Meander down the blocks that comprise Lower Downtown, or LoDo, and you'll move from beautiful, historically-preserved buildings, to new lofts, to some of the best shopping, dining and entertainment venues in town. This 25-block neighborhood is a marriage of western history, urban chic and gracious living. Best of all, the Colorado sunshine permeates this part of the city, warming balconies and decks and rooftop terraces. In 1858, General William Larimer founded Denver in the area now known as LoDo and the neighborhood has had a wild and checkered past on its way to becoming today's premiere urban neighborhood and tourist destination. Today, the neighborhood includes a vibrant combination of historical storefronts, brick warehouses, industrial buildings and commercial structures that have been renovated into offices, lofts and retail space. Today's booming Lower Downtown was almost lost forever 40 years ago. After much of Denver's industrial economy shifted away from the area, almost one-fifth of the buildings were demolished in the 1960s and 1970s, and other historic sites were in danger. To preserve Denver's legacy, Denver City Council created the Lower Downtown Historic District in 1988. This designation limited building heights, preserved dozens of buildings from the wrecking ball, and instituted strict guidelines for building rehabilitation and new construction. LoDo's historic designation saved these beautiful blocks and helped create this mixed-use neighborhood that is also a regional destination attraction for entertainment. Art galleries, restaurants, brewpubs, jazz clubs, and specialty retail stores line the ground floors of historic buildings, while offices, condos and lofts sit above. The building height restrictions mean plenty of sunshine and a more "human scale" to this part of the big city. LoDo residents will tell you there's a great sense of community in this very urban setting. Neighbors greet each other on the streets each morning, and they're on a first-name basis with many a shop owner, coffee barista or waiter in the area. And although this neighborhood is most certainly ensconced in the grit of the real city, residents are always just a few blocks from the Cherry Creek bike path and the recently completed 30-acre Commons Park in the Central Platte Valley.

LoDo housing options range from million dollar lofts to below-market rate apartments. Many apartments and lofts are built above historic buildings, with retail and entertainment below. But the neighborhood also has some new loft buildings, and new construction residential projects are becoming more common as fewer vacant buildings are available for renovation.