Commerce City

If you had to choose somewhere for your car to break down, your best bet would probably be Irondale. Home to more than a dozen auto repair and used car part businesses, Irondale is a small industrial community with a rural twist, offering plenty of local employment opportunities and humble housing options. <br><br>Homes in Irondale are often speckled throughout industrial spaces, and most are traditional ranch-style. Lots vary greatly in size, from half-acre plots that can accommodate a barn or garage to petite, fenced properties that leave just enough yard space for your dog to enjoy. Many homes are original to the neighborhood and have been standing since the 1950s, and buyers are likely to encounter median home prices under $400,000. Keep in mind, though, that larger lots will usually come with a steeper price tag. “Because of all the industrial warehouses, auto shops and distribution centers, Irondale isn’t the quietest area,” says Realtor Sam Neuman, host of the popular Denver Living with Sam Neumann YouTube channel, “but right across the highway, you’ll be able to escape the noise at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.”<br><br>Spanning a massive 16,000 acres, this incredible wildlife refuge is a true haven for native deer, bison, prairie dogs and coyotes. While the refuge feels almost entirely secluded, the towering view of the downtown cityscape just 10 miles away is a keen reminder of Denver’s symbiotic relationship with nature. When you live in Irondale, you’ll be just minutes away from exploring that relationship on more than 20 miles of trails — both rugged and paved — where you can quietly observe the majestic creatures that call this space home. And once the repairs on your car are done, you can cruise along the 11-mile wildlife driving tour before heading on your way. <br><br>After a calming drive through the wildlife refuge, head south to grab a quick lunch at local favorites like Mickey’s Express, a vibrant yellow building with a convenient drive-thru that offers classic burritos and other Mexican specialties. When you’re craving a margarita on Taco Tuesday, you can take a trip to El Jardin and enjoy the breeze while dining on the patio. And if you’d rather prepare a home-cooked meal or need to stock the fridge, you’ll find all the fresh produce and pantry staples you need at Mi Pueblo Market off East 80th Avenue. <br><br>During the week, students living in Irondale can attend Dupont Elementary School, where a robust dual-language program aims to raise the confidence of both Spanish-speaking students and their families. Most students will continue their studies at Adams City Middle School before moving on to attend Adams City High School, which maintains a grade of C- on Niche and helps students prepare for their future with hands-on career and technical education opportunities. <br><br>On Friday, you can celebrate the end of a long week with a nostalgia-inducing trip to the 88 Drive In Theatre, Denver’s only remaining original drive-in that’s still operational. Once you’ve parked, you can pick up nachos and popcorn from the snack bar before settling in for a cozy movie experience beneath the stars. If you’re looking for a community that offers both industrial employment and natural serenity, you might be surprised at the balance you find in Irondale.

Colonial-inspired architecture may evoke a historic appeal, but pristine lawns dotted with young saplings illustrate Belle Creek’s actual age. As years pass, these trees will grow alongside the community to provide shade during morning walks to the spacious community garden in the middle of the neighborhood. “Belle Creek is a residential area suitable for families, providing a tranquil retreat from the urban hustle,” says Dawn Green, a Realtor with eXp Realty who has over nine years of experience selling in the Denver suburbs. <br><br>The neighborhood is decorated with parks, from the open space at Town Square Park to the Belle Creek Trail. Belle Creek Family Center creates a calendar filled with events to ensure there is every opportunity to meet and mingle with neighbors. As with many Colorado communities, it is advised to be aware that, with added recreation comes possible elevated instances of fires. Belle Creek scores a 6 out of 10 on Rick Factor’s 10-point fire risk scale. <br><br>Contemporary traditional houses welcome home locals as they pull up their driveways and into attached garages. These early 21st century homes list between $485,000 for a four-bedroom and $642,000 for a five-bedroom. “Belle Creek was built to mimic old downtown Denver, where walkability and large front porches were important features,” says Shannon Wester, president of Belle Creek Metropolitan District No. 1. “With a downtown, old house feel but newer homes, Belle Creek is the kind of neighborhood you move up to, and it’s designed for people to stay.” Paved sidewalks stretch down the streets and onto Belle Creek Boulevard, where apartments and townhouses echo the same muted shades of red, green and blue as the single-family homes. These townhouses list between $363,000 and $385,000 for three-bedroom units. <br><br>Belle Creek Charter School sits in the neighborhood’s center, where students may enroll from kindergarten through eighth grade. This charter school and Thimmig Elementary School, a kindergarten through fifth-grade public school, both earn a grade of C from Niche. In the 27J Schools District, students may also start sixth grade at Prairie View Middle School – which earns a C-plus grade from Niche. As part of Colorado’s statewide school choice program, students may enroll in a high school of their choosing. Riverdale Ridge High School, which is new to the district, earns a grade of B-minus from Niche. Students may select Advanced Placement (AP) courses, such as Chemistry and United States History, the tests of which the district may cover all costs to take. <br><br>Belle Creek Boulevard serves as the main thoroughfare in town, connecting with 104th Avenue in the south for travel east into Reunion. Taking U.S. Route 85 to reach Brighton, to the north, and following