Good Denver Wood-Fired Pizza: Pizzeria Lui
This look on Ari’s face was the look on all of our faces once we tried the pizza from Pizzeria Lui…
“This might be the best slice of pizza I’ve had in my entire life,” my wife Jessa said as she bit into a slice of the “Eggplant Parm” pizza from Pizzeria Lui.
I looked over at Jessa, and she raised her eyebrows, nodded her head affirmatively, and took another bite. I had been busy cutting up the mini bites of pizza for our kids and had just spent about 30 minutes waiting for a parking spot at this tiny restaurant that used to be a liquor store on Mississippi Ave. at Sheridan Blvd. This part of town/the country/the world is not exactly known for producing world-class pizza. But I trust my wife in all things, of course, and especially when it comes to pizza. After hearing her make a statement like that, I quickly finished cutting up enough pieces to placate our screaming toddlers and dug in myself.
The physical space for the Pizzeria Lui restaurant is about as unassuming as can be–but the pizza is outstanding.
The pizza was damned Good. I don’t think that the crust could have been any better. Cooked at 900 degrees, it was perfectly (I mean perfectly) crunchy on the outside and soft as a pillow on the inside. I usually like my pizza toppings on the hearty side, so an “Eggplant Parm” pizza would probably not be something I would ever have ordered on my own. But I’m so glad we got it–it was definitely one of the best pizzas I’d ever had, too. Roasted eggplant, fresh mozzarella, pesto, garlic, parmesan, and breadcrumbs all combine to make this pizza absolutely phenomenal. You just have to taste it for yourself–words don’t do it justice.
We tried three different pizzas when we were there, but I wish I could have tried them all. Check out the menu. The “Baked Potato,” “BBQ Pork,” and “Street Taco” pizzas all look amazing, but I don’t think you can go wrong.
Pizzeria Lui is already a neighborhood favorite, but I predict it soon will be widely known as some of the best pizza in Denver. I encourage you to try it out Pizzeria Lui soon while you’re still able to get a table. According to chef/owner Zach Parini, the weekends these days are slammed (I can confirm), but most weeknights are still on the quieter side…
Pizzeria Lui is located at 5380 W. Mississippi Ave. Interested in living nearby? Click here to search nearby homes for sale.
Offering expert local knowledge is just one service that the David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown provides to its clients (who range from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors). Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Safta Recently Opened and is Fantastic!
The meal we had at Safta was so Good I thought it had literally put our friend Ellen into labor. To understand this moment, though, it helps to go back in time…
Late last year my wife Jessa and I visited New Orleans and ate at Shaya, the namesake restaurant of Chef Alon Shaya and the recipient of the James Beard Best New Restaurant Award in 2016. Of all of the amazing restaurants in the city, we chose to go there because after asking around about where we should eat in New Orleans, it was the only restaurant that came up on nearly everybody’s lists. Our meal there was absolutely phenomenal. We then went to two other restaurants that Chef Alon helped launch, and from there, we were hooked.
Things only got better from there: in early 2018, Alon Shaya’s cookbook/memoir Shaya: An Oddessy of Food, My Journey Back to Israel was released. We ordered a copy, as did several friends of ours, and had a potluck dinner party exclusively with dishes from his cookbook. It was definitely one of the tastiest dinner parties we’ve ever experienced.
And then Safta opened here in Denver. We jumped at the opportunity to make a reservation on the opening weekend in late August. The restaurant is housed within the new Source Hotel which opened earlier this month, and the space is wonderful. The simple design features an open kitchen where you can watch the food be prepared while you eat. The restaurant overlooks the mountains, so at dinnertime we were treated to an idyllic view as the sun made its beautiful retreat behind the mountains.
Diners enjoy views of the sun setting over the mountains at Safta
The food, though, was where the restaurant really shined. We started off with lamb hummus and the cauliflower hummus. Freshly made pitas came straight from the oven to our table, and we devoured it along with the hummus. The five salatim plates we ordered ( watermelon and Bulgarian feta, pickles, labneh, baba ganoush, and tabouleh) wereall were divine.
Cauliflower hummus
At this point, I was pretty sure that the food had put our friend Ellen, who was 36 weeks pregnant, into labor. She was reclining, and it seemed like something had changed within her. But, no–something had happened to all of us. We were eating one of those meals you just don’t forget, and our bodies were savoring every moment.
