Mar Lee

Mar Lee is one of those areas that you would think would be worse than it is because of it's close proximity to some rather questionable neighborhoods. The area is predominantly Hispanic, although closely followed by white. Homes in this neighborhood go from the low $100,000 to the mid $100,000s. Within the neighborhood is a great lake and park for residents to enjoy.

There are some businesses on the bordering streets such as Walgreens, Fast Cash Pawn & Gold Center, and a grocery store. There are other businesses too, but for the most part you can get what you need in the neighborhood with the exception of clothing.

For the most part, crime in this neighborhood is lower than many of the surrounding areas, but I would still exercise caution. There can be some seedy people hanging out on Federal Blvd. Overall though, this is a quiet neighborhood close to many things and inexpensive compared to many other areas surrounding Denver.

Mar Lee is a better neighborhood than many other southwest Denver spots. Housing costs here are much lower than the average Denver neighborhood. This is an area with older homes, and there are some bad blocks here. But overall this could be a good spot to find a deal on a home. This area has great views and nice park spaces, like most of southwest Denver.

While Mar Lee isn't exactly adjacent to downtown, it's not too far out of the way. Federal and Sheridan see heavy traffic, but compared to many commutes this one is a breeze. This neighborhood also has shopping within and surrounding the neighborhood. Federal Blvd has great ethnic food stores and little family restaurants, but it is also rough in stretches, including this one.

This is an old urban neighborhood, and might strike some people as looking run-down, especially if you are used to spanking-new suburban areas. But these older neighborhoods have a lot more charm and character, as well as nicer green spaces, than suburbs. So if you like living in the city, but prefer to avoid the crowded neighborhoods of the more central metro areas, then this could be just the place for you. The low housing prices, great views, and access to downtown will appeal to many professionals and families.

This post-WWII neighborhood lies off of Federal Boulevard in southwest Denver. It seems to share more the character of Harvey Park to the south than of Westwood to the north. Although it’s by no means affluent, and many children receive reduced-cost or free school lunches, it doesn’t have the reputation of many other southwest Denver areas for poverty, crime, or gang activity (although such elements may still be present in the neighborhood). Construction is mostly tract homes that age, and decades of ownership, have mellowed. A few are tricked out with solar panels, and cottonwood trees line the streets. Sanderson Gulch trail runs through the heart of the neighborhood, providing a paved thoroughfare for bikers, walkers, and runners, that goes by an inviting trickle of a stream. Garfield Park, on the neighborhood’s northern edge, is a little gem. Trails circle a large pond or small lake with a couple islands of greenery in the middle. Major commercial strips are Sheridan, Florida, and Federal. (See my review of Westwood for more on South Federal Boulevard.) Federal in this area, however, could use some work – a solid handful of its stores are currently boarded up, and there are some dilapidated apartments in that area, as well. Otherwise, Mar Lee seems like a decent middle class neighborhood, with appealingly low housing prices.