The massive number of folks we speak with every week who are looking for their perfect Downtown Denver condo or loft prompted the topic for the question.. why?

We know why we love Downtown Denver living.  We hear the many reasons every day from our clients and our friends.  We know it from our own experience living and working in the great city of Denver.

We just wanted to share the reasons with you and to ask for your favorite Downtown Denver benefits.

So let's do a quick summary of why there has been an flow of people moving from their suburban lifestyle to a downtown one.  These are not in any order, but we will let you do that and share the many reasons we are sure we missed.

• Restaurants and all things food:  Let's face it, there is something to be said for the hundreds and hundreds of dining choices in Downtown Denver and it's surrounding neighborhoods.  With a quick walk, bike ride, shuttle, or cab Downtown Denver residents have a abundance of wonderful dining choices.   From fine dining to the best burger or pho Denver has it.
• Entertainment:  Are you craving a show in the Theater District, Improv comedy at the Bovine Metropolis, jazz, classical or even Karaoke... look no farther than Downtown Denver.
• Sports:  Nuggets, Broncos, Rockies, Avalanche, and more all within walking distance of Downtown Denver.  Denver is one of the very very few cities that was planned out and executed so expertly well that these great arenas and stadiums are close to the heart of the city.  Forget traffic, forget parking... just walk or maybe try the short cable car ride if it's a Bronco's game.
• Quality of Life, Energy and community:  This is a big one.  So many of our clients share stories about the amount of energy, life and community they feel living in Downtown Denver.  Whether it's just walking down to the corner coffee shop and meeting friends to trying to decide among the long list of events every night a major love most Denver condo and loft residents speak about is simply the quality of their life and the great feeling they have living downtown.
• Transportation.   For some of our clients this is the  first reason on their list for living downtown.  They park the car, sell the car, or donate the car and embrace a lifestyle of walking to work, restaurants, events, and all of the many things listed above.  With light rail growth (including out to DIA), shuttles, bike paths, walking trails, bike shares, car shares, buses and cabs this city leaves you free to relax and read the paper or smell the  roses on the way to whatever exciting destination you are heading to.
• and more, and more, and more... But we want to hear from you.  Share your favorite reasons for living downtown.

We spend so much time talking about the great buildings in Downtown Denver but we also want to share with you the great stories about the lifestyle of the Downtown Denver resident.  Look for more posts sharing the reasons our clients love living in the heart of our city.  And just for fun and to share some of the common questions we get look for a new Wednesday series comparing two of the most popular buildings in Downtown Denver today... SPIRE and Glass House.

See you soon!

To learn more about Downtown Denver lofts and condominiums or to join us on a cruiser bike tour of the Downtown Denver neighborhoods please contact New Era Realty at 303.991.9878 or 800.392.1950.

First we wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined us last night to celebrate New Era's Client Appreciation and Grand Opening Party.  We had approximately 200 rsvp's for our celebration event.  We started things off at our new office located at 2563 15th street located in the Lower Highlands.  We had so much fun hosting our clients and associates in our new home.  We popped some champagne, poured many glasses, and shared toasts thanking our wonderful, wonderful clients.  We are so thankful that we have been able to work with so many truly amazing, kind, and thoughtful people doing what we love.

Our event soon outgrew even our new office so we headed down the block (we love this new location) to Lola where we reserved the downstairs space.  With good food, drinks and the best companions New Era Realty raffled off several prizes to our guests including the grand prize of a new cruiser bike.  We thought that was fitting as cruiser biking just happens to be one of our favorite ways to travel around downtown Denver and look at houses.  We also included gift certificates from many of our new business neighbors here in the Highlands.  Congrats to our many winners.

Again, thank you to our many wonderful clients and business partners.  You are the reason we enjoy our real estate careers so much.  We celebrate our new home in the highlands and all of your new homes wherever they may be.  We hope everyone had a nice time last night and we thank you for sharing our grand opening celebration with all of us at New Era Realty.

Cheers and have a great weekend!

To learn more about Downtown Denver lofts and condominiums or to join us on a cruiser bike tour of the Downtown Denver neighborhoods please contact New Era Realty at 303.991.9878 or 800.392.1950.

September is here and we are approaching the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall.  But without a doubt this September will go down as the highlight of the dog days of summer.

