Living in Tribeca: Beneath Colfax, not Canal

Hillary Howard was the quintessential Boulder resident - living in the eco-friendly Holiday neighborhood on the north end of town, she savored her community's composting and recycling program, Ecopass bus pass, community garden and sustainable design, among other amenities. When she had to move to Denver in order to be closer to work, she doubted she'd be able to find a place as perfect as Holiday. That's when she stumbled onto Tribeca in Denver's Capitol Hill. For Hillary - and her neighbor Chris Bohannon - Tribeca is a little slice of heaven in the heart of the city.

The original Tribeca is actually a neighborhood in New York City (spelled TriBeCa, short for Triangle Beneath Canal Street). Denver's Tribeca is located just south of Colfax Avenue, at 1231 Downing Street. Conceived and built by the developers at BoutiqueFlats, Tribeca features many unique characteristics that are reminiscent of New York City: Stairwell landings adorned with manhole covers, giant streetscape photographs depicting the Big Apple, antique subway tiles mounted into the bamboo floors, Gargoyles at the entrance, and an overall likeness to the exterior of the art-deco PowellBuilding in TriBeCa.

But apart from its New York-style theme, Tribeca boasts some pretty unique perks that attract Denver's most up-and-coming condominium buyers: the socially conscious crowd. For young professionals like Hillary and Chris, Tribeca offers much more than a place to eat and sleep. With its eco-friendly building materials, energy efficient appliances and designer touches, combined with the opportunity to be part of a community, Tribeca offers a way of living.

"In so many ways, Tribeca promotes the idea that we should all be conscious of the way we live and the impact we have on the environment," says Hillary, a human resource manager for a healthcare technology firm in the TechCenter. "I was immediately attracted to the eco-friendly nature of Tribeca -from the recycled carpets to wind-powered energy in the common areas. More than anything, I love living in a preserved, updated building and the fact that it also promotes the neighborhood character."

Aside from the environmental characteristics of her new living space, Hillary's new digs also promote community and accessibility to local businesses and neighborhood assets. She regularly spends time at CheesmanPark and CityPark, and patronizes nearby coffee shops, grocery stores and hardware stores - as well as the local bus stop. "I don't need a car to get to work. I take the bus to the lightrail station and enjoy time on the train to read and knit. I also walk downtown."

Hillary is conscious of the fact that living green is not always ideal, but that it's about making balanced choices. "We live in a modern world with conveniences, and some of those conveniences are luxuries. My car isn't environmentally friendly, but I only drive it when I have to. I always try to consider the negative impacts of my actions and make decisions based on those. Living in an eco-friendly place like Tribeca is an important contribution I am making, and it matters that I can make a difference."

Chris Bohannon, Hillary's neighbor at Tribeca, came to Tribeca from an entirely different urban environment, but was seeking the same things. Having previously lived in the South Harlem neighborhood of New York City, his job in the bicycle industry brought him to Denver. For Chris, the green concept was the primary attraction to Tribeca, but the themed building and urban social setting played equally critical roles.

"I used to bike to work through Times Square every morning. Tribeca's New York City styling is a friendly reminder that I can have a little piece of home right here in Denver," he says. He doesn't bike to work anymore, though - his job is home-based, so enjoying his home environment is all the more important. "I'm here every day. I sit on the patio with my wireless laptop and work all day. I'm within walking distance to coffee shops and bagels, so I am able to get a change of scenery."

The social structure New York offers is perhaps what Chris loved the most about living in the city, he says. When he came to Denver, he hoped he could find that sense of belonging here. "In New York, everything is right there, and you really get to know your neighbors. I know that people who move into Tribeca are going to share a love of the lifestyle with me, and it's a great thing to know I immediately have something in common with my neighbors."

So, for those desperately seeking condos that are truly out of the ordinary - offering the benefits of green living, New York City styling and community mindedness - Tribeca seems to fit the bill. And the green bill is small in comparison to the advantages: condos start at $125,000. Learn more at www.boutiqueflats.com.

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