People come to see Broomfield’s Anthem Colorado because they hear the schools are great and the 14 model homes are enticing – but what they end up noticing about Anthem is how many people they see out using the great outdoors. “This is unreal,” a mom who’d flown in from Boston told Laura Lantzy, activities director at 32,000-square-foot Parkside Center in Anthem Highlands. “You can move in and everything’s right here, like
a resort.”
Actually, Anthem residents get even more than that in summer, when its 22 parks, 48 miles of trails and 735 acres of open space are at their prettiest. During one weekend this month, families in Anthem Highlands will abandon their attractive new homes by Ryland, Richmond American and Standard Pacific Homes to pitch tents in the community parklands, where Lantzy and her team will be waiting with a Western campout experience: dinner outdoors followed by a Wild West show, and then cowboy songs and s’mores around the fire. (Some 75 families turned out last year, and more will experience it this year).
Meanwhile, kids swim with the Anthem Alligators Swim Team – and join in a private Y Camp that’s hosted just for Anthem families, with hikes and twice-a-week field trips to museums and attractions like the Denver Zoo and aquatic parks. Some events (there’s a blind beer tasting next week) are adults-only – a feature that draws together family-oriented Anthem Highlands with its counterpart, age-55-plus Anthem Ranch (with its own non-stop calendar of concerts and events arrayed in an amphitheater, where the Indian Peaks are the backdrop).
Anthem’s choice of age-restricted and unrestricted neighborhoods gives the community a unique, multigenerational character that’s an additional benefit that’s hard to find in typical new home communities, says Katherine Erstad, who coordinates events at Aspen Ranch’s 32,000-square-foot Aspen Lodge rec center. Both centers have comprehensive fitness and aquatic amenities, along with lots of specialty space designed to encourage clubs and organizations.
In a year when homebuyers in surrounding areas are enduring ‘bidding wars’ to find available homes to buy, Standard Pacific Homes has a ranch that can deliver right away, with 3-car garage and a daylight walkout basement, at $667,505; and a family-sized 5-bedroom/4-bath home with 3-car garage, $637,988. You’ll also see an Alcott 4-bedroom plan by Richmond American, ready now at $520,804.
While touring (including ranch models by Toll Brothers in Anthem Highlands) you’ll see the parkland that wraps these neighborhoods. “This is an area for families to thrive,” adds Lantzy. Anthem Colorado is ten minutes from Interlocken, 25 minutes from downtown Denver, 15 minutes from Boulder, 25 minutes from DIA via 470. Take I-25 north past 470 to Highway 7, turn west three miles to Lowell and south. From Broomfield, head north on Lowell, continuing past 144th. Or from Boulder County, head east on Baseline past U.S. 287, continuing on Hwy 7. Anthem’s builders are at AnthemColorado.com.
WHERE: Anthem Colorado, master-planned community in Broomfield near Denver, Boulder; 14 model homes by Richmond American, Ryland, Standard Pacific, Toll Brothers; 2 comprehensive rec centers, 48 miles of trails, 735 acres preserved open space. Hwy 7 at Lowell, Broomfield; take I-25 north past 470 to Hwy 7, west 3 mi. to Lowell, turn south, follow signs (or from Broomfield take Lowell north)
PRICE: Richmond American, Ryland and Toll Brothers from the high $300s, Standard Pacific from the mid $400s
WHEN: Today noon until 6 p.m., daily 10-6
PHONE: Richmond American 720-482-5195; Ryland 303-926-3980; Standard Pacific 303-428-4007; Toll Brothers 303-926-4140
WEB:
Mark Samuelson writes on real estate and business; you can email him atmark@samuelsonassoc.com. You can see all of Mark Samuelson’s columns online at DenverPostHomes.com