Persian rice
We soldiered on to the main courses sharing it all with each other. The crispy eggplant was incredible. The Persian rice was outstanding. The whole roasted cauliflower was absolutely amazing. Just when we thought we had no more room for food, we finished off the main courses with a massive lamb shank that was the best I’ve ever had.
Pomegranite braised lamb shank
Chef Alon himself was on hand to oversee the operations, and even on opening weekend the restaurant was running like a well-oiled machine. We’ve since been back a second time for lunch, and everything was spectacular then, too, a few weeks in. We’re already planning our next visit…
Safta is one of the most exciting new additions to the Denver restaurant scene, and if you haven’t been in yet I strongly encourage you to give it a try!
Interested in living near Safta? Click here to search nearby homes for sale.
Offering expert local knowledge is just one service that the David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown provides to its clients (who range from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) as it works to help them achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Good Denver Bike Shop: SloHi Bike Co.
We were trying to get both of our kids in the seats on our brand new Yuba cargo bike from SloHi Bike Co. Trying is the key word—what was actually happening was total chaos. Our one year old was flailing on the floor and screaming. Our two year old had just knocked over a box of bike parts and was wailing too. It was not exactly the scene most bike shop owners would want to be dealing with in the middle of a busy day in the middle of their bike shop.
We had just gotten back from an amazing vacation in the Alps two days prior, and both of our kids were still extremely jet lagged. The bike was a gift between my wife and I for our five year wedding anniversary, and we couldn’t wait to take the kids on their first ride. The Yuba cargo bikes are awesome–they can carry multiple kids, a grown adult, groceries, camping gear, and more, and SloHi helped us outfit ours all of the necessary accessories plus an electric motor to make it easier to handle the extra weight.
The kids were more interested in naps that, on Europe time, were about 8 hours overdue. “Just so you know, guys, the kids are not a problem at all. I don’t even hear them.  I’ve got two young kids myself,†the owner of the shop, Adam Williams, calmly told us. It alleviated the stress, and were able to successfully load up the kids and get them out on their first ride.
SloHi Bike Co. owner Adam Williams
A few minutes into our inaugural ride, we were loving it but had a couple questions about how to use the electric motor. Rather than talking through our questions on the phone, Adam rode his own bike 10 blocks to come meet us and walk us through it in person. We couldn’t have asked for better service.
As someone who has ridden tens of thousands of miles on a bike throughout the United Sates and across Europe, I know a thing or two about bikes. But buying a bike with kids in tow was a new experience for me—and SloHi Bike Co. made it super easy. Whereas most bike shops focus on high end road bikes and/or mountain bikes, SloHi Bike Co. caters more to families and specializes in the sale of cargo bikes, kid bikes, and city bikes. They do a great job at it.
The 29th Ave. shop may be small, but it is actually the largest brick and mortar Yuba distributor in the country. It has been open since 2013, and business has been steadily growing since then. Adam is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about bikes, but what really makes him happy is building a sense of community. That was the thought behind attaching a coffee shop to the bike shop, and if you go in on any given day, you’ll find kids getting their bike tires inflated, young professionals answering emails, and friendly employees helping people with whatever they need. The entire experience really takes the stress and intimidation factor out of buying a bike—or just a cup of coffee.
And, of course, the bikes themselves are awesome! We’ve now had ours for less than a week and have already ridden it every day. Our kids love it, too (as long as it isn’t nap time).
SloHi Bike Co. has two locations in Denver: one at 29th and Tennyson, and the other at Colfax and Steele. SloHi sells cargo bikes, kid’s bikes, city bikes, mountain, and road bikes. It also offers hourly, daily, and weekly bike rentals (and you can demo bikes and apply the rental cost to a purchase).
Interested in living near SloHi Bike Co.? Click here to search nearby homes for sale.
Offering expert local knowledge is just one service that the David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown provides to its clients (who range from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) as it works to help them achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Making Good Food For You: Kaitlin Skilken
Denver’s reputation as a top food city is getting stronger and stronger with each passing year. Our restaurant scene has become phenomenal, and great new restaurants seem to open nearly every month. You don’t have to go to a restaurant to get Good food in Denver, though. There are some amazing local chefs who will cater your special event or even come and cook a meal in your home kitchen–and one of these chefs who we have had the pleasure of working with is Kaitlin Skilken.
