“I love front porches,” says Lisa Coyne, who grew up in a hundred-year-old house in California, and now has a brand-new one with a big porch and other turn-of-the-century charms, beside Stapleton’s vast Central Park. She and husband Kevin are among 30% of Stapleton buyers who are making moves-up within Stapleton…and you’ll see why when you tour the ‘Oxford 5’ by Parkwood Homes, the model they picked.

For their move-up in Stapleton, Kevin and Lisa Coyne chose the same floor plan as the Oxford 5 model by Parkwood Homes, open today near Stapleton’s vast Central Park.

In a year when many builders are offering models that look like Swedish furniture stores indoors, Parkwood has gone the other way — straight back to the classic look