Head for heights

New developments along with a thriving arts hub and the great outdoors have contributed to Denver's steady growth

- LINDSEY GALLOWAY

The air may be crisp and cold on this mid-autumn morning, but the sun shines strongly here in Denver, as it does 300 days of the year. In front of Union Station, the city's renovated historic train station, travellers wheel their suitcases off the airport light rail, Denverites walk their dogs big and small, and remote workers sneak into a nearby coffee shop or co-working spot.

The Colorado capital is finally starting to feel like itself again after the pandemic slowed its steady growth. "Downtown Denver became an eerily silent city during the pandemic, and I wasn't certain if we would ever see the downtown streets filled with the hustle and bustle it once had," said Ashley Archibeque, chief of staff of Sentral, a Denverheadquartered property management company specialising in flexible living. "However, people have slowly begun to creep back, and the area near Union Station feels more vibrant, thriving, and lively than it ever was before."

Primely located in the plains stretching before the Rocky Mountains - and famously situated one mile above sea level Denver has consistently attracted young adults seeking a laidback lifestyle and adventure in the great outdoors. Now, with the rise in remote working, it's not just the raised-in-Denver crowd that resides here. "More and more people continue to eye Denver as a desirable place to live due to the proximity of the mountains, the number of sunshine days each year, the mild winters in the city, and the thriving food, music and art scene," said Archibeque. "And Denver continues to expand and change to meet the desires and needs of its new and growing population."

A CITY FOR ALL SEASONS