The Inside Scoop

LoHi, Lower Highlands in brief, refers to the southeastern part of the Highlands portion of Downtown Denver. This unique hood is takin' an incline in favor amongst yuppies, students, artists and even the venturing business folk, where modern architecture meets historic homesteads. This trendy and welcoming hood is a cluster of varying homes for sale in Highlands, the south and east quarters. The village-like feel reminds one of Californian Carmel, the coziness of Door County and the charm of Brooklyn New York. The newly built Highland Bridge, spanning I-25, connects the hustle and bustle of LoDo and Central Business Districts for work, play and everything in between...

More homey and up-and-coming than other Downtown locations, LoHi is attractin' the tourists and outer Denverites with its plethora of newer shops, galleries, salons, spas, boutiques, artsy restaurants and ambient bistros. All this along with appealing Victorians and brownstones mixed in with state-of-the-art low- and mid-rise condos, townhomes and lofts dotting the hillside. The suitable and colorful area holds in store a melange of city parks, trails and eye-pleasing streets for singles as well as young couples and families.

Entertainment, Theater & Music

Things slow down a bit in LoHi compared to LoDo and Capitol Hill, so be prepared to drop it into low gear amid the homes for sale in the lower Highlands. The newly-restored spires and steeples of the area's medley of churches invokes the feeling that everything's gonna be a'ight, so get out for a bit and enjoy the downtown city scape and colorful streets of LoHi, listen to the soothing sounds of a carefree band or amuse the eyes at an art venue...

Lose yourself in the thought-provoking and abstract exhibits of the Museum of Contemporary Art, now in the second year of residence in its new “glowing” abode. Join in conversational reverie with artists, fellow beholders or just yourself, pondering over the ever-evolving galleries and awe-inspiring installations of regional, national and international artisans. Catch a breath of fresh air on the Rooftop Deck, with native gardens and fabulous views of the Denver skyline. Stimulate the mind with the alternative arts of Bug Theatre Company on Navajo Street, as they whoop it up in off-the-wall performances and fascinate with odd and captivating productions. Get jiggy with it, courtesy of a cantankerous concert in the park or tuned-up bands in the local bars and clubs. Next door neighbor LoDo has the Paramount Theater for rockin' rowdies, the Performing Arts Center for Broadway fanatics and the Pepsi Center for concert groupies or sports diehards...

Nightlife

Once again, life in LoHi passes at a more laid back pace, so be prepared to chill out and kick it with locals and your gang in the comfy confines of the neighborhood bars. When you're lookin' for company on a lonesome wintry night, get out of your antisocial self and cozy up to the bar or karaoke mic for some good ol' fashioned tomfoolery with friendly folk. Party down in style and get loco at the lounges, or take in the summer air on countrified patios...

Take a step back in time at Zio Romolos Alley Bar, on West 32nd Avenue, marked by a Coca-Cola trademark painted on the alley wall and loaded with original antiques, which they put to present use. With an Art Deco theme and Pasquini's Pizzeria next door, you'll feel you've been transported back to 1930's Chicago. How's about a cosmopolitan campout at Forest Room 5? Their most popular patio is exactly that, with outdoor movie showings, a babbling brook and warm-and-fuzzy firepits. Too bad you can't actually pitch a tent here though. It takes two to tango, so grab a partner and high tail it to the Tango House for latin love mojo. puts on about every other month to encourage the love of Tango and mingling with those that are in love or looking for love. Watch yourself! Show 'em what you're workin' with or learn a thing or two from the classes they offer, the dance floor's got plenty of room for either, course you've got to keep your toes close when the pros pass by...