Roasted chicken with root vegetables and thyme, prepared by Kaitlin Skilken
When you talk to Kaitlin about food, you quickly begin to understand just how deeply intertwined her approach to food is with her approach to life itself. She cooks as she lives–with intention, and she doesn’t just settle for OK. She uses food as a way to deeply connect to people and to create lasting memories. We all have to eat; but in a world where entire meals are being condensed into mass-produced products meant to be eaten on the go, Kaitlin believes we deserve to eat real artisan food: food that is thoughtful, delicious, and made to be deeply enjoyed.
After graduating from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, Kaitlin lived and worked in New York City for six years. There, she attended the French Culinary Institute where she learned classic culinary technique from world renowned chefs. She then moved to Denver and spent the last six years doing everything from cooking, to managing, to recipe creation, to brand development, and more for Vert Kitchen, its coffee shop Overt, and the creation its line of grab-and-go food offerings.
Now, she’s working for herself and bringing her own unique culinary experience directly to her customers. She meal plans and cooks weekly for private clients, creates and executes custom menus for special events, and delivers memorable experiences for her clients through the healthy, unique, and ingredient-driven food she makes daily from scratch.
Seasonal toasts prepared by Kaitlin Skilken
Our team knew Kaitlin was a great chef, and that is why we recently hired her to cater a client appreciation event for us. Little did we know that it would end up being one of the most memorable events we’ve ever hosted. She came up with a “Keeping it Local” concept, serving all locally grown and sourced food and beverages, created a totally custom (and delicious) menu for the event, and executed it with perfection. The food was AMAZING, the drinks were delicious, but it was the experience she created for the evening that everyone will remember for years to come.
Kaitlin proves that you don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant for every special occasion; indeed, some of the best memories are created in your own home surrounded by those with whom you are closest, eating Good food made from fresh ingredients (by someone who really knows what they are doing).
To learn more about the services Kaitlin Skilken provides, click here.
Offering expert local knowledge is just one service that the David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown provides to its clients (who range from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) as it works to help them achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Denver’s Most Unique Beers to Try in 2018
Denver beer photo courtesy of Lindsey G/flickr
It is no secret that Colorado produces more beer per capita than any other state. Rightfully named the “Napa Valley of Beer,†it helps that Coors Brewery, the world’s largest brewery, is located next door to Denver in Golden, Colorado. However, new microbreweries keep popping up in Denver like daffodils in the springtime.
Sure, microbreweries are still making your classic IPAs and lagers, but they are experimenting with wild and diverse ingredients that really benefit the adventurous drinker. With new tasting rooms opening across the city, we thought we would narrow down some of your options. Here are some of Denver’s most unique breweries and some of the hidden beers you shouldn’t pass up!
Banana Stand Hefeweisen, from Chain Reaction Brewing Company at 902 S. Lipan Street has unique notes of banana and cloves. The brewery was named after Newton’s third law of motion that states, “every action has an equal and opposite reaction,†and this beer is easy to enjoy on a warm day with a little spice to awaken your taste buds. While you’re there, check out the Pink Peppercorn Saison as well that is smooth with little pepper kick.
Ever heard of Little Machine Beer at 2924 W. 20th Avenue? “Their beer names are as unique (and entertaining) as the beers themselves,†remarks fellow Denverite, Brendan Hufford. For example, try the “Limel Richie†Lime Lager and the “Razz Against the Machine†Tart Ale. Both beers are refreshing, crisp, dynamic and zingy.
A new collaboration is in the works for Cerveceria Colorado at 1635 Platte Street, which is set to open today (Cinco do Mayo) to bring the diverse flavors of Mexico to Denver. Their beers use Mexican ingredients and flavors such as cinnamon, chiles, nopal, chocolate, mole, lime, and agave. As their mission suggests, let’s build bridges, not walls.
Hogshead Brewery at 4460 W. 29th Avenue has a unique Porter that is served two different ways. You can choose to drink it on tap or drink it on cask. You can’t go wrong either way, but the brewery calls themselves “purveyors of cask conditioned ales,†so I know which route I would take. The Porter is roasty and spicy, but also smooth with a chocolatey, fruity finish.
