Best Far-Out Example of Urban Sprawl 2003 | Coyote Ridge at Strasburg | Best of Denver® | Best Restaurants, Bars, Clubs, Music and Stores in Denver | Westword
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Best Far-Out Example of Urban Sprawl

Coyote Ridge at Strasburg

"If you build it, they will come" is a hackneyed Hollywood phrase that's sunk deep into the American lexicon; apparently it served as the mantra of the optimistic developers behind Coyote Ridge at Strasburg. For all you agoraphobics and urban dwellers, Strasburg is a sleepy little hamlet 35 miles east of Denver on I-70, where Coyote Ridge boasts single-family homes starting in the $170s. The four sunny models -- the Sunset, the Twilight, the Daybreak and the Sunrise -- would fit right into the happy suburban confines of Highlands Ranch, Aurora or Broomfield. Except, of course, that these are in Strasburg (hit Limon and you've gone too far). If you're sick of T-Rex traffic, the brown cloud and 24-hour grocery stores, you may have a home in Coyote Ridge, Colorado's best far-out example of urban sprawl. Or is it just far out?

Best Far-Out Example of Urban Sprawl

Coyote Ridge at Strasburg

"If you build it, they will come" is a hackneyed Hollywood phrase that's sunk deep into the American lexicon; apparently it served as the mantra of the optimistic developers behind Coyote Ridge at Strasburg. For all you agoraphobics and urban dwellers, Strasburg is a sleepy little hamlet 35 miles east of Denver on I-70, where Coyote Ridge boasts single-family homes starting in the $170s. The four sunny models -- the Sunset, the Twilight, the Daybreak and the Sunrise -- would fit right into the happy suburban confines of Highlands Ranch, Aurora or Broomfield. Except, of course, that these are in Strasburg (hit Limon and you've gone too far). If you're sick of T-Rex traffic, the brown cloud and 24-hour grocery stores, you may have a home in Coyote Ridge, Colorado's best far-out example of urban sprawl. Or is it just far out?

Best In-Fill Development

Stapleton

Sure, we miss having the airport close to the city -- but at least Denver got something out of the deal. Last year, the Stapleton redevelopment project received the James C. Howland Urban Enrichment Silver Award from the National League of Cities for its contributions to the urban environment. The old airport is being redeveloped into a combination of housing, shops, office buildings and parks, incorporating such elements of traditional neighborhood design as tree-lined streets, parks, front porches and old-time architecture, with 21st-century technology and sensibilities (including drought-resistant landscaping). And 21st-century capitalism: There was never a Wal-Mart on Main Street.

Best In-Fill Development

Stapleton

Sure, we miss having the airport close to the city -- but at least Denver got something out of the deal. Last year, the Stapleton redevelopment project received the James C. Howland Urban Enrichment Silver Award from the National League of Cities for its contributions to the urban environment. The old airport is being redeveloped into a combination of housing, shops, office buildings and parks, incorporating such elements of traditional neighborhood design as tree-lined streets, parks, front porches and old-time architecture, with 21st-century technology and sensibilities (including drought-resistant landscaping). And 21st-century capitalism: There was never a Wal-Mart on Main Street.

Best Drop-in Center

Sox Place

From the darkness of his troubled adolescence in Arkansas, Doyle Robinson found the light: He would draw upon his own pain to help troubled teens. From his early days handing out tube socks to homeless kids on the 16th Street Mall, Robinson's vision has grown to include Sox Place, a converted downtown auto shop that's now Denver's only daytime drop-in youth center, where kids can find a warm bowl of soup, a quiet place to crash, easy camaraderie and the occasional punk concert. And if they're seeking spiritual guidance, Robinson -- an ordained minister with the Assembly of God -- can offer that, too. But he prefers action to words, showing the power of faith rather than preaching it.

Best Drop-in Center

Sox Place

From the darkness of his troubled adolescence in Arkansas, Doyle Robinson found the light: He would draw upon his own pain to help troubled teens. From his early days handing out tube socks to homeless kids on the 16th Street Mall, Robinson's vision has grown to include Sox Place, a converted downtown auto shop that's now Denver's only daytime drop-in youth center, where kids can find a warm bowl of soup, a quiet place to crash, easy camaraderie and the occasional punk concert. And if they're seeking spiritual guidance, Robinson -- an ordained minister with the Assembly of God -- can offer that, too. But he prefers action to words, showing the power of faith rather than preaching it.

Best Example That the Lord Will Provide

The Word of Jesus Christ Church

Down in Pueblo, the Word of Jesus Christ Church needed money for a new building. And pastor Albert Struck thought he knew exactly where to get it: by auctioning off a 1986 Honda Accord that had been donated to the church. Normally, a 1986 Accord won't bring that much cash on eBay -- but this car had a critical extra. It had been driven, and donated, by the murderous Texas Seven while they hid out in Colorado two years ago. With the car came a note: "May God bless you the way he has blessed us."

Best Example That the Lord Will Provide

The Word of Jesus Christ Church

Down in Pueblo, the Word of Jesus Christ Church needed money for a new building. And pastor Albert Struck thought he knew exactly where to get it: by auctioning off a 1986 Honda Accord that had been donated to the church. Normally, a 1986 Accord won't bring that much cash on eBay -- but this car had a critical extra. It had been driven, and donated, by the murderous Texas Seven while they hid out in Colorado two years ago. With the car came a note: "May God bless you the way he has blessed us."

Best Colorado Souvenirs

Vail Manhole Covers
Municipal Building

Like just about everything else in Vail, the town's new manhole covers were pretty classy -- and after a few were stolen right out of the ground, town officials decided to change the way visitors procured their souvenirs. Now you can buy your own cast-iron Vail manhole cover, emblazoned with the original Vail logo, the resort's 1962 founding date and its elevation. The covers come in two sizes: a 52-pound, two-foot-diameter version that costs $295 (and definitely qualifies as extra baggage when you're flying home after a ski vacation), and a six-pound, eight-inch-diameter miniature that runs only $65.

Best Colorado Souvenirs

Vail Manhole Covers
Municipal Building

Like just about everything else in Vail, the town's new manhole covers were pretty classy -- and after a few were stolen right out of the ground, town officials decided to change the way visitors procured their souvenirs. Now you can buy your own cast-iron Vail manhole cover, emblazoned with the original Vail logo, the resort's 1962 founding date and its elevation. The covers come in two sizes: a 52-pound, two-foot-diameter version that costs $295 (and definitely qualifies as extra baggage when you're flying home after a ski vacation), and a six-pound, eight-inch-diameter miniature that runs only $65.

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