Speer

Speer lies along the transition between the very upscale Cherry Creek east end, and the older, commercial strip of Broadway on the west. It also runs from Capitol Hill on the north to the Washington Park West area on the south. Given these different influences, you might expect a mix up upscale, casual, eclectic, and even slightly gritty edges. That's just what you'll get in this neighborhood.

South of Speer is a very wealthy neighborhood, with upscale homes surrounded by a high wall. This extension of the Country Club neighborhood is beyond the financial reach of anyone who might get sticker shock in Cherry Creek. The Governor's Park neighborhood to the north is a funky, lively neighborhood with longstanding local bars and restaurants among the old mansions and Parks. It's expensive too, but not as upscale as the south section. Finally, along Broadway, there is an older, more affordable strip of retail with some more excellent restaurants, and more affordable homes.

The restaurants and shopping here are terrific, as is the living if you can afford it. While this area is very close to Downtown, it has a very different vibe. This is a wonderful Denver neighborhood to live and play. Even those who can't afford to live here head to the neighborhood for dinner sometimes.

The Speer neighborhood is defined mostly by its fringes. Its western border is South Broadway, a bustling and sometimes raucous spot for nightlife, shopping, and good food. (See my review of Baker for a fuller description of everything that South Broadway, a.k.a. SoBo, has to offer.) On the north, 6th Avenue abuts Capitol Hill and offers some great restaurants (Little India, Brothers BBQ), a cigar shop, a local favorite coffeeshop (Pablo’s), and a cozy classic movie theater (the Esquire).

The chewy center of the neighborhood is made up of quiet residential streets. Towards the north, Speer feels like a grown-up and more sedate extension of Capitol Hill: homes are gracious, older, expensive. South of Speer Boulevard, there are more apartment buildings and a slightly younger population, drawn by the bright lights of South Broadway. The neighborhood is relatively safe and a popular choice for families with breadwinners who work in white-collar jobs downtown.

If you’re looking for a close-in neighborhood that also offers peace and quiet, Speer is a good choice. Cherry Creek and its bike path run diagonally through the neighborhood. Speer Boulevard traffic rumbles up on its banks, but down along the creek, it’s not unusual to see mallards dabbling, black-crowned night herons stalking, or even one of the red foxes that haunts the storm drains in the neighborhood.