Denver’s Central Park: Former airport morphs into vibrant urban hub
Central Park, a dynamic collection of 12 neighborhoods on Denver’s northeast side, sits on the 7.5-square-mile former home of Stapleton International Airport. Work to transform the former airport created one of the biggest urban infill projects in the
United States. Construction started in 2001, and Central Park was designed to incorporate the best features — parks, tree-lined streets, front porches, alley garages, and architectural diversity— of Denver’s classic neighborhoods.
Taking the best of the best
The community is a pedestrian-friendly mix of apartments, condos, single-family homes, and businesses built to energyefficient standards with water-wise landscaping. RTD’S A-line connects it to both Denver International Airport and Union Station.
With more than 29,000 residents and more than 100 business owners, Central Park is a collection of 12 neighborhoods: North End, Beeler Park, Bluff Lake, Central Park North, South End, Conservatory Green, Wicker, Eastbridge, Willow Park, East 29th Avenue, Westerly Creek, and Central Park West, each with its own style. The neighborhood features parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, bike trails, farmers markets, restaurants, and shopping, plus community activities and events.
Location, location, location
Melanie Madden, 8z Real Estate Realtor, has lived in Central Park for five years.
“It’s a very convenient place to live,” she says. “It’s about 20 minutes to the airport, and a lot of pilots live here. It’s also about 20 minutes to downtown Denver and offers proximity to Children’s Hospital and the new Anschutz medical campus.” Central Park gives residents a more urban feel while providing newer housing and low-maintenance small yards. “A lot of people would rather pack up and head to the mountains rather than spend their weekends managing their yards,” Madden says.
Through its low-cost homeowners’ association, Central Park also provides snow removal when more than 6 inches fall and maintains all common areas.
Who’s moving here?
Central Park attracts newcomers moving from out-of-state or metro Denver area renters moving into their first homes, Madden says. The community offers more affordable housing options, and prices range from condos in the mid-$100s to houses that cost more than $1 million. Central Park gives buyers a good return on their investment, says John Skrabec, Live Urban Real Estate president.
In May, the median price per square foot for a home in Central Park was $255, compared to $214 in the Denver metro area. And those prices were up from a year earlier when the median price per square foot was $234 in Central Park compared to $191 for the metro.
What’s in a name?
Like the airport, the community was originally named Stapleton after former Denver mayor Benjamin Stapleton, a Ku Klux Klan member. But last summer, during a wave of protests over police brutality and racial inequity in Denver and across the U.S., residents voted to change the community’s name to Central Park. Denver City Council approved the name change in May.
Although some residents wanted to name it Skyview to honor the land’s aviation history, the name ultimately came from the 80-acre park that dominates the neighborhood’s center, Madden says.
“The park had such strong appeal,” she says. “And so many neighborhoods in Denver are named for parks.”
Sara B. Hansen has been an editor and writer for more than 20 years. Her professional background includes editing positions at
The Denver Post, The Des Moines Register, The Fort Collins Coloradoan, and At Home with Century 21. She’s also the founder and editor of Dogsbestlife.com and the author of “The Complete Guide to Cocker Spaniels.”