Denver Real Estate Blog - Part 7

Across from Denver’s iconic capitol building, complete with a golden dome (it’s real by the way), stands the Civic Center and Park. Amid the hustle and bustle of the modern city’s business district and the statuesque Denver real estate of the Captiol Hill neighborhood, the Civic Center has always been the epicenter of Denver culture and government. Dubbed “The Golden Triangle”, the area is bordered by Speer to the west and south, Broadway to the east and Colfax to the north.

First proposed in 1893 by then governor Speer as part of the City Beautiful campaign, the Civic Center has seen much change and controversy since its grand opening in 1919.

A gathering place for Denver citizens in good times and bad, the park has been witness to countless festivals and demonstrations. The Taste of Colorado is perhaps the largest festival held annually over the Labor Day weekend.

The most colorful day of the year for this historic enclave of Denver institutions is the lighting ceremony held every December. Officially referenced as The Parade of Lights, the event is widely anticipated and announces the beginning of the holiday season. Thousands of Denver residents will head to the park, braving the cold and crowd, to witness the blaze of millions of tiny lights.

This year The Parade of Lights will be on Friday, December 3rd and will begin at 8 p.m. and again on Saturday, December 4th at 6 p.m. The route is a 2-mile stretch beginning at the Civic Center. Naturally, admission is free, however you may purchase bandstand seats at www.denverparadeoflights.com.

As with every parade worth its salt, the line up will include marching bands and extravagant floats. Lest we forget, Santa will also be in attendance.

After several heart-felt requests from our 5-year-old daughter, we finally made it to the King Tut exhibit at the Denver Art Museum. The excursion was a pricey one, but parting with $100 for a family of four seemed a small expense when considering that you may not have another opportunity to see these artifacts.

I had not been to the new Denver Art Museum and I must say that the building itself was impressive enough, regardless of its contents. The use of metal and the sweep of the roof was a dazzling sight. I envied those that called the nearby Museum Residences home. These ultra-modern lofts are well located between the Denver Art Museum and the Denver Public Library. These amenities and the easy commute to downtown and LODO make these dwellings chic by any standard.

Once inside the museum, we proceeded to the exhibit. The variety and scale of the pieces on display were intriguing enough to hold the attention of small children, even without the audio tour. Our youngest daughter, a fan of felines, was especially excited about the sarcophagus for a 3000 year-old mummified cat.

While silently perusing ancient Egyptian possessions encased in plexi-glass may not be everyone’s cup of tea, we were glad that we had come. Unfortunately for our pocket books, the kids now feel it is necessary to actually visit Egypt.

How to celebrate an important anniversary in Denver? The obvious answer is a night in downtown Denver. This year, my husband and I thought we would enjoy the Victorian ambiance of the Brown Palace.

As you approach the “Brown”, you’re immediately struck by the distinct triangular shape of the building, which is situated on a once worthless piece of prairie. Henry Brown wanted to build a hotel to rival the palaces of Europe, and he definitely came close with the Brown Palace.

Built in 1892, the new hotel was the destination of choice for Colorado’s elite and visiting dignitaries. Its rooms have been the home away from home for several presidents, royalty, and even the Beatles.

As you cross the threshold, look up and marvel at the atrium ceiling. The stained glass was put in place by local artisans, whose descendants still maintain the fragile art today.

Another distinction for the Brown Palace is its proprietorship of an artesian well. The well is approximately 700 feet below ground level and is the sole source of water for the hotel. In the lobby are several grand fountains that offer a taste of the pure water.

After touring the atrium and lobby, my husband I headed for The Palace Arms, a gentleman’s club offering the best in scotch and cigars. The establishment was grandfathered after the ban on indoor smoking in 2006, so smoke em’ if you got em’.

There are several other restaurants on the premises, each with its own distinct fare and atmosphere. The Ship’s Tavern, for instance, was built in 1934 after Prohibition and provided a creative storage unit for Boettcher’s collection of seafaring memorabilia.

The Brown Palace is steeped in Denver history. Having been the site of murders and countless trysts, it still reigns supreme over all other Denver hotel establishments. The rooms are well appointed and the staff treats you like a regal queen, even as you step into your dirty minivan.

