nailed on dog deposits. Walk to D/T, bus anywhere!!

[boulderuberalles]

17. Louisville . . .

Try Louisville.

It is close to Boulder and the mountains, there is a bus to Boulder, and it has a smallerr downtown. The bus to Boulder is a 20 minute ride.

If you want city, yes, go with Capital Hill. If you want a bit out, try Louisville.

I’m in Boulder, but getting here without a job is tough.

Mark