Black Project Spontaneous & Wild Ales at 1290 S. Broadway St. offers sour and complex, often experimental beers. The brewery started with a mission to take historic recipes and add a modern twist, and they are good at what they do. As the co-founder Sarah Howart puts it, “sour beers have such character and nuance that really can’t be expressed in any other way. The way it dances on your palette and the way it pairs well with food is unrivaled when comes to other styles.†Black Project’s beers are often rotating and not all dark, but try Tomcat if they have it, which is a Whiskey Barrel Aged Imperial Stout full of robust flavor. If something lighter is more your style, their Magic Lantern: Apricot Blood Orange Gose is one of a kind.
Lastly, if hoppy beers are your thing, go to Cerebral Brewing at 1477 Monroe St for their Rare Trait IPA. This beer has rich notes of tangerine, mango, and peaches that bring together a hazy, bitter, yet smooth beer. As the name suggests, it is rare to find a beer as good.
Cheers to all of Denver’s amazing unique beers and breweries!
Guest contributor Dorothy Goodman is a Denver-based writer, homesteader, and baker.
To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook, follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter, and follow @thegoodlifedenver on Instagram!
Offering expert local knowledge is just one service that the David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown provides to its clients (who range from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors). Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Dairy Block: Bringing The Good Life to Denver’s Alleys
Development in Denver continues to move in bold new directions, and Dairy Block offers one of the latest examples of the new ways developers are approaching mixed use projects in an urban setting.
Dairy Block stretches across a city block in LoDo, between 18th and 19th, Wazee and Blake. The concept combines a hotel, restaurants, and the city’s first “activated†alley with shops, bars and restaurants. It is reminiscent of Stone Street in New York’s Financial District, Ankeny Alley in Portland and, with the lights strung above, Denver’s own Larimer Square.
The block was once home to Windsor Dairy, built in 1918. Cheese, milk and butter were processed in there until 1928, when Meadow Gold purchased the property. Today, the Maven Hotel and Kachina Southwestern Grill occupy the Northwest corner of the block, and the alleyway between Wazee and Blake will soon offer a unique pedestrian experience, with access turned in towards retail and restaurants.
Coined a “micro-district†in the heart of LoDo, Dairy Block will incorporate a storefront by Denver Flea for local Colorado retailers to sell their wares called “Free Market.†Also central to the plan is a food hall called “Milk Market,†overseen by renowned Denver restauranteur Frank Bonanno (of Mizuna, Osteria Marco, Green Russell, Bones, and more) with a whopping 15 original restaurant concepts. Poka Lola Social Club will serve cocktails alleyside, Engine Room Pizza will serve New York style pizza until 3am, and Lou’s Hot & Naked will serve Nashville-hot chicken. Mr. Pink, a live music lounge, will also occupy space in the mixed-use building.
Huckleberry Roasters, a Denver coffee shop, opened their second coffee shop location in the Dairy Block on January 31st. Other retailers leasing space include The Perfect Petal and Seven Grand, a Los-Angeles based whiskey bar. The developers are planning for around 20 vendors as long-term tenants but will also facilitate booth space for local artisans to rent out seasonally. On the Southeast corner, Run for the Roses, an Kentucky Derby-themed bar, will fill the space previously occupied by Delaney’s Bar and The Celtic.
Dairy Block is a collaborative effort by MCWHINNEY, Sage Hospitality and Grand American Inc.
Interested in living downtown near Dairy Block? Click here to search nearby homes for sale.
To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook, follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter, and follow @thegoodlifedenver on Instagram!
Offering expert local knowledge is just one service that the David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown provides to its clients (which range from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) as it works to help them achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
APPLY NOW for Free and Discounted Trees!
Applications are open for Denver Digs Trees, a program that has provided more than 50,000 free or discounted trees to Denver residents over the last 30 years. Â
Denver is losing lots of trees to the boom in construction, the fact that many of the trees in Denver were planted more than 100 years ago, and an astonishing 330,000 trees (1 in 6 in Denver!) are threatened by the Emerald Ash Borer, a non-native invasive beetle that has come to Colorado.
