It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. This is true in real estate as much as anything. My family, which included my children (2 years old and 8 years old), moved to Central Park in the very first wave of buyers back in 2002
We put our name on the list. Not just one, but a couple back-ups as well. We sat through THREE lotteries for John Laing Homes, only to get passed over each time. Keep in mind that no one had even seen the homes yet! Central Park, itself, was a waste land of dust and tumbleweeds. But, we had an idea that Central Park “may” grow into a community we would like, and we had more than outgrown our 2-bedroom bungalow.
We finally received a call the day after the third lottery that a contract had fallen through, and they wanted to know if we wanted it. Being a Realtor, I had to stay true to my profession. So, I asked them if we get it at the original price. “Yes, of course,” they answered. “Well, I’ll have to think about it,” I replied. “I’ll call you back in the morning and let you know.” Who was I kidding? I was still drying tears for missing out on that last lottery, and prices were going up, up, up!
Here we are 10 years since that phone call. We love our home and the Central Park community. We’ve created friendships with our neighbors that will last a lifetime. We still catch sight of the occasional tumbleweed rolling down the street, but who knows where they are coming from?
Central Park is now a vast sea of beautiful homes with architecture that ranges from traditional to modern. Although my own children are now grown with my oldest graduating from DSST High School this spring, there are still hundreds of little ones around the “hood.” The main motivation I hear from clients for moving to Central Park today is that it’s a wonderful, urban community, and they have just outgrown their 2-bedroom bungalow. Certainly, the market has changed over the years.
We no longer have waiting lists for homes and the builders are able to keep up with demand. But, Central Park is still one of the most desirable neighborhoods in all of metro-Denver, with some of the most successful schools in the district and some of the best community events of any urban neighborhood in Denver.
So what does the future hold for Central Park?
Well, I think I speak for us all when I say I fear the day when the little plastic toys (LPTs) are replaced with cars that the thousands of teens will be driving. But, as we all age with the neighborhood, could we see additional multi-family and smaller single-family homes for those empty nesters ready to downsize?
Certainly, there is opportunity for more low-rise office buildings and additional retail, which is essential for future residential growth. But, I predict that the same motivation will exist in the future as was true in the past and true now: People are drawn to Central Park because it’s a great family-oriented urban neighborhood, and they just keep outgrowing their historic bungalows in Denver’s older neighborhoods.