the route south to Interstate 76 allows for commutes into Denver. When heading to far-away destinations, travelers check-in for domestic and international flights at the Denver International Airport, located roughly 14 miles east. <br><br>Pocket parks are spread across Belle Creek, accessible by the neighborhood’s sidewalks. Walkers stroll over to Town Square Park, bringing their dogs along and resting on park benches. Soccer players gather behind the Belle Creek Family Center for practice while joggers start their runs on the Belle Creek Trail’s paved path to Akron Street. Additional outdoor recreation can be found just a 10-mile drive south to Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge’s 16,000 acres, where hikers set out on over 20 miles of trails, catching glimpses of prairie dog burrows. <br><br>For items to complete recipes, just down the block is Haraf Foods Market. If needing more than a handful of products, grocery shoppers drive to Reunion for produce and ingredients. Coffee shops keep patrons caffeinated along Belle Creek Boulevard’s southern stretch, namely Dutch Bros and Ziggi’s. Wooden crates and baskets contrast the colorful fruits and vegetables at Palombo Farms Market, which is open only from July to October. This family owned business maintains a selection of products sourced directly from local farms, including jarred jams and honey. <br><br>The Belle Creek Family Center suits all sorts of busy schedules throughout the year by allowing for the booking of yoga classes and open gym times. Additionally, the center draws crowds for its annual events, such as Kid’s Day Out, a camp-like afternoon where parents drop off their children for lunch and activities, including Nerf wars. Events, from barbeques to parades, are scheduled regularly to help build community connections. Every October, residents create spooky masterpieces on their front lawns, and each December, they create the possibility of designing winter wonderlands, all in attempting to earn the title of best-decorated home as a part of annual Halloween and Christmas house decorating contests.

16 miles northeast of the Mile High City, Hazeltine offers the Colorado suburban lifestyle in pure form. Close to the refineries and business centers of Commerce City and small-town life in Henderson, this small triangular community features contemporary homes and a slower-paced feel compared to Denver’s central suburbs. Buyers considering the area can enjoy spacious homes and a private lifestyle but should go in expecting to drive into neighboring areas in Henderson, Commerce City and Thornton regularly, as options for leisure, dining and shopping are limited in the immediate area.<br><br>Most homes in the Hazeltine area were built in the 21st century and feature contemporary designs in a new traditional style. Two-story single-family homes are the most popular style in the neighborhood, though residents can also find some townhome and rancher homes. Locals live in homes with Tudor, ranch-style and craftsman influences, and most homes feature vinyl siding and gabled roofs. Home sales nearby can be rare Buyers can expect to find homes between $375,000 and $650,000, with most single-family homes selling near the $550,000 mark.<br><br>Some families in the Hazeltine area send their kids to schools in the 27J public school district. Thimmig Elementary has a student-teacher ratio of 18:1 and holds a C-plus grade with users on Niche. Prairie View Middle School earned a C grade on the platform. Prairie View High School offers more than 50 athletic programs and 10 Advanced Placement courses. The school earns a C-plus on Niche. Alternate school options include Bell Creek Charter School, which holds a C grade on Niche and serves students from kindergarten to eighth grade. <br><br>Hazeltine residents are 16 miles northeast of Denver’s Central Business District, and the neighborhood is bordered by Interstate 76 and the CanAm Highway/US-85. The nearest Regional Transportation District stops are southwest of the neighborhood along 104th Avenue, about 2 miles away from most of the neighborhood’s homes. For medical emergencies, the nearest hospital, North Suburban Medical Center - Northeast ER, is 5 miles northwest in Thornton. Domestic and international flights depart from Denver International Airport, 18 miles east of Hazeltine.<br><br>Less than 1 mile north of Hazeltine, Palombo Farms Market offers local fruits, vegetables and sauces, as well as handmade goods. The market is open throughout the spring and summer harvest season, and locals can stop by the area to pick up Christmas trees and décor later in the year. The Mile High Flea Market is open year-round on the weekends in Henderson, 5 miles southwest of the neighborhood. In addition to local produce and a variety of goods from vendors, the market has a carnival-style midway with games, rides, food stands, and a Ferris wheel. King Soopers is a reliable source for groceries and everyday goods, 4 miles east near Chambers Road. Residents can also find Walgreens and Ace Hardware stores nearby, as well as casual dining options like Dion’s Pizza, Popeyes, Panda Express and Wendy’s. <br><br>The northwest corner of Hazeltine is home to River Oaks Park, a park maintained by the River Oaks subdivision’s homeowners association. The park features greenspace, picnic shelters and a playground. Residents also have easy access to River Run Park, a 15-acre space next to Thimmig Elementary School. Ample greenspace lets residents take their dogs for long walks, and the park also has a basketball court and two play areas. Hazeltine residents are also 4 miles away from Riverdale Regional Park, a large park with picnic areas, mixed-use trails and access to multiple lakes and ponds along the South Platte River.<br><br>In addition to serving as a major park, Riverdale Regional Park also hosts large events at the Adams County Fairgrounds on the park’s grounds. Locals can attend the Adams County Fair each summer for music, midway games, rides, farm competitions and more. The county brings concerts and festivals to the fairgrounds throughout the rest of the year.