According to the Park People, the non-profit that runs the program, “28 target neighborhoods face particularly low tree-canopy cover, and therefore receive especially low-cost trees from the Denver Digs Trees program. These “target” neighborhoods include: Athmar Park, Auraria, Baker, Barnum, Barnum West, Chaffee Park, Clayton, Cole, College View/South Platte, East Colfax, Elyria-Swansea, Five Points, Globeville, Green Valley Ranch, Jefferson Park, Lincoln Park, Mar Lee, Montbello, Northeast Park Hill, Overland, Ruby Hill, Skyland, Sun Valley, Valverde, Villa Park, West Colfax, Westwood, and Whittier.”
Thanks to Denver Digs Trees, Denver residents can get private yard trees for just $35 (or $10 if you are in a target neighborhood), and all street trees are 100% free in 2018. These are trees that go in the space between the sidewalk and the street in what is sometimes referred to as your “tree lawn” or “public right of way.”
The program offers several different tree species from which to choose, though some species have already sold out.  The application deadline for the program is February 15, 2018, so apply now for the best selection!
Offering expert local knowledge about programs such as this one is just one service that the David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown provides to its clients (which range from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) as it works to help them achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
New Downtown Whole Foods: Lookin’ Good!
The wait is over– the long anticipated Whole Foods at Union Station is finally open!
Conveniently located at 17th and Wewatta, just steps from the train station, this brand new Whole Foods location opened to the public on November 17th and spans 50,000 square feet. The store – Colorado’s 21st Whole Foods- provides a welcomed healthy grocery and grab-and-go option for downtown dwellers, train commuters and professionals working in this new and bustling neighborhood.
The store has everything you’d expect from your standard Whole Foods and so much more. From local specialties to a grand prepared foods section to the much-publicized mac-and-cheese bar, the store has become yet another destination for the Union Station neighborhood. The kicker of this location? The 165-space covered parking garage, with free validation for customers.
Whole Foods has long been synonymous with healthy eating; here, shoppers will find organic produce, fresh seafood and meat, hard-to-find ingredients, and lots of locally sourced goods. The Union Station location also has all of Whole Foods’ standard departments–from the bakery to meat & poultry to produce to bulk foods–but also houses a large area with grab-and-go options for professionals and commuters (great for lunches!) and four Colorado-based food vendors – Birdcall, Tel Aviv Street Food, Allegro Coffee Roasters, and Füdmill.
Birdcall is an exciting new endeavor for the chain. Created by the founders of Park Burger, the full-service restaurant, housed within the store’s walls, serves southern-style fried chicken, salads, milkshakes, and biscuits. Instead of wait staff or a take-out counter, the restaurant uses walk-up kiosks or a phone app that operates with their custom software to take orders. Birdcall also marks the first time a Colorado Whole Foods has sold alcohol inside the store for on-site consumption. Tel Aviv Street Food, titled TLV within the store, serves shawarma, falafel and other Israeli-style pita sandwiches, while Füdmill, created by Denver chefs Alex Seidel and Keegan Gerhard, bakes small-batch handmade baked goods including eight exclusive focaccia flavors.
The spacious second-story lounge offers lots of seating, fit for a meet up with friends or a change of scenery from your local coffee shop haunt.
If you’ve been, you’ve probably noticed how spacious the store feels–especially in the coveted downtown real estate. The store’s second-floor patio/lounge provides shoppers with over 100 indoor and outdoor seats for dining in. And if the prepared foods area feels less cramped than usual, you’re right- it’s 28% larger than most other Whole Foods in city centers. The store employs 210 team members and brings 135 new jobs to the city. It also houses 75 Amazon lockers, where customers can ship and pick up groceries and packages.
Other special features of the store include a blend-your-own cold-pressed juice bar, anartisan cheese station, a grab-and-go mochi ice cream case and a Whole Body area with a Pacha Soap Co. product testing bar.
If you haven’t been, go now!
Whole Foods Union Station is located at 1701 Wewatta Street and operates from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Interested in living near the downtown Whole Foods? Click here to search nearby properties for sale.
The David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown helps clients (ranging from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Good Holiday Shopping and Food: Denver Christkindl Market
With the holidays upon us here in Denver, there is no shortage of themed events to keep you entertained and immersed in the holiday spirit. One such event is the Denver Christkindl Market. Christmas markets are an age old tradition, and a staple of the season in Germany and throughout Europe. Munich’s Christkindl is one of the most well known, drawing visitors from all over the world. While Denver may not have the centuries old charm of Munich, our ode to the European tradition is surely worth a visit.