For this month marks the opening of two new dog parks.  The Railyard Dog Park in Riverfront Park and the SPIRE dog Park on the third floor of SPIRE.  What does it tell you when two of the hottest locations in Denver are focused on taking care of their four legged friends (and their owners)?  It means that developers and planners are focused on amenities for homeowners.  We like that and so do our clients.

So let's share the details about each of the dog parks.  First the Railyard Dog Park.

The Railyard dog park is expected to open it's doors any day now.  The construction has been going on over the summer and the expected opening date had been labor day... so it should be any day now.  The park is pretty big and will have some high tech soil and drainage systems.  Here's a pic from their website.

They are also still taking donations if you would like to have a brick with your pups name be a part of the dog park.  Not often do you get a chance to put your own pup into a piece of Denver history.

Riverfront Park already had a great reputation as a dog friendly neighborhood.  With Commons Park, Confluence Park, Cuernavaca Park and the rivers and trail system right next door it's ample green space options for your best friend.  But leash laws are well enforced by park rangers and sometimes it's just nice to let your dog socialize and stretch his or her legs.  Now this newest dog park completes the equation for Riverfront Park to be the perfect dog friendly neighborhood in Denver.

The second park already opened this month at SPIRE.  Officially named Brindley Park, the 1,000-square-foot space is touted as the “puppy penthouse,” accommodating pet owners with an adjacent, fully-furnished 800-square-foot social area.  The park is named in honor and remembrance of Justin Brindley who was an intern at SPIRE during the very early days of the building's design.  He loved animals and played a fundamental role in bringing the dog park to SPIRE.

While Riverfront Park may be the most dog friendly neighborhood, SPIRE may be the most dog friendly building.  This in building dog park is located on the third floor and provides a great feature for dog owners.  Living downtown with a pup is great on beautiful days.  From SPIRE dog owners can walk down to the Performing Arts Center park or jump on the great Cherry Creek trail system for a walk or run by the water.

It's the days when the weather is at it's worst that those dog walks aren't quite as fun.  With SPIRE's in building Dog Park residents can stay out of most of the elements.  It's an open air park off of the parking garage so you aren't indoors but you are sheltered and don't even have to walk out the front door.  This is also a nice convenience if your furry best friend decides that they urgently need to go for a walk in the middle of the night.  You can take them out and never leave the security of your building.  And the kind folks at SPIRE even added pools for giving a dog bath without trying to find a way to make your nice tub work.

So dogs of Downtown Denver celebrate for this month two great strides in dog happiness took place in Denver.  Woof!!

If you are interested in learning about the most dog friendly neighborhoods, buildings or homes in Denver feel free to give New Era Realty a call at 303.991.9878 or 800.392.1950.  You don't need to have a pup to love these great neighborhoods so please feel free to call us about taking a tour.

Denver includes a fine array of eating establishments for your dining pleasure. From the bar and grill to high class dining, the lower downtown (LoDo) restaurants are especially famous for their award winning recipes and trendy places to hand out for a few drinks and dinner. The following are a few of the places to eat and be a part of the LoDo scene while enjoying some nightlife.

• 1515 Restaurant - Contemporary American cuisine

• alto Denver - Contemporary American and North Italian cuisine

• Bistro Vendome - French cuisine

• Capital Grille - American cuisine

• Denver Chophouse & Brewery - Steakhouse

• Jax Fish House - Seafood

• McCormick’s Fish House - Seafood, Steak

• Morton’s, The Steakhouse - Steak

• Pulcinella Ristorante - Italian cuisine

• Rioja - Mediterranean, Fusion/Eclectic cuisine

• Ruth’s Chris Steak House - Steak

• Samba Room - Latin American cuisine

• Sullivan’s Steakhouse - Steak

• Tamayo Restaurant - Mexican cuisine

• The Keg Steakhouse & Bar - Steak

• Vesta Dipping Grill - Global and International cuisine

• Via Italian Trattoria & Bar - Italian cuisine

• Zengo - Latin-Asian Fusion

Among these LoDo restaurants you will find a number are conducive due to the atmosphere they project when it comes to area events such as the Super Bowl. For example, the Denver Chophouse and Brewery has a laid back atmosphere and is suggestive of a 1930s brew house.

They feature big-band music on a nightly basis and they have a brewery on-site, where they make their own specialty beers. This restaurant is an extremely popular hang-out for those who host banquets and large parties such as the victory banquets for the Denver Bronco’s Super Bowl victory.

