Platt Park

Platt Park is a really nice little area located just to the northwest of Denver University. The area is an established, upscale neighborhood which is a well maintained section with older homes that are very well taken care of. Many of the homes here have been around since the beginning of the last century and the quality craftsmanship shows. The streets are lined with old, majestic trees that are beautiful in the summer and fall.

There is easy access to I-25 on for anyone who commutes to Denver or other areas in the city. There is some traffic on Broadway and Evans, but within the neighborhood traffic is non-existant with okay parking.

Along both Broadway and Evans are numerous shops and restaurants and it's a nice area to stroll around in during the summer and milder weather. This is overall a quiet little area which is more upscale and the home prices reflect as such.

Platt Park Is one of the neighborhoods with the distinctive feel of the Washington Park and DU neighborhoods. These areas have historic homes and institutions, and beautiful green spaces. Being on the other side of a major roadway from the true Washington Park neighborhood, you might expect to see much lower home prices, but this is not really the case. This is an upscale neighborhood, and home prices reflect this.

Many of these old homes date back a century. Even the proximity of a college does not keep rents down. Presumably those who can afford the private school tuition can afford housing, or else they stay closer to the apartments of University Blvd. Platt Park, while lacking the exclusive feel of neighborhoods like Belcaro, is distinctly upper-middle class. If you can afford the cost of a home here, though, it is hard to top this area. Residents of Platt Park love their neighborhood, and with good reason.

This neighborhood has small boutique businesses and restaurants scattered amid the well-maintained homes. There are park spaces and golf courses nearby. A commute to downtown from here is not too onerous, and would yield a good mix of downtown activity and the more sedate, genteel feel of the Platt Park neighborhood. Some of the city's best schools are within easy distance, as well.

Platt Park is one of the several neighborhoods that form a desirable enclave surrounding the University of Denver campus. Originally, the area west of the campus, including Platt Park, was developed in the 1880s as a separate town, the town of South Denver. This was conceived as a less rowdy alternative to the saloon-riddled, Wild West ambience of Denver proper, which South Denver curtailed by making liquor licenses hugely expensive.

Today, you won’t find any such restrictions. South Pearl Street, at the heart of the neighborhood, is one of Denver’s hubs of fine dining, boutiques, and slightly upscale nightlife. You can get a drink at most of the restaurants, from sake at Sushi Den to Hungarian wine at Budapest Bistro. Yet, the area still has a slightly more highbrow feel to it than other parts of the city. Locals walking the streets are well, if casually, coiffed, and can stroll to South Pearl to pick up some organic pet food or a pilates lesson. The housing is also on the pricey side, with a mix of beautiful old Victorian homes and trendy, high-end condos and townhomes. The proximity of the DU campus is also palpable, as some students rent homes in the neighborhood or can be found studying or socializing at Stella’s coffee house or the Pajama Baking Company. Platt Park and the neighborhoods surrounding it aren’t cheap, but they offer an undisputedly high quality of life: beautiful homes, lots to do within walking distance, proximity to downtown, and all the cultural offerings of DU at arm’s reach.