April 2012 Bridge Team Newsletter

April, 2012

Thanks for viewing our April newsletter! We hope you enjoy the content of this month’s edition.

Contact the Bridge Team

Washington Park Stats

What’s Happening Around Town?

Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
1st Bank Center
April 18-19

Cherry Creek Sneak
Beginning at Steele and Ellsworth Streets
April 29

25th Annual Cinco de Mayo Festival and Parade
Civic Center Park
May 5-6

“Ring of Fire – The Music of Johnny Cash”
Denver Center for the Performing Arts
Through May 13

Featured Articles

Millenials Set Their Sights On Denver

Planning Your Next Harvest? Consider A Front-Yard Garden

Denver’s Biking Culture Poised To Reap Cost-Saving Benefits

Millenials Set Their Sights On Denver

When thinking of where to live, young adults look for cities with a certain “vibe.” They want easy commutes, an educated population, an innovative business climate and vibrant urban centers where they can walk to amenities, such as restaurants and nightclubs.

This is according to a new study titled “Downtown Denver: A Magnet for the Future Workforce”. For all of those reasons, the study concludes, Denver is a particularly attractive landing spot for today’s younger population.

The study examined the city’s appeal in many areas, including amenities, transportation infrastructure, the population’s education level, residential growth, innovation and entrepreneurship, and emerging green economy. It notes that among young people ages 25-34, the most desirable places to live have shifted since the recession began in 2008.

“In 2006, cities such as Riverside, Phoenix, and Atlanta were the top cities where young adults were moving. These cities provided jobs and affordable housing in the suburbs and were generally viewed as places one could start a family.” Those cities have dropped to 8th, 17th, and 23rd, respectively, as areas millennials most prefer. Meanwhile, denser, more urban areas such as Denver, Seattle and Washington D.C. have risen to the top.

The study cites a recent report by the Brookings Institution that analyzed U.S. Census Bureau data. Brookings named Denver as the number-one city in terms of attracting the future workforce from around the country to live and work.

“One thing we know for sure is that 25-34 year olds nationally are making major movements into urban centers, and they’re desiring to live within 3 miles of an authentic urban city,” says Tami Door, president and CEO of Downtown Denver Partnership.

That’s especially good news for our city. “Denver’s growth is exponential in attracting that particular group,” she says.

Planning Your Next Harvest? Consider A Front-Yard Garden

It’s the time of year when gardeners study their plots and imagine them stuffed with juicy heirloom tomatoes, fresh herbs, and plump cucumbers and squash. But what if your backyard is too small for a vegetable garden?

That’s no reason to stash your seeds away. Consider using the front yard, says Ivette Soler, author of The Edible Front Yard: The Mow-Less, Grow-More Plan for a Beautiful, Bountiful Garden. Soler recently spoke with the L.A. Times about how to create a front yard garden that nurtures edible plants, and looks good, too.

Here are some common questions she receives, and her advice:

What will the neighbors say? A front yard of scraggly cornstalks and tomato plants isn’t likely to please the neighbors. “Most people wouldn’t want a car up on blocks in a front yard next door,” and similarly, they don’t want to see a cornfield, says Soler. “This is why I advocate an integrated approach.” Don’t plant only vegetables, she advises, but combine them with beautiful ornamentals that will keep the neighbors at bay.

How do I mix edibles with ornamentals? It’s not what you plant, but where you place it that creates the overall impression. Soler advises homeowners to mix raised beds of edibles with ornamental beds “overflowing with salvias, lavendars and grasses.” Or to grow patches of lawn and use the borders to combine edibles and flowers.

Which edible plants have the most curb appeal? Not every edible has the aesthetic appeal of a rose or daisy. Some are just plain ugly. Soler likes the look of artichokes. They have “amazingly striking gray-green serrated leaves,” she says, “the choke itself is super cool, and then if you decide to let it bloom — Bam! Total gorgeousness!” Lettuces are also eye-catching. “Choose from frizzled, speckled, ruby-red or chartreuse green lettuces,” she suggests.

As for those ugly ducklings, avoid squashes, cucumbers, zucchinis and melons. These have large leaves that are susceptible to powdery mildew — not an attractive sight. Soler suggests saving these for the backyard, if you have room, or hiding them behind more attractive plants.

Can you make a front-yard garden drought-tolerant? This can be achieved with careful planning. Group the plants that need more water together. For example, plant kales and strawberries with perennials, which require more water. Save hardy herbs, such as marjoram, to use as under-plantings for less thirsty ornamentals.

Is it worth the trouble? Absolutely. “When you start thinking ornamentally with your edible plantings, gardening becomes like playing,” says Soler, “and the results are delicious.”

Denver’s Biking Culture Poised To Reap Cost-Saving Benefits

Anyone who has steered around packs of bicyclers on the road knows that Colorado is a bicycling haven. In fact, the state recently ranked 4th in the number of commuters who bike to work and 6th as the safest state in which to bike, according to a new report from the Aliiance for Biking and Walking.

That’s good news, even for non-bikers, as a state that promotes bicycling reaps significant cost-saving benefits.

According to the report, wherever bicycling and walking levels are higher, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes levels are lower. No surprise, such health improvements result in health care savings. Cost-benefit analyses show that up to $11.80 in health benefits can be gained for every $1 invested in bicycling and walking. Thanks to new bicycle infrastructure and programming in Portland, for instance, that city expects to see between $388 and $594 million in health savings by 2040, according to the Alliance report.

In addition, bicycling and walking projects create jobs at a higher rate than other infrastructure projects, no small achievement in this time of recession. Such projects typically spawn 11-14 jobs per $1 million spent, compared to 7 jobs per $1 million spent on highway projects.

And once those projects are completed, the benefits are compounded, as they add to the economic growth of an area. Retailers near bike lanes often report a positive impact on their businesses and sales.

The Positive Side Of Higher Oil Prices

We all fret over rising oil prices. They mean higher costs when we’re filling our gas tanks, higher tabs at the supermarket and all those unwelcome headlines about the growing threat of inflation. But here’s something to consider: when it comes to home loans, rising oil prices can signal improved rates.

As higher oil prices dampen economic growth, they produce the sort of economic climate in which bonds thrive. This includes mortgage bonds, to which home loans are tied. So as oil prices rise, more favorable conditions can occur for potential homeowners — providing a silver lining to what is typically unwanted news.

For more information on home loans, call or email Guild Mortgage today. Ask for
Lisa Miles or Julie Whalen: 303-320-1556; www.guildmortgageofcherrycreek.com.

Metro Market at a Glance