In addition, the professional crowd seems to prefer the hip downtown restaurants. Via Italian Trattoria and Bar or Theorie Restaurant and Lounge are the venues for being a part of the pulsating LoDo scene.

Please contact us to learn more about living in Denver at 303.991.9878.

SPIRE has certainly been one of the most popular buildings for our clients.  This 42 floor glass walled residential tower in the heart of Downtown Denver in the Theater District has everything going its way.  It offers a perfect location surrounded by Downtown Denver's many restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues (it is Theater District after all).  It is located right next to the light rail station and a short walk from both the 16th street shuttle and the cherry creek trail system.  The amenities include two pools, two spas, fitness center, yoga floor, theater room, club lounge, sports zone, skyclub lounge, and 24 hour front desk.  We could go on and on about the views, the architecture, the floor plans, and the LEED® certified construction.  But if all of that wasn't enough to get you interested in this fast selling building in Denver what if we told you that you could get one for free.

It's true.  The Rocky Mountain Raffle benefiting Boys and Girls Clubs is going to be giving away either a Colorado Home at SPIRE or $1 million dollars.  But there is only a day (and counting as of this post) to still register for the raffle.  Here is a link to their website.  Here is the description from their website...

Imagine walking to ball games, theater, restaurants, galleries, shopping and more from your new, sky-high Downtown Denver home. It could happen to you when you enter the Rocky Mountain Raffle, benefiting Colorado Boys & Girls Clubs. The Grand Prize is your choice of a 2 or 3-bedroom condo with both city and mountain views OR up to $1 million cash!

The first sentence talks about what most of our downtown clients love about their new homes... the lifestyle.  Living downtown is about a way of life.  It is about walking out your front door and having the entire city of Denver to explore.  That could mean an adventure through the hundreds of incredible restaurants that Denver can boast of or perhaps taking in any of the many sporting events within our city.  Not many cities can boast that their hockey, basketball, football, soccer, and baseball teams all are within walking distance.  It might mean taking in events at the theater, a comedy show, or a gallery tour for the first Friday.  The most difficult thing about living downtown is often choosing what to do with so many options.

We wanted to share with everyone this opportunity to win a SPIRE residence downtown.  If you would like to take a tour of SPIRE to plan ahead for your possible raffle win or just to see this exciting building that everyone has been talking about please give New Era Realty a call at 303.991.9878 or 800.392.1950.  And don't forget the raffle benefits a charitable cause... and you just might win your dream home.

Good luck and we hope you all had a wonderful labor day weekend.

It's happening.  We know many people still can't imagine it but an increasing number of downtown clients are asking the question... "do I want to give up my car".

It is a newer question for Denver. Don't get me wrong... there have been folks living in Downtown Denver without a car for many many years.  Many work, live and play downtown and the added cost of a car simply wasn't a benefit.  But while cities like New York, Chicago, Boston and San Francisco are thought of as car optional, Denver doesn't even make the top 10.  Here are the top 10 walkable cities from walkscore.

1. San Francisco, CA
2. New York, NY
3. Boston, MA
4. Chicago, IL
5. Philadelphia, PA
6. Seattle, WA
7. Washington D.C.
8. Long Beach, CA
9. Los Angeles, CA
10. Portland, OR

How can Denver not show up in the top 10 walkable cities when SPIRE, located right in the heart of Downtown Denver, scores a perfect 100 out of 100 as a walkers paradise.  I suppose it's because while Denver is fast growing into a car optional friendly city in the Downtown we still have a number of areas in Denver that need to improve.  The new DIA to Denver light rail lines and other planned enhancements around Union Station are steps in the right direction.  So we accept that not all of Denver is suited for car optional living the Downtown area certainly is.

And that's exactly the conclusion many of our clients are arriving at.  SPIRE really kicked off this trend when it allowed folks to buy a residence without a parking space.  With parking spaces averaging roughly $35K at SPIRE (they were $40K at Glass House for a second space) it is a significant way to reduce the purchase price of your condominium.  SPIRE offers the sale of scooter parking spaces for a fraction of the cost and contracted with Connect by Hertz so a car sharing program would be in the base of the building to make the car optional lifestyle even easier.

Calculating the cost of paying for the parking space in the mortgage, a car payment, car insurance, gas, maintenance, and whatever else you can think of a number of folks came to the conclusion that they could save a LOT of money without a car and parking space.  Some took the money they saved in not adding in a parking space simply as a savings.  Others found that they could buy a little more square footage.  Either way, the savings is significant.

