LAKEWOOD —The oldest neighborhood in Lakewood is one filled with contradictions.
The Two Creeks neighborhood has Lakewood’s agricultural history in the form of large, tree-filled lots and farm animals existing alongside modern day transportation and urban living with the West Rail Line and 40 West Arts District.
Bounded by Sixth and Colfax avenues and Sheridan and Wadsworth boulevards, the community is diverse in its economic and social makeup.
The two elementary schools serving the neighborhood — Molholm and Cowell — have more than 95 percent of their students qualifying for free and reduced lunch. Down the street, Lakewood Country Club sits in the midst of homes exceeding $500,000.
Colfax Avenue may be filled with restaurant and dining options, but the area is classified a food desert.
The 2013 arrival of the W-Line and with it transit stations at Sheridan and Wadsworth boulevards have accelerated many city- and community-led initiatives meant to increase opportunities for Two Creeks residents.
“It’s been a long time coming, but things have started to take off,” said Maddie Nichols, who has lived in Two Creeks for more than 45 years. “The city has been spending a lot more time on the northeast part of the city then they have in the past.”
In 2012, a long abandoned and graffiti filled swimming pool at 5330 W. Ninth Ave. was replaced by a splash park. This year, Lamar Station Crossing became the first large residential project built in Two Creeks in decades.
Residents who grew up in the neighborhood are seeing young families trickle into what has long been an underserved and low-income community.
One of those young families is Liz and Quentin Hartman, who moved into Two Creeks with their two daughters a few years ago and have since joined a number of neighborhood organizations.
“When we bought the house, we saw what was going to happen with the light-rail coming through,” Hartman said. “There’s definitely a lot of challenges this neighborhood faces, but moving here has been a great decision.”
Construction totalling $1.5 million for a roundabout and other traffic improvements soon will be underway at 14th Avenue and Lamar Street. A large community farm has sprouted up at Mountair Park, giving residents access to fresh produce.
Plans are proposed for a large residential apartment complex next to the Sheridan Station, and bike trail improvements on the main path are ongoing.
Tying a number of these programs together is the 20-minute neighborhood initiative, a collaboration among the city, Regional Transportation District, Denver Regional Council of Governments and local residents.
“The idea is to create a neighborhood where people can easily, safely and conveniently walk or bike to the amenities and places they need within 20 minutes,” said Alexis Moore, an associate planner for the city.
Residents and city leaders say there’s still a lot of work left to do.
They point to aging infrastructure that was built long before Lakewood became incorporated and the need for some form of development at a blighted shopping center on 10th Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard.
Open enrollment in Jeffco means affluent residents can send their kids across town, leaving the neighborhood schools to struggle serving low-income populations. There’s also no neighborhood grocery store and lack of activities for teenagers.
“We have a few nice parks, but we need some more,” Ward 2 Councilwoman Cindy Baroway said. “The area also needs places like a recreation or community center where our youth can spend time.”
Austin Briggs: 303-954-1729, abriggs@denverpost.com