To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook, follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter, and follow @thegoodlifedenver on Instagram!
The David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown helps clients (ranging from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Top Chef Colorado Premiering December 7
Denver’s dining scene has exploded in the last decade and has become one of the best in the country–and it is about to get some massive additional exposure with the newest season of Top Chef premiering on Dec. 7th. Filmed here in Denver, Boulder, Aspen, and Telluride, Colorado, this season, the show’s 15th, will be bringing great publicity to the state and further enhancing our reputation as one of the best places to eat in the country. The show features two Colorado chefs (Carrie Baird, executive chef at Bar Dough in Denver and Brother Luck, chef/owner of Four by Brother Luck in Colorado Springs) as competitors, and many well-known local chefs and restaurateurs make guest appearances. The cast lived in Capitol Hill during the filming of the show.
See below for a description of the season from Bravo, and tune in on Dec. 7th for the season premier!
Denver chef Carrie Baird, of Bar Dough, competes on the newest season of Top Chef (photo courtesy of Bravo)
“Bravo Media’s Top Chef embarks on an epic culinary adventure through the state of Colorado for season 15. The Emmy and James Beard Award-winning series will follow 15 diverse chefs from across the country as they battle it out for the coveted title amid the breathtaking landscapes and thriving culinary scenes in Denver, Boulder, Telluride and Aspen. Host Padma Lakshmi, head judge Tom Colicchio return to the judges table alongside Gail Simmons and Graham Elliot.
This season, the competition reaches new heights as the chefs battle it out on an epicurean road trip through Colorado, traveling to Denver, Boulder, Telluride and Aspen. From deconstructing the Denver Omelet and preparing Rocky Mountain Oysters to tailgating with the Broncos, the level of competition for these 15 chefs is going to be a mile high. With the judges looking for the chefs’ peak performances, the challenges will test the competitors’ culinary abilities in picturesque locales including a food festival in Larimer Square, a blizzard infused campfire cook-off, and cauldron cooking at the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen. In addition, social media star Logan Paul heads to Boulder and Olympians Gus Kenworthy, Meryl Davis and John Daly will challenge the chefs in an all-around culinary competition focusing on speed, precision and presentation…
Throughout the season, the chefs will be tasked with serving up food for culinary stars including: Curtis Stone (Head Judge on Top Chef Jr.), Naomi Pomeroy, Richard Blais (Top Chef: All-Stars Winner), John Besh, Bruce and Eric Bromberg, David Kinch, Adam Perry Lang, Johnny Iuzzini, Wylie Dufresne, Paul Liebrandt, Michael Voltaggio (Top Chef Season Six Winner), Bryan Voltaggio, Chris Cosentino and Nilou Motamed. Also lending their expertise are local Colorado greats Troy Guard, Alex Seidel, Hosea Rosenberg (Top Chef Season Five Winner), Lachlan MacKinnon-Patterson, Keegan Gerhard, Jen Jasinski (Top Chef Masters Finalist) and Frank Bonanno.”
To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook, follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter, and follow @thegoodlifedenver on Instagram!
The David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown helps clients (ranging from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Introducing Luxury Listings in Denver
80 S. Bellaire St. in Denver. Photo courtesy of Keller Williams Integrity Real Estate
Do you find yourself constantly looking online at the photos of beautiful homes for sale?
As experienced Denver real estate agents, we get to see thousands of properties per year, from starter homes in up-and-coming neighborhoods to penthouse condos in Denver’s most prominent buildings. We often hear how lucky we are to get to see the insides of so many incredible homes, and we agree! But we think you should be able to see the inside of Denver’s best listings, too.
That’s why we created Luxury Listings in Denver. Luxury Listings in Denver is a website devoted to showcasing our favorite new luxury listings in Denver, and we highlight just our favorite luxury listing each week.
From the home page, you can browse the most recent luxury listings we’ve featured. Or, click on the different property types on the navigation bar to view only homes, condos or town houses. You can also sign up for a weekly email with the latest featured property. Because of the nature of our fast-moving market, some of the homes we feature may already be sold or under contract by the time you are reading the article. But if you’d like to search all Denver homes for sale, click here or contact us today to schedule a meeting to discuss your search or sale!
Enjoy!
To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook, follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter, and follow @thegoodlifedenver on Instagram!
