Denver's Jefferson Park Neighborhood
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Jefferson Park is marked by a variety of housing styles and architecture from various eras. Single family homes from the late 19th century stand next to apartment complexes built in the 1950s and a current boon of development at the turn of the millennium. Jefferson Park is currently experiencing a renaissance in investment and development due to its proximity to Downtown Denver, major attractions in the Central Platte Valley, and its availability of reasonably priced housing as compared to the neighborhoods surrounding it that have already completed gentrification.
Jefferson Park’s location, affordable housing, and neighborhood feel brought it back to the attention of the city and home-buyers that were tired of long commutes and wanted an urban lifestyle. Jefferson Park was made a focus neighborhood by the city of Denver and investment in infrastructure and beautification began.
Eventually, Jefferson Park United Neighbors (or JPUN) was formed in 2000, after a controversial large-scale development by Sullivan-Hayes threatened to destroy the character of the neighborhood and condemn a number of homes. The residents of Jefferson Park banded together and formed JPUN after the now defunct Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association (JPNA) failed to act. The neighbors formed JPUN, created by-laws, and fought Sullivan-Hayes by talking to their council people and Mayor Wellington Webb. The proposed development which would have condemned many 19th Century homes and turned the park into an amphitheater was defeated. It was at this point that the residents turned their attention to improving the neighborhood.
Since 2000, controlled investment and development has brought positive change to the neighborhood, although much of the neighborhood is still mired in poverty. Relative to neighboring areas of North Denver, relatively few homes in Jefferson Park are owner occupied. Through relationships with Invesco Field at Mile High, the City of Denver and other entities Jefferson Park has been able to pave alleys, beautify blocks, plant trees, upgrade curbs and encouraged development and improvement throughout the neighborhood. Jefferson Park is considered one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city due to its proximity to Downtown and neighborhood feel – the future looks bright for the neighborhood.
If you like The Jefferson Park area, you will also like the Highlands, Berkeley, Sloan Lake and Regis.
Jefferson Park Neighborhood Association: http://jpun.org/
Boundries: Speer Boulevard to the North, Invesco Field to the South, Federal to the West and I-25 to the East
