The last time you were driving around downtown Denver or Colorado Springs, did you stop and think, “Couldn’t they have made this a lot easier with straight lines?” What about the suburbia trap; lost in a maze of cookie cutter houses desperately trying to get to an arterial road where you can find a landmark? Why is this?
Well, the truth of the matter is that 95% of cities, both urban and suburban, are a conglomeration of different ideas built at different times in an organic growth. If you’re not sure what that means, give some finger paints and a large piece of butcher paper to a group of 5 year olds. Draw a circle in the center and tell them to paint around it. After about five minutes, your end product will look like a hodgepodge of different colors and shapes with very little order to it. This is how cities develop.
Master Planned Communities in Colorado
There is, however, an alternative: Master Planned Communities or MPCs. Rather than having several housing developments clustered around a neutral shopping center, a vast land area about the size of a small town is designed from the ground up. This Master Plan not only includes houses and parks but shopping and events centers, restaurants, movie theaters, farmer’s markets, etc. with each in a well thought out location for convenience and comfort. Sometimes the amenities are placed in a centralized area. In other MPCs, the shopping centers may be broken up and dispersed through the community. Either way, the layout has been thought out with most of these interest points within walking or biking distance from every home in the community. Additionally, most MPCs maintain a small governing body or board of members that plans out a plethora of community events allowing residents to find something to do year-round.
Unfortunately, these communities do have a couple of possible downsides. The governing board often also acts as an HOA or Home Owner’s Association; regulating lawn maintenance, exterior decorations and color schemes, and landscaping options. However, because of this regulation, the community is always kept in nice shape which makes it popular…which makes it crowded.
Most MPCs are sought after places to live due to the convenience, safety, and upkeep that is built into the community. This popularity often leads to a bit of crowding which, while often planned for, sometimes exceeds the original design making it uncomfortable for those who just want to live quietly.
On the whole however, a Master Planned Community is one of the most beneficial areas to live in. Although they are developed in one main design, that design includes a diversity of smaller areas; custom homes, single family, townhomes, 55+ communities, etc. all included and integrated into the grand architecture of the MPC.
So if you are frustrated with trying to find your way around the twisting, confusing, one-way streets of mish-mash buildings, maybe it’s time to look for a Master Planned Community that fits your needs. New ones are popping up all around Colorado with no sign of stopping soon.
When you want a realtor who will make you their number one priority, it’s time to contact me to set up an initial consultation. Feel free to call True Performance Real Estate today and any questions you might have about moving into a Master Planned Community!
Call: 303-317-6311