The David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown helps clients (ranging from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Light rail users and Tech Center dwellers have been waiting for something this Good for years- and it’s finally open! The mixed-use, transit-oriented Belleview Station provides commuters with a pit stop worth talking about.
This master planned development creates a destination for commuters and residents alike, with retail, residential and office space occupying the land. Belleview Station, situated on the west side of I-25, spans east to west from Niagara to Quebec and north to south from Union to Belleview. Master developer Front Range Land and Development worked with the owners of the land, the Bansbach family, in whose name the land had been for more than 125 years. The achieved vision? To create a dynamic center where the city meets the suburbs.
Corvus Coffee, owned by Phil Goodlaxson, opened its second location in Belleview Station, with this location specializing in cold brew coffee; flights of different cold brews and flavors rotate daily.
Some of Denver’s most popular local restaurants and retail businesses have leased space in Belleview station along Newport Street, the main pedestrian thoroughfare. To name a few: Los Chingones, Backcountry Delicatessen, Sushi-Rama, Matthew Morris Salon, A Line boutique and Corvus Coffee. There are also two fitness studios (Orange Theory and Barre3), two luxury apartment complexes (MileHouse and The Den), and several service businesses, all of which are walkable from the light rail. MileHouse is fully leased, but apartments are currently still available at The Den, including studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments and featuring coveted amenities like a rooftop deck, sky lounge pool, garden courtyard, game lawn and fitness room.
The station’s website includes the full master plan for the 51 total acres of land, with drawings for each city block. In it are plans for additional office, retail and multifamily space, as well as one to two hotels and more manicured green space. Although still under construction, amenities like the walking paths and dog park are already complete and in use.
This suburban center mimics the planning happening in urban Denver- planning that-creates denser, walkable communities. Only here, it’s to serve those that live in the area and aren’t willing to make the drive through traffic to get downtown. Plus, the station has ample parking spaces for commuters, many of which are free for several hours.
To search nearby homes for sale, click here.
To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook, follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter, and follow @thegoodlifedenver on Instagram!
The David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown helps clients (ranging from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Stanley Marketplace is Awesome!
If you love The Source, Avanti, and The Central Market, hurry to Denver’s newest addition in the market hall trend: Stanley Marketplace. Stanley Marketplace is a new food hall and open market concept on the eastern edge of the Stapleton neighborhood (technically in Aurora). It features over 50 independently owned Colorado businesses, ranging from restaurants, to fitness studios, to shops selling locally made goods. Prior to the renovation, the historic building was the former Stanley Aviation manufacturing plant. Their mission, or “Stanifesto†as they call it, is to create community based around the beliefs of sustainability, creativity and business for the greater good. “Stanley Marketplace is where people go to live: to eat, drink, work, play, learn grow, gather, and explore, to see friends and to make new ones.â€
Most of the businesses in Stanley Marketplace are existing Colorado businesses that have opened a second (or third, or fourth!) location at Stanley. Some of our favorite Colorado businesses, including Rosenberg’s Bagels, Sweet Cow Ice Cream, Endorphin, Kindness Yoga, and Denver Biscuit Company have hubs at Stanley, making it a destination for both neighborhood locals and for those from other neighborhoods looking for a change of scenery. There are also several new or first-time brick-and-mortar shops. Foodies mustn’t miss a brunch, happy hour or dinner at Annette, a fine-dining restaurant by Caroline Glover (formerly a sous chef at Acorn). Annette was recently named one of 5280’s 25 Best Restaurants and 5280’s Best New Restaurant in their July 2017 Top of the Town feature.
Stanley Marketplace now serves as a hub for the neighborhood, but the planning and construction took years—and an approximately $30 million. Remediation, construction and renovation for Stanley Marketplace began in August of 2014, and while the original plan was for all of the shops to open simultaneously, construction hiccups and other delays forced the openings to span several months. Today, much of the space in the former aviation plant is occupied, and lively metro Denver residents fill the open halls, eating, drinking, working and shopping the day away.
Check it out if you haven’t been yet! Stanley Marketplace is located at 2501 Dallas St. in northwest Aurora. To search nearby homes for sale, click here.
To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook and follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter and @thegoodlifedenver on Instagram!
The David Schlichter Team at Keller Williams Realty Downtown helps clients (ranging from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact us today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
Denver Residential Real Estate Market: January 2017 Update
This LoHi listing was sold by David Schlichter in 2016 for $737,800.
