![]() Urban said the complaint he hears most is about the “road diet” that has taken 38th Avenue from five lanes down to three and shaved 10 miles per hour off the average speed. “You have a multigeneration neighborhood trying to figure out where it is going,” said Zachary Urban, a candidate for City Council. That explains blocks without sidewalks and storm sewers and an independent streak that made it more difficult to adapt to change. Much of Wheat Ridge’s development occurred under more lax county guidelines - the city didn’t incorporate until 1969. Trying to create an extension of Highland or replicating strategies used in older neighborhoods that developed before the car became dominant won’t work, he said. ![]() “We need to create our own identity, and you need a reason for people to want to get here,” said Steve Art, the city’s economic development and urban renewal manager. Over time, the emphasis shifted to boosting the sense of community and creating an environment that would appeal to younger residents, one reason for the focus on 38th Avenue. ![]() Even Lakewood transformed a run-down shopping mall into Belmar, a mixed-use zone with older urban sensibilities.įacing a diminished sales-tax base that was putting the city on a downward spiral, officials and business leaders adopted a neighborhood-revitalization strategy in 2005.Īn initial focus was on rehabilitating the older housing stock, which was contributing to a high concentration of rentals, said Britta Fisher, the group’s executive director. Old-timers will come in and ask for a Coors or Budweiser, but those watered-down brews won’t fly with his generation and they aren’t on tap.įor years, Wheat Ridge seemed stuck in midcentury Americana as Arvada redeveloped its Olde Town and Golden its downtown and Denver’s Highland area flourished. “I want a place with local character, not an Applebee’s.”Įugene Khang, one of the owners of Colorado Plus, explains it this way. ![]() “It is nicer to be able to walk somewhere, to go have a drink or a bite to eat,” said Paterson, in her early 30s. In a way, the Patersons aren’t that different from earlier generations, many Italian-Americans, who left west Denver, lured by more affordable homes in Wheat Ridge, new Arvada and Lakewood.īut unlike those who initially populated the ring suburbs, this generation wants the amenities that older urban neighborhoods offer - a modern vibe played in an old instrument. “We got a house for the low $300,000s that might have cost $550,000 in (Highland),” she said. Wanting to start a family but unable to afford a home in the northwest Denver neighborhood they enjoy, Sarah and her husband, Kyle, considered Lafayette and Louisville before settling on Wheat Ridge. It does feel a little more young for us,” said Sarah Paterson, a West Highland resident who this month will join a growing wave of transplants. New Town Builders and Urban Green Development are adding inventory to a housing stock that stopped growing decades ago. Home prices in the area are rising, up 13.3 percent as of June 30, compared with a year earlier. “I had to follow my dream,” said the Capitol Hill resident, who adds that she is looking to move to Wheat Ridge soon. The same applies to communities, he adds.Īll the changes are part of a transformation taking place along West 38th Avenue, one civic leaders hope will allow Wheat Ridge to attract a new generation of residents and short-circuit the blight that older neighborhoods typically suffer before gentrification. “Businesses that invest and reinvest in themselves can thrive in this environment,” he said. Ron Kiefel took the risk of expanding the store his father started 40 years ago, in part because he believed in a comeback effort the city was undertaking. Nearby, Wheat Ridge Cyclery operates an airy and modern showroom complete with a repair shop, custom fitting area and warehouse. Valente’s Italian Restaurant, a Wheat Ridge dining institution for four decades, is now home to Colorado Plus Brew Pub, which boasts 56 local craft brews on tap and serves picquillo peppers stuffed with merguez sausage and goat cheese.Īcross the street and to the west, a formerly fire-damaged building hosts Compass Construction, a yoga studio and an acupuncturist. Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menu
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