What about the downside of buying a condo without a parking spot?  The biggest concern would be the resale down the road.  With the majority of people in Denver still living with a car your resale would have to appeal to a specific audience.  There might be a secondary market for parking spaces but that still makes for a less simple transaction.  A great deal might depend on how long someone planned to hold on to their home.  As Denver continues to develop it's public transportation network (remember DIA to Denver should be here by 2016) and with the growing trend of car share programs, bike share programs, and sustainable living the audience that prefers a car optional residence should continue to grow.  Denver also has many parking garages where someone who absolutely needed to add a car at a later date might not be able to park in their own building but, just like New York, could keep a car close by.

It seems like there are many benefits to the car optional choice.  The first and most apparent being the huge financial savings opportunity.  As Denver continues to grow and develop will this become the preferred option.  We will keep watching and let you know.

Please contact New Era to learn more about SPIRE, or any of the many wonderful Denver loft and condominium offerings at 303.991.9878 or 800.392.1950.

Downtown Denver is gearing up for the upcoming Labor Day weekend and there will be many events for the whole family. The late summer festivities will include all kinds of food, fun, music and the best part is admission is free. A Taste of Colorado, Red Rocks Concerts, a free day at the Denver Art Museum and the Colorado Railroad Museum are just a few of the upcoming events. This year’s Labor Day weekend celebration will run from Friday, Sept. 3rd through Monday, Sept. 6th.

A Taste of Colorado is one of the most anticipated events of the weekend. With over 50 restaurants from the downtown Denver area offering “a taste” of full meals, there will be a fine dining area set up and this will include a chef’s competition all four days.

In addition, there will be vendors, crafts from the local area, educational programs focusing on the western heritage of Colorado. The Colorado Mining Exhibit, a raptor exhibit and Festival of the Mountain and Plain area are new for this year’s Labor Day Event.

The well-known Red Rocks summer concerts will feature a number of entertainers this Labor Day weekend. Including Vampire Weekend, Beach House, Dum Dum Girls, Gov’t Mule and The Avett Brothers on the Red Rocks Stage throughout the weekend will provide entertainment for those attending the downtown Denver events. On Sunday night, Willie Nelson will be the featured entertainer.

There will be five stages with sounds ranging from rock-n-roll to jazz and there is no charge for enjoying this great entertainment. There will be many big names that you will recognize as well as the terrific sounds of local and up and coming artists.

The kids will be thrilled with a Taste of Colorado for BBQs, ice cream, cupcakes, nuts and a variety of great food and then they will be ready for the KidzStage. There will be all types of crafts and play equipment as well as carnival rides and games.

Purchase an “Early Bird” wristband between 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Saturday through Monday. The kids can enjoy unlimited rides all day until 5:00 p.m. or choose the All Day wristbands and they are good until closing.  Make downtown Denver your Labor Day Weekend celebration.

Please contact us to learn more at 303.991.9878.

It is time for a toast everyone. This past week RTD broke ground on the rail lines that will carry future passengers from Denver International Airport to Union Station here in Downtown Denver.

Here is the excerpt from the RTD website...

Six excavators tore into the ground as dignitaries looked on to mark the groundbreaking of the East Corridor Commuter Rail line to DIA on Thursday, Aug. 26. This ceremonial event marks the beginning of a six year project that will connect the Denver Union Station to the Denver International Airport.

What does this mean for Denver?  It means the start of what may be one of the biggest projects for the Downtown Denver and Riverfront Park neighborhoods.  The connection between DIA and the new Union Station Neighborhood will take six years.  What will likely happen over those six years is the exciting part.  In those six years the Union Station Neighborhood and the surrounding areas are expected to grow with restaurants, shops, condominiums, and architectural amenities to create a welcome point.  The Union Station transit hub is expected to be busy with the energy of Downtown Denver workers, shoppers, and travelers enjoying our great city.  With more foot traffic comes more services and businesses to cater to these new individuals.

So we have many reasons to be excited.  All of us at New Era Realty (and our clients) look forward to the downtown Denver lifestyle that will allow for a train ride to catch our work or vacation flights.  We look forward to never again driving in traffic out to DIA, battling for parking spaces, and paying almost as much on parking as we did on our flight.  We instead look forward to kicking back on the train, perhaps reading our travel guide for our vacation destination or just relaxing with the daily paper.  We look forward to looking out at the snow covered roads from the safety of our train car as we try to remember if we packed our sunscreen for whatever sunny destination we might be heading for to take a mid winter break.  All of these benefits we have to wait until 2016 for.