In 2016, our clients sold homes at record prices, bought homes with historically low interest rates, and/or held on to properties and watched them appreciate significantly. Below are some highlights of the end of 2016 Denver residential real estate market data and a few predictions for 2017:
2016 DATA
- Median home prices in the Denver metro area ended the year up 11.3% from last year.
- The average sale price for detached single family homes in the metro area in December was $424,648, and in Denver County it was $472,537.
- The average sale price for attached single family homes in the metro area in December was $307,247, and in Denver County it was $380,742.
- The number of active homes for sale in the metro area was down to 6,715 in December versus 8,189 at the same time last year. In Denver County, there were 1,449 homes for sale, down from 1,619 last year.
- 30-year fixed rate mortgages ended the year at an average of 4.32%.
2017 PREDICTIONS
Assuming no major negative or positive surprises that significantly alter the economy or the Denver housing market, our prediction is that 2017 will be another strong year for Denver real estate, marked by the following trends:
- CONTINUED POPULATION GROWTH: Denver will continue to be a rapidly growing city in 2017, which will increase demand for a limited supply of housing.
- RISING INTEREST RATES: Interest rates have already risen and are expected to rise in 2017. As interest rates rise, homes will become less affordable. The sooner buyers who are currently looking are able to make a purchase, the lower their interest rate will likely be, the more affordable their home will likely be, and the less they will pay in interest over the life of the loan.
- SLOWING RATE OF PRICE APPRECIATION: Denver has become significantly less affordable in recent years with a rate of price appreciation double that of the national average. Interest rates are rising, making home purchases even less affordable, and our national political and economic environment is defined by unusual uncertainty given a highly unconventional election. All three of these factors will put downward pressure on our rate of price appreciation and likely slow it from the unusual double-digit percentage growth to which we have grown accustomed in recent years.
Is 2017 a year in which you think you’ll be selling or buying real estate? If so, let’s get together this month to start to put the wheels in motion. Contact us today to schedule an appointment, or please be in touch if someone you know is considering buying or selling a home in 2017.
The Good Life Denver is written by David Schlichter. To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook and follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter and @thegoodlifedenver on Instagram!
In addition to writing for The Good Life Denver, David works full-time as a Denver real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. David and his team help clients (ranging from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact David today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
The Denver Central Market is Spectacular
The Denver Central Market
The Denver Central Market opened its doors in late September, and the finished product is spectacular. Envisioned by developer Ken Wolf and restaurateur Jeff Osaka, the Central Market is a combination of a gourmet market and food hall at 27th and Larimer that houses eleven quality food/beverage vendors. Whether you’re in the mood for baked goods, fresh fish, a pizza, ice cream, chocolates, coffee, a drink, a sandwich, a plated meal, or just fresh ingredients for your next home-cooked meal, the Central Market has you covered.
A view inside the Central Market
Starting with The Source, followed by Avanti, and with Stanley Marketplace opening soon, food halls have taken off recently in Denver (not to mention Union Station). At the Central Market, the execution is top-notch, the quality of the food is exceptional, the rehabilitation of the building celebrates its history infusing tasteful contemporary finishes, and the resulting ambiance is exciting and invigorating. What’s more, the fact that the Central Market offers fresh meat and fish, produce, and dry and prepared foods for sale is a huge asset for the neighborhood. Grocery options have been minimal in the area, so this is particularly important as RiNo becomes more populated with new residential infill.
Produce options available at the Central Market
Click here for a link to a great Westword interview of Central Market founders Ken Wolf and Jeff Osaka, and be sure to check out the Central Market soon! I’m sure you’ll be as hooked as I am.
The Denver Central Market is located between 26th and 27th on Larimer St. Interested in living near the Central Market? Click here to search nearby homes for sale.
The Good Life Denver is written by David Schlichter. To stay in the loop, like The Good Life Denver on Facebook and follow @thegoodlifeden on Twitter and @thegoodlifedenver on Instagram!
In addition to writing for The Good Life Denver, David works full-time as a Denver real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty Downtown, LLC. David and his team help clients (ranging from sellers, to buyers, to seasoned investors) achieve their residential real estate goals. Contact David today for all of your Denver real estate needs. Direct: 720-440-2340