The day after Thanksgiving is big day for those that live in the quiet Denver suburb of Littleton, Colorado. Unbeknownst to many Denver residents, there are actually two Littleton‘s. There is “Old Littleton” and then there is “Littleton“. Old Littleton is contained between Broadway and Santa Fe and Belleview and Ridge Road.

This small area is rich with the neighborhood feel of the first half of the twentieth century. Neighbors shovel the walks of the elderly, recipes are exchanged at the supermarket, and town festivals harken the coming of each season. This is the case with the annual Candlelight Walk and Tree Lighting Ceremony that takes place every year on the day after Thanksgiving.

As the historic Main Street is closed to thru traffic, the fun begins. Santa will make his appearance in parade style and his procession is marked by the illumination of the trees lining the street. Once the canopy is fully lit, Santa makes his way to Bradford Autobody, where one of several free cider booths are in operation. The Big Man, and a few of his trusty reindeer, will be available to children and photo opportunities until 7 p.m.

In addition to all of this seasonal glee, participants can also enjoy the buskers,  flame eaters, and musicians on hand in various locations. Shop keepers throw wide their doors and plan to stay open late.

This festival is one of Littleton‘s best. It has a palpably nostalgic feel that transports even the grumpiest of Scrooge’s.

Those feeling especially giving can take advantage of the drop-off locations for non-perishable foods and gently used toys.

For more information on this event or other Old Littleton happenings, you can view their website at www.downtownlittleton.com.

Photo slide show of Denver metro, Colorado resort and foothill communities.

Photos of the Denver metro, Colorado resort and foothill communities.

[View with PicLens]

Please come back soon for detailed information and photos about our Denver area home tours on bicycle. f you are a Denver home buyer looking to purchase a home in Denver, contact us to take one our tours!

Call Jesse Sehlmeyer at 303-564-2245 to arrange your bike tour of Denver neighborhoods.

There has been so much press and buzz out there when it comes to “green” Denver real estate. First things first. Most new homes being built can be called green through the requirements of the local Denver home builders Built Green program. This is great to see, but it doesn’t take that much more to reach that level. If you really want a green home look for one that has been independently certified by an outside source. This encompasses having a company come in and create a checklist of green features and aspects that are done throughout the building process. A well built home will have two to three times the minimum “built green” requirements.

Look for a home that has been Energy Star certified as well. This process ensures that the home has Energy Star appliances, low E windows, tightly wrapped exterior, sealed and wrapped HVAC ducts, high efficiency furnace and A/C, blown-in insulation, and most importantly be independently certified. Typically, builders who complete this process are very focused on building green and thus providing a home that goes above and beyond what is common place in the industry.

The newest and highest level of a green built home is being LEED certified. LEED is a certification that is completed by the United States Green Building Council and is the highest certification a home can have. LEED was only seen in some of the newest commercial buildings and not typically seen in residential homes due to the added cost and also the items that are required to get this certification. There are different levels of LEED certification from bronze to platinum. Basically, you have to satisfy certain requirements for each level and the platinum level home is the highest achievable. Some of the examples of LEED checklist items are water retention from rain fall for irrigation, foam insulated foundation, use of low VOC paints and flooring, solar, geothermal heating & cooling, and many other detailed requirements.

As we move forward with remodeling our homes and building new homes, these changes will become common place and mainstream. If you are looking for someone who is knowledgeable on these items you can look for a real estate agent that is a certified Ecobroker. An Ecobroker is a realtor that has been trained on the key aspects of green construction, sustainable living, solar, geothermal, wind power, and other key aspects surrounding living green.

On March 28th at 8:30 p.m. millions of people will take part in earth hour 2009. By joining millions of other people in this effort you show everyone that you are concerned for our living planet and show our leaders that this is important and needs to be addressed. Last year more than 40 million people in 400 cities and 40 countries joined together and participated in Earth Hour. This year the stakes and goals are higher than ever and we need to do our part, one home at a time, to make change happen.

In December the UN will meet and discuss the plans for the new climate treaty that will be adopted in 2012 when the current Kyoto Protocol expires. The hope with this plan is further action to drastically reduce the greenhouse emissions that have caused our current climate issues. Earth Hour puts change at the forefront when we show our commitment and support for this event. If you are interested and want to research further please visit www.earthhourus.org Together can make a difference in the future of our planet.