Area Restaurants

Cuisine and ambiance here are as blended as the homes for sale in Highlands. Restaurants range from shining chic and succulent stick-to-your-ribs menus to cozy cafes and graceful grills. Boulder Street's Vita claims a gracious title from 5280 Magazine as on of Denver's top ten restaurants, with a rooftop terrace that hosts regular dinner service or receptions under the lights of Denver's highrises, a dining room that displays vibrant works of local artists and a kitchen grill that serves up serious seafood and melt-in-your-mouth meats. Food & Wine Magazine rated the Mexican hot spot Lola as one of the “top 5 places to drink tequila in the country”, accompanied by tantalizing tacos, all enjoyed on their street-side patio with an excellent view of the downtown skyline.

Jay's stellar cafes dish out one-of-a-kind sups and sips in the heart of LoHi. Jay's Patio Cafe, on Upper 15th, features build-your-own salads and espresso drinks and patio seating with plenty of shade. Its counterpart, Jay's Parkside Cafe overlooks Commons Park, providing refreshing Italian sodas, milkshakes and satisfying sandwiches. Savor a taste of Italy at Proto's Pizzeria, one of many Denver locations in a boomin' chain, just across Highland Bridge on 15th. The list goes on and on and thrivin' on the flavas of LoHi is a well-spent and well-received pastime in this hood...

Parks & Recs

You'll be jumpin' for joy over the abundance of activities available in the LoHi area. For being nestled in between I-25 and I-70, you'd wouldn't expect to find many chances for outdoor romping and roving here. Guess again! A few minutes' ride and you'll come to the South Platte River Greenway, a trail that follows the river for 30 miles with stops at Confluence, Commons, and Cuernavaca Parks, among other relaxing respites of green. These parks give you the option to kayak on the South Platte (unbelievably), show off your skills at the wicked skate park in 25-acre Commons Park or play frisbee with the crew or play fetch with Spot...

In the winter time, Commons Park is the perfect winter wonderland, where you can frolic in the snow, sledding its hills that flank the South Platte, build your own Frosty or sit and enjoy your peppermint mocha on a park bench while admiring the surrounding vistas of LoDo and the Rocky Mountains. Dive inside and soak in the pool or shoot the hoops in the gym at Ashland Rec Center on the north side of the hood. REI has a flagship store on Platte and 15th for rockclimbin' on their indoor climbing wall, the Pinnacle. Rain or shine, there's a place for playin' and sportin' in and around LoHi, when you're not strollin' the village-like streets or rovin' among the art galleries and bars.

The Commute

There's nowhere more convenient for jaunts or cruisin' than LoHi, with city channels bordering this hamlet. The Highland Bridge has done a lot in its recent existence to provide a pedestrian platform from 16th Street over I-25 to Platte Street and beyond, to places like LoDo and the Central Business District to work and play. To the south, Speer Boulevard and 29th Avenue let you quickly access these and other other parts of Downtown Denver in your ride. Need to get to DIA, Park Meadows or the outer limits? The roarin' I-25, which will chute you up to I-70, is just an on-ramp away. Alternatives, when you don't feel like fightin' the road rage, are the light rail of Denver, hubbed at Union Station, and taxi cabs, just a call away to sweep you up and drop you off.

Shopping

From the front doorsteps of the homes for sale in Lower Highlands, a giant bag of newer shops, boutiques, galleries and stores spill over the streets. Red Door, on 15th Street, is a mixture of far-out furniture, vogue handbags and a kaleidoscope of things for the kids or the kitchen. Ladies, find stylish fashion courtesy of Swank Boutique and Mona Lucero's Design Boutique on 15th. Guys, grab the girlie and head on down to Perpetual Clothing, a used clothing shop where you can sell unwanted rags at the same time as finding some new ones, all in one visit. Phoebe's Past & Presents, down on Platte, remains the best place to find wild odds & ends, one-of-a-kind gifts and international music. Decorate your digs with art with a stop at the shop inside the Museum of Contemporary Art or from 23rd Avenue Sculpture Studio & Gallery, wtih unique and abstract sculptures to accent inside your home or outside in the garden...

Hop over the Highland Bridge to 16th Street Mall in LoDo, for national clothing chains, bookstores, and art galleries. Nearby Larimer Square houses local boutiques and shops for a more familiar, yet ecclectic mix of modes.

