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Stapleton continues to be at the top or near the top of every Denver ranking. However, this ranking is one we can’t brag about. In this month’s issue of the Front Porch, there is an article which discusses the problem of preventable crime in Stapleton. According to police statistics, Stapleton reports a far higher number of these types of crimes than adjacent neighborhoods. These types of crimes include theft through unlocked garages, homes, car doors, and open garages. [Read more…] about Stapleton Number One Again; Ranks Highest in Preventable Crime

School choice is coming up at the end of this month, and you can already feel the anxiety in Stapleton. “We have our top two choices finalized, but we are not sure about our third, fourth, and fifth choices,” says concerned parent Abby Trebon. “We of course are hoping to get into our number one, but if we don’t, we are a little concerned about the future of our little one.” Trebon isn’t alone, as hundreds of new kindergartners will be introduced to the Stapleton, Denver school system. “There are so many things to consider,” says Christine Kleese. “We are trying to figure out what will be the best fit for our daughter, and there are so many different options. When I was a kid we just went to school. There weren’t five or six different styles of schools.” [Read more…] about The Truth About School Choice: Only 80% of You Will be Happy

The traffic on Central Park Blvd. and Martin Luther King Blvd. continues to increase, and this becomes more and more evident as accidents on the corner pile up and traffic continues to congest, especially during peak hours. “If you are near that corner around 5PM, bring a book,” says resident Steve Mason. “It is ridiculous how long you have to wait. Plus, there are people who don’t understand the rules of turning onto a one way, so that makes the wait even more painful.” [Read more…] about Traffic Update: Denver Explores Installing Large Roundabout at CPB and MLK

One would think that acquiring a brand new Infinity home in Stapleton’s newest, hottest neighborhood would bring a gracious feeling of success and satisfaction to new homebuyers, but such is not the case up in Conservatory Green. Grumblings on the neighborhood Facebook page show that Infinity homebuyers are increasingly frustrated and disappointed with their trendy new homes, and contemplating drastic measures. Kate Doyle, who purchased an Infinity Haus 2, remarked upon Infinity’s inattention to detail, noting that her home inspector found a number of quality issues at a recent walk-through. “I am just so disappointed. There was white flat paint from the wall smudged onto the semi-gloss white trim in one corner of the bathroom, the color of the flowers they chose clashes with the exterior paint color that I selected, and the flames in the faux fireplace are only 3 ½ inches high, compared with the 3 ¾ inches that my neighbors have,” Doyle remarked. Other issues Doyle’s inspector found were that the gas forced-air system is audible when operating, the sprinklers splash onto the edge of the patio adjoining the grass, and there were only six types of quartz to choose from, meaning Doyle’s kitchen is not as unique as it should be. Her neighbor Steve Clark also expressed disappointment about his recent purchase of a Haus 3 in the “Lake” elevation, the most ginormous, in all senses of the word, of the Infinity models. Clark complained, “Not only did Infinity have the gall to place my home directly across the alley from a set of KB paired homes but I can literally see swaths of townhomes from my front porch. If I spend this much on a home, I expect to hobnob with similarly successful and tasteful neighbors. The alley is constantly filled with the hoi polloi and their tricycles and basketballs and stray dogs. It is very aggravating.” Clark continued to say that his trophy home also did not live up to his expectations of providing him with a sense of tallness and fuller hair. Another concern expressed on the Facebook page has to do with the perennial issue of school choice. Leslie Bidler, a Vue 2 owner, claims that Infinity told her that her children would be guaranteed entry into Swigert with the purchase of such a prestigious home, but when she contacted the school after closing, she was told she would have to enter the lottery like every other chump in Stapleton. Bidler described her feelings: “I just thought that since I was buying an Infinity, and paying all that extra money and everything, that one of the perks would be getting into my school of choice. Now I might have to go to that hippie school, what is it, Izzy B? What kind of name is that for a school? Are my children going to learn macramé and how to sing Kumbayah and stuff? I’m feeling very disillusioned right now.” Infinity buyers are contemplating drastic measures. Clark says that he is looking at properties in gated communities in Highlands Ranch, where the similarity of houses means that he can be assured “a reasonable level of economic parity” in the neighborhood. Doyle is considering selling her sub-par Infinity to purchase a custom built home on a quarter-acre in Hilltop, but she was shocked to find out the price differential and is thus weighing her options. Moving back to Boulder seems appealing to Bidler, but one of the reasons she left Boulder was to avoid their hippie schools, so she plans to take her chances in the school lottery and then figure out what’s next for her. “If Infinity would just live up to its promises and provide the level of perfection we all expect and deserve in a million-dollar, mass-produced home, then we wouldn’t be forced into these extreme remedies,” Clark stated, summing up the sentiments of many of his neighbors quite aptly. To follow the conversation, and add your own set of complaints, join the Complainatory Green Neighbors page on Facebook.]]>

Most parents appreciate the importance of a child’s education, and therefore, put lots of thought into where their child will attend school. Stapleton is a great example of this, as many residents moved from their hip Denver neighborhood specifically for the possibility of a stronger education for their children. “We used to live in the Highlands,” says Stapleton resident Allie Haugen. “We planned to stay there, but once our son turned one, we had to confront the fact that we would have to send him to private school or would have to move. So, here we are.” Stapleton schools are almost always a hot topic of conversation, whether it be the boundary issue, where a school will be located, or the style of teaching a school will use. And with school choice coming up quickly, Stapleton schools once again dominate parents’ conversations. [Read more…] about Mothers of Pre-Schoolers Discuss Something Other Than Where Kids Will Attend School

The Elf on the Shelf tradition goes all the way back to 2005. That’s right, just 2005. That means parents right now are responsible for anywhere the tradition goes down the family tree. No current parents had an Elf on the Shelf when they were growing up, so our generation is completely and wholly accountable for this custom. And with traditions, you have to take the good with the bad. The minute you purchased that little mythical creature in Pandora’s box and showed it to your kids, you took on a great responsibility. Probably a greater responsibility than you should bare. I mean, the tradition of Santa Claus, or St. Nicholas, has been around for centuries. Rudolph the oddball reindeer has been around for over 70 years. Heck, even the Easter Bunny has been around for over 300 years. So, with these holiday institutions, we just took the handoff, and the coach told us exactly where to run with the ball. But now, with OUR tradition, we are calling the plays. And like any first year coach or quarterback, there are bound to be some rookie mistakes (see Manziel). [Read more…] about Elf on Shelf “Tradition” Brings Good, Bad to Christmas

The Breitenbach’s have always had a good sense of humor about their respective families’ differences in religious beliefs. Zack Breitenbach comes from a Jewish family and his wife Cynthia, comes from a Lutheran family. When they first decided to get married, there were of course some concerns from each of their families. Eventually, these concerns were forgotten, with each family accepting a new person into their family. “It was never that big of a deal,” says Zack. “We knew we wanted to be married, and our families would quickly become supportive.” Cynthia says her family was pretty understanding from the beginning. “My family is Lutheran,” says Cynthia. “So, pretty much anything goes. It’s not like we are those judgmental Catholics. I mean, those people are judgmental.” [Read more…] about Holiday ‘House Divided’ Flag Gets Mixed Reviews from Community

Forest City continues to drag its feet when it comes to creating a viable town center in Eastbridge. And although the layout of the 29th St. Town Center is pretty good, there is probably more retail turnover than what Forest City or residents would have expected. So, Forest City chooses to sit on the sidelines and watch as Stanley Marketplace and the Fitzsimons Campus begin to develop. [Read more…] about Forest City Waiting to Learn from Aurora’s “Mistakes”