A rental retirement: With Denver home prices increasing, The Grove at Stapleton offers an active lifestyle from $1,810/mo.
Like many age-55-plus communities around town, The Grove at Stapleton is home to an active bunch of residents who put their resort-styled pool, community gardens, art studio, car shop and yoga studio to good use. And they make the most of their location, a short walk to Stapleton’s Town Center, with its taverns, dining spots and Sunday farmers market.
What’s NOT the same at The Grove is that residents are renting their apartments rather than owning; and in a market where prices for homes offering single-level living have soared, that’s a huge savings in cash.
Right now, The Grove is underscoring that disparity — offering up to two months’ free rent for incoming residents. “What it costs to live an active lifestyle here is dramatically less than at purchase communities,” says Mike DiGiacomo, regional manager for United Plus Property Management, based in Troy, N.Y., managing The Grove at Stapleton. “This is truly maintenance-free living, where the upkeep, recreational amenities and many of the incidentals are included in monthly rent.”
At a time when median single-family home prices in the Denver area have climbed to $418,000 and some 55-plus communities are seeing sales into the $600,000s, $700,000s and more, The Grove offers a new one-bedroom apartment in the heart of Stapleton from $1,810 a month.
No buy-in is required — for a community that provides a resort pool, fitness center and lodge-style clubhouse where a variety of events are hosted. Last week, that included a health and wellness fair, movie nights, a “wine-down” Wednesday social, Spanish and archeology classes, a Friday brunch and a historical excursion.
For its active clientele, The Grove goes well beyond its eyecatching community spaces, fitness center and pool in providing niceties. When you visit (open today and all weekend), you can ask to see residents’ community gardens and potting shed; an auto shop and bike-repair shed; arts-and-crafts room; and, the “Barks-n-Rec” dog park. Use of all is included in the rent.
DiGiacomo says renters here get some additional value that residents who purchase in other 55-plus communities may not, including sponsored trips to Coors Field and other entertainment sites, or to destination restaurants. Some calendar events are designated as involving some out-of-pocket cash, but transportation is provided.
The Grove also offers a Senior Umbrella Network (SUN) Program that earned the gold award for the “Best 55+ Lifestyle Program” category at the National Association for Home Builders Awards. The SUN Program fosters and enhances independent living with events, seminars and activities designed around health and wellness, education and lifelong learning and friendship.
“Residents at The Grove take full advantage of the SUN Program, and our events are always well-attended,” said DiGiacomo. United manages “vacation-style living” rental communities around the nation, including in New York, Georgia and Florida. But DiGiacomo says he’s never seen a more active group of residents than with this Colorado group. “They’re such a social crowd. They’re healthy, educated, tech savvy and outdoorsy,” he added.
The Grove has a coveted setting: walking distance from the Stapleton Town Center, with King Soopers, shops, dining and coffee bars; close to Central Park; and, near the Westerly Creek trail. Underground parking is available. To tour the one- and two-bedroom model apartments, take East 29th Avenue in Stapleton east from Quebec Street, through Town Center, two blocks to Syracuse, and turn north to the entry.