Harvey Park

It's hard for me to think of anything in particular to say about Harvey Park. To me it's just "southwest Denver". That doesn't mean it's not a good place to live, it's just that it doesn't suit me. But my priorities are very different than most, because I'm not now and never will be looking for a good place to raise a family. If I were, I might be more drawn to this area.

Harvey Park has older homes, and home prices here are very attractive. Commutes to the city are packed with heavy traffic, so they are not quick, but it's really not that far. For some reason this feels much farther away than equidistant neighborhoods to the east. Many west neighborhoods have a bit of a bad reputation, but this is a nice safe neighborhood with an old suburban feel. There are parks and golf courses nearby. Southwest Denver has excellent mountain views from the parks and other open vantage points.

The retail options in the western parts of Denver have an older strip-mall feel, but there are also some excellent ethnic food markets on South Federal. Home prices here are much more attractive than in areas to the north and east. Families who want to be away from the crowded central districts but still fairly close to the city might enjoy Harvey Park.

Originally built during the post-WWII suburban boom, Harvey Park entered a period of brief decline during the late 20th century, but has come back as a more diverse middle-class suburban neighborhood. There is nothing spectacular about the area to outsiders, though fans of mid-century modern architecture find a lot to like about it, and many residents enjoy the eponymous park with its scenic lake, the mature trees, and the mellow homes. It’s bounded on the east by Federal (see my review on Westwood for more about South Federal) and on the west, Sheridan has a Target store as well as a handful of restaurants. Harvey Park streets are liberally dotted with churches. There’s nothing upscale about Harvey Park, and although South Federal can be gritty at times, nothing particularly downscale about it either. Housing is affordable, though unfortunately that has been in part because of some foreclosures in the area. Harvey Park generally sports smaller, less expensive homes, while those in Harvey Park South are somewhat larger and fetch higher prices. Many residents of both areas seem invested in the neighborhood, which has some nicely landscaped yards and basketball hoops and trampolines indicating a family-friendly feel. Commuters should be forewarned, however, that it may take a while to get from Harvey Park to downtown or the Tech Center during rush hour.