Going Green

The City of Denver’s Climate Action Agenda, which has the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 10 percent by 2012, is spreading green practices with more support than ever throughout the metro hoods. When checkin' out the homes for sale in the lower Highlands, be sure to inquire with HOA's and communities about the green practices of your neighbors...

Greenprint Denver is an awesome resource and community newsletter for residents all over to help out and get their questions answered regarding recycling programs, sustainability, and reducing greenhouse emissions. So get with the program and join the other Denverites who desire to counteract the nasty habits that, one day, could reverse the effects of pollution and careless littering on our handsome home.

Schools

When it's time for gettin' the chitlins their teachin' in Downtown Denver, it isn't your typical day in history class, as there be many educational choices from preschools/early childhood education up to universities & colleges. In the metro area, Denver Public Schools provides scores of schools to pick from – for as long as there's space, your offspring can attend ANY school and DPS employs a lottery system if too many applications are received for one in particular. LoHi's got plenty of traditional, nontraditional and private choices like Bryant Webster, Trevista (Horace Mann), Denver North Institute of World Living,Contemporary Learning Academy, Academia Ana Maria Sandoval and Escuela de Guadalupe. These teach pupils ranging from toddlers all the way to high school ages and offer highly-gifted and talented programs close to homes for sale in Highlands. CEC Middle College and the Denver Center for International Studies help prepare students for college and the business world with exemplary classes and activities...

For the older teachables, get your share of higher learning by attending one of the great colleges and universities right here in Downtown. University of Colorado Denver, Metro State College of Denver and Community College of Denver are here to help and edumacate! Visit the Tivoli Student Union, a division of the Auraria Higher Education Center, for programs, services and assistance with such improvement steps. If you'd like to get some wicked art or design skills then the Art Institute of Colorado is right down the road.

Sports

Get rollin' on your blades, board, or bike, as the South Platte River Greenway is accessible from your LoHi digs, givin' you a total of 30 miles for play and passin' the peds. Stop at one of the parks that it traverses to toss the football or volley around about the other players ready for you to join in. To the west of LoHi, Ashland Rec Center provides a small gym for your fix of basketball with your croanies and an indoor pool to swim laps...

In case you don't know, big-time sports are a happenin' just across the Bridge! At the Pepsi Center, catch the Denver Nuggets OR the Avalanche in an intense battle against those non-contenders from out-of-state. Hit Coors Field to watch the Rockies slam rivals like the Dodgers or Giants. Best of all, enter Invesco Field and witness the crushing power of our very own Broncos against, say, the Faiders... oh, we mean, Raiders. So whenever you need a little rabble-rousin' and crowd-pleasin' action, popular pastimes are right down the road.

Medical & Health Care

Keeping your outer glow and tone is easy around LoHi, as many salons and spas an yoga sites proliferate in the hood. Shapes Salon & Studio, Symmetry Therapeutic Massage Spa and Midtowne Spa Inc. on Muni pamper and please the residents of LoHi...

In the case of an emergency situation arising from a mishap at home or a broken appendage on one of your excursions in the village, one of the many hospitals or clinics nearby can repair and restore you.

Three major health care systems give medical aide here in Downtown Denver - HealthOne, Denver Health, and Exempla. HealthOne Systems have the LoDo Internal Medicine Clinic (doubles as the AfterOurs Urgent Care for late night help) on Wazee and the full-fledged Presbyterian/St Luke's Medical Center on East 19th Avenue. Denver Health Medical Center awaits near 8th & Delaware, Exempla St. Joseph's Hospital is ready to mend on Franklin and the University of Colorado provides advanced yet comprehensive care at their hospital on West 13th Avenue. Alternative medicine is available at Healing Arts on 16th Street, who combines eastern and western medicine in cooperation with many of the above facilities. No need to worry, get out there and thrive in LoHi.