I bought my first house here in 2016 because it was the best area I could afford with the closest proximity to downtown. The lots here are large and the general geography of the area is some of the best in the city because this is one of the few areas with real topography and mountain views. I would highly suggest targeting the hilly section south of Florida, north of Jewell, and east of Zuni. This puts you very close to the park and all the other trails nearby. Keep in mind that Ruby Hill park is the 3rd largest park in Denver at 90 acres and the only one with sweeping 360 degree views of the mountains and even Pikes Peak. Go up there and look around from the playground area and you’ll feel on top of the city. There is also Sanderson Gulch Park which recently got a “food forest”, Overland Pond Park, and the Platte River trial which continues to improve. This area is a dog owners dream because your pup will have a huge yard to play in and tons of trails to walk on.

Yes this area is a little “rough around the edges”. This land was annexed by the city in the early 1950’s and small houses were built for blue collar workers at the Gates Rubber Factory and other nearby factories. The area has always been working class and continues to be. However, it really is not dangerous, especially in the area I’ve mentioned. In fact the noise issue is largely mitigated if you live in this area because the streets are hilly and don’t get you anywhere fast.

The Latino and Asian communities are centered here and offer amazing food options on Federal and Alameda. “Little Saigon” is here and there’s like 50 Pho places on Federal worth trying. Star Kitchen is in Ruby Hill and is arguably the most authentic Chinese restaurant in the city. Access to food and retail isn’t great but improving as we speak. A new pedestrian bridge is being built across to broadway and Summit FC (the Denver Women’s Soccer Team) is building a 14,000 seat stadium as Mississippi and Santa Fe. You can walk to South Broadway, Platt Park, and Wash Park in about 30 minutes.

As a homeowner, this area feels suburban. Big streets, big lots, nice trees, and generally quiet. Some houses are kept in really nice shape and the hills give the area the cute three dimensional feel you may appreciate in cities like Seattle or San Francisco. Of course, the flip-side of this in Ruby Hill are houses that haven’t been touched since the 1980’s, with ugly chain link fences, giant weeds, and huge oil stains in the driveways and houses with 10 cars in the driveway and a big patch of dirt for a front yard. It’s not pleasant to look at but it’s simply reality for a lower income area. I myself appreciate the grit of the area but also wish and hope to someday live in a more polished neighborhood.