Driving down Interstate 76, it would be easy to mistake Derby as just an industrial area. Yet plenty of people call it home in subdivisions of manufactured and ranch-style homes on the north end and centrally near Mesa Oil. “This industrial area has come a long way, drawing new residents for both the price and the nearby job opportunities,” says Sam Neumann, host of the Denver Living YouTube channel. While I-76 unlocks additional dining options down the road, residents can access roadside cafes without leaving the neighborhood. Outdoor recreation opportunities are also nearby, less than 5 miles away in Commerce City to the south and Thornton to the west. The Wikiup Manufactured Home Community makes up a large portion of the neighborhood, with manufactured homes built in the 1970s and some newer homes added since 2017. Homes list between $69,000 for a two-bedroom and $175,000 for a four-bedroom and have parking. Exteriors are painted in neutral colors, with occasional homes in bright shades of blue. In other parts of the neighborhood, ranch-style homes built in the 1990s stretch across flat lots with fenced-in spaces for dogs to play fetch. These homes list between $375,000 and $435,000 and have two to four bedrooms. Surrounded by more natural spaces, Derby’s northern stretch is at a higher risk of fire in the dry season than the southern portion, where there are more industrial areas and fewer green spaces. Drives to Denver are as simple as pulling down the main thoroughfare, Brighton Road, and crossing over to Interstate 76. “It is definitely an easy commute being right by the highway, but it’s not really noisy since it sits in a valley; at least I don’t hear much traffic noise,” says Charlie Belger, Realtor with JPAR Modern Real Estate with four years of Denver real estate experience. Although most commuters drive downtown, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) serves the area through bus stops along Brighton Road and light rail stations in neighboring areas. Light rail passengers can catch the “N” line at either the Original Thornton & 88th Station or Commerce City Station. When stocking up on groceries or running other errands, residents use U.S. Route 85 and Colorado Highway 2 to head south to Commerce City. Denver International Airport is 14 miles east whenever travelers need to catch international or domestic flights. Locals wait patiently for Fridays when The Mile High Flea Market opens for business. “If you’re wanting to sell something you could just rent a place,” Belger says. “I see people just bring their trucks up and open the trunk; sometimes it’s new stuff, and sometimes it's used.” One end of the market is stocked with the fresh produce of a farmer’s market, and the other has carnival rides, including a Ferris Wheel. Locals stock up on all their weekly grocery item needs between trips to Mi Pueblo Market and Save A Lot in Commerce City. Diners slide into booths at Butcher Block Café, ready to enjoy the café’s popular cinnamon rolls. When seeking bold flavors, locals drive down Colorado Highway 2 and choose from the selection of Mexican restaurants. El Jardin, known for its green chili and margaritas, is unmistakable with its Spanish Revival exterior and wooden furnishings. Derby itself is sparse on recreation opportunities, but it is located within 5 miles of two major wildlife areas and less than 2 miles from Central Commerce City’s largest park, Fairfax Park, with its futsal field, basketball courts and playground. Rocky Mount Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge welcomes hikers to trek its 20 miles of trails, looking out for prairie dogs and deer. Locals looking for another quiet place to surround themselves with Colorado’s natural beauty head west to Thornton to Pelican Ponds Open Space, with trails, a pond and a disc golf course between the trees. Adams 14 School District serves Derby students. They may begin at Dupont Elementary School before attending Adams City Middle School. Niche rates both schools a D-plus. Adams City High School, rated a C-minus, has a nationally recognized Seal of Biliteracy program, offering recognition for students’ proficiency in two languages. Since 1972, The 88 Drive-In Theatre has shown films under summer night skies, less than 2 miles from Derby. The theater is not only the longest running drive-in in Denver, but also the last original of its kind in the city. Once finished parking the cars by height, audiences hop out and step inside the snack bar filled with the smell of buttery and freshly popped popcorn. Sounds of eager fans echo through Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – southeast of Derby – during Colorado Rapids soccer games.