But before that happens we look forward to the preparation for when that first train pulls in.  Over the next six months as the neighborhood develops the residents in Riverfront Park, the Lower Highlands and Downtown Denver get a whole new variety of places to explore.  New restaurant openings, new shops, and of course great new architecture and street design for shared city spaces.  Now is a terrific time to learn more about owning in these developing Downtown neighborhoods.  One of our favorites, Glass House, will have a panoramic view on the Union Station Neighborhood growth.  Contact New Era Realty at 303.991.9878 or 800.392.1950 today to learn more about these exciting downtown Denver areas and home opportunities.

The 41st Annual Denver Oktoberfest in downtown Denver will start September 17 and go through the 19th and from the 24th through the 26th on Larimer. The Denver Oktoberfest is located between 20th and 22nd Streets on Larimer Street in the Ballpark Neighborhood of downtown Denver.

Downtown Denver will rock when the events begin at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 17, 2010. The opening ceremonies will be presented by Jim Koch, the founder and of Sam Adams beginning at 6:30 p.m. and lasting until 7:30 p.m. There will be live music from 9:00 p.m. to 1 a.m. The hours of the festival are Friday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday the hours will be from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The following events are scheduled for the Denver Oktoberfest:

Saturday September 18, 2010
8:00am-11:00am Das Hustlehoff 5k Running Race  (Register)
1:00pm-4:00pm Live Music
6:00pm-1:00am  Live Music

Friday September 24, 2010
6:00pm-1:00am Live Music
7:00pm-8:00 Oktoberfest Olympics

Saturday September 25, 2010
5:00pm-7:00pm Live Music
9:00pm-1:00am Live Music

There are also dozens of events being held over the course of the Denver Oktoberfest, located on two separate stages – the Rock Stage and the German Stage.  Headliners include The PolkaNauts, Jaden Carlson and the Fox Street All Stars.

Come and enjoy fun with the whole family in downtown Denver when the 41st Annual Denver Oktoberfest gets off to a great start.

Please contact New Era Realty to learn more about The 41st Annual Denver Oktoberfest in downtown Denver, or any of the many wonderful Denver loft and condominium offerings at 303.991.9878 or 800.392.1950.

Healthy High Rise Living... That's what the folks at SPIRE are offering to their homeowners.  It is a message that resonates with all of us at New Era Realty and our clients.  Many homeowners who are moving downtown are doing so to improve their quality of life in every area.  They are choosing to commute less. They are choosing to have the entire menu of Denver's great restaurants and eateries.  They are choosing the arts, culture, and entertainment of the city.  And they are choosing to be healthier.

SPIRE offers healthier living in many ways.  SPIRE's amenities offer two pools, two spas, a fitness center, yoga floor and zen garden.  The building itself is LEED® certified and includes healthy benefits in air quality, sunshine, and of course the walkable location.  SPIRE has that incredible 100 out of 100 walkscore and healthy lifestyle partnerships with Bcycle and Connect by Hertz car sharing.  What could be next?  The retail side of course.

SPIRE has announced several retail tenants on the ground floor that are focused on health as well.  The first we already mentioned.  Connect by Hertz will be based in the building with cars ready to go for residents leading a car optional lifestyle to pick up for that occasional road trip that requires more than bicycle wheels or public transportation.   Revolution Cleaners will also be opening their doors at SPIRE.  This environmentally friendly dry cleaner is there to ensure that every SPIRE resident can have their out on the town outfits cleaned and pressed in a green and earth friendly way.

What about the most basic downtown condo and loft homeowner's need... that morning cup of coffee.  SPIRE announced that Ninety Plus Coffee will be moving in.   This coffee wholesaler and retailer will be taking another of the ground level spots and it will be the first retail store for the “green” company, whose clients include Whole Foods.  And the most recent announcement which we haven't seen the menu for covers the most basic late night need of a good slice of Pizza.  Organic Pizza will be setting up shop at the ground floor of SPIRE as well.  With more spaces left to be announced it seems as if a healthy theme is brewing at SPIRE (and for that block of the Theater District).  It will be exciting to see this neighborhood develop into what may be one of the most exciting corners in Denver.

To learn more about healthy high rise living at SPIRE or to have your own private tour of the building please contact New Era Realty at 303.991.9878 or 800.392.1950.