Neighborhood Spotlight: La Alma/Lincoln Park

Chosen by the American Planning Association as one of the nation’s great American neighborhoods in 2014, La Alma/Lincoln Park is also one of Denver’s oldest neighborhoods.  ECM has been working in this neighborhood since 2009, working with hundreds of residents to complete projects, along with hosting our annual "Art is in the Air" event at an art gallery in the Art District on Santa Fe, located in the heart of this neighborhood.URBAN   La Alma-Lincoln Park is a vibrant, mixed-use, urban community with parks, major health services, an arts district and cultural facilities, a major grocery store, and proximity to downtown and multiple institutes for higher education, arts, and culture.TRANSIT-ORIENTED  It is well-served by a variety of transportation options, including good light rail and bus service, bike routes and B-Cycle stations, and a rotating inventory of car2go vehicles. With all of the options in place, residents here can feel free to walk, too.CULTURED  It is a diverse neighborhood that maintains its Latino cultural identity, is home to the Santa Fe Arts District and Colorado Ballet, and provides easy access to Denver’s theater district, museum district, and major sports and concert venues.HISTORIC It is also one of Denver’s oldest neighborhoods; 93% of its residential blocks were half or more developed before 1900 and the remaining 7% developed between 1900 and 1914. Seven locations are on the National Register of Historic Places, four are Denver Historic Landmarks, and 20 qualify for historic preservation under Chapter 30 of the Denver Revised Code.COMMUNITY  The neighborhood provides homes, jobs, and services for a wide variety of ages, lifestyles, economic circumstances, ethnic groups, and family types. Most housing is affordable at a variety of levels ranging from subsidized housing to middle-level market rate. There is a mix of small-lot single-family units, duplexes, row houses, and low-, mid-, and high-rise apartment buildings. The neighborhood is currently growing and enjoying both public and private economic reinvestment.