Reunion’s sprawling network of subdivisions is sandwiched between the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge and the Denver International Airport. Only 22 miles northeast of downtown Denver, the neighborhood is brimming with outdoor recreation and a strong sense of camaraderie. Multiple homeowners associations look after the community, so it's no surprise that the CAP Index crime score in Reunion is two out of 10, which is much lower than the national average of four. With its spacious homes, walkable streets and abundance of greenspaces, Reunion provides a quiet and comfortable landscape for its residents. “They planned the community so beautifully, with all the walking paths. Everything is just so nice and clean,” says Tracy Panariello, an associate broker with Homesmart who has 10 years of experience. <br><br>Many of Reunion’s neighborhoods were constructed in the early 2000s by Shea Homes and have their own homeowners association with a private park. Curving residential streets are wide with sidewalks that are separated by grassy strips and lined with younger trees. Properties in the area consist of single-family homes ranging from 1,200 to 1,500 square feet that are either sprawling ranchers or bungalows with front porches. There are also large Craftsman-style homes with modern architecture that are 2,000 to 3,000 square feet. Homes in Reunion cost less than ones in the suburbs surrounding Denver, with prices anywhere between $475,000 and $700,000. However, the expansive estate-like properties surrounding the Buffalo Run Golf Course can get up to $1.2 million for 5,000 square feet. Additional housing options in the neighborhood include modern condos and townhouses that cost $350,000 to $425,000. Home builder Oakwood Homes took over as the master developer in 2017 and has started new construction for modern houses. <br><br>Reunion’s location right next to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge gives the community abundant opportunities for outdoor activity. The 15,000-acre area has over 20 miles of hiking and biking trails that let visitors explore grasslands, wetlands and woodlands filled with natural wildlife. There’s also an 11-mile Wildlife Driving Tour that takes people through the landscape, where they can listen to a podcast and learn about the bison, prairie dog and deer populations. <br><br>In addition to the refuge, Reunion is dotted with green from its neighborhood parks. The area’s namesake park has a playground for little ones, an outdoor pool and a recreation center. Paved walking paths loop around three lakes and a large grassy field that’s used for movie nights and live performances in the warmer months. Reunion Coffee House is found at the eastern edge of Reunion Park, serving tasty beverages and treats to passersby. “Everybody seems to go there and hang out,” Panariello says. “It has a wraparound porch and it’s right on one of the lakes, so you can sit out and watch people walk by or ride their bikes.” A little south, the Second Creek Open Space consists mainly of the Second Creek, which ribbons throughout the entire greenspace and has a trail that follows along the water’s edge. The northern end of the neighborhood is taken up by the Buffalo Run Golf Course, a public golf club with an 18-hole championship course, practice facilities and a golf shop. <br><br>Despite Reunion’s multiple HOA subdivisions, the community at large likes to come together for various family-friendly events throughout the year. In addition to holiday events like the Fourth of July fireworks display and Easter egg hunt, the neighborhood has an extended list of summer activities. Reunion Park hosts movie nights, and the Reunion Recreation Center has food trucks come every Tuesday evening. There’s also the 88 Drive In Theare, 7 miles away, which is Denver’s last remaining original drive-in that shows a wide selection of family-friendly films. <br><br>Students living in Reunion can get an education at the public schools within 27J Schools. Reunion Elementary boasts a B grade from Niche and was ranked No.19 by them in Best Elementary Schools in Adams County. From there, students can attend Prairie Middle School, which maintains a C Niche grade and shares a campus with Prairie View High School. The high school has a C-minus Niche grade and offers specialized courses and internship opportunities through its STEM and Career and Technical Education Center. <br><br>Since most of the area’s streets are residential, opportunities for shopping and dining are usually found within strip malls and commercial intersections. At Chambers Road and East 104th Avenue, there are fast food options like Jersey Mikes and Panda Express, plus retailers like Walgreens and Ace Hardware. Reunion Marketplace Center has a King Soopers for groceries. Down the road, State House is a popular sports bar with an industrial theme that serves classic bar food and beverages. Patrons can hang out on the patio by the fire pit and listen to live music on the weekends. Further north, East 120th Avenue has a handful of Mexican restaurants along it, including Santiago’s and Gomez Burritos. <br><br>With the area’s sprawling landscape and winding streets, most people prefer driving their own vehicles to get around. Access to Interstate 76, Colorado State Highway 2 and US Highway 6, also known as Heartland Expressway, can be found on the western edge of the neighborhood. Expressway 470 travels from north to south along Reunion’s east side and can take commuters to Denver International Airport for a commercial flight, just over 3 miles away. Despite the airport’s close proximity, the neighborhood does not experience noise from the air traffic. “We have a lot of pilots that live there; pilots and stewards like to live out there so they can get to the airport really quick,” Panariello says. Those who use public transportation can find bus stops from local transit services along 104th Avenue and 120th Avenue.