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Once I decided that I would need to move outside of Denver to find a condo I liked for the price I wanted to pay, I focused immediately on Olde Town Arvada. Arvada was the site of Colorado’s first gold discovery in 1850 and remained a sleepy little town, six miles northwest of Denver expanding eventually into a large, generic suburb.
Today, the original town, now dubbed “Olde Town,” is a vibrant, charming small town complete with town square and a wide variety of mostly one of a kind shops and restaurants. Abutting Olde Town is “New Town,” home to big box stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, Costco, OfficeMax and Petsmart as well a numerous chain restaurants, including Applebee’s, Ruby Tuesday’s, Cold Stone Creamery, Einstein’s Bagels, Chipotle, the inevitable Starbucks, and a 14-screen movie theater.
Adjacent to both New Town and Olde Town came Water Tower Village, which houses 600 row houses, cottages, lofts, and luxury apartments. The Village is pedestrian oriented with alley loaded garages, detached sidewalks, tree lined streets and two pocket parks.
And this is where I found the condo I wanted. A one-bedroom unit with laundry, cathedral ceilings, underground parking, a balcony/porch, 24-hour exercise room, and elevator service. Within three or four blocks, I will be able to walk to all the previously mentioned shops, theaters, and restaurants, plus the library, a park, and other services.
In five years, light rail will come to Olde Town, spurring additional development. Mentally, I’ve already disengaged from North Denver, my home of the past 33 years, and I’m getting to know Arvada. The staff at one Olde Town restaurant already knows me by name. I think I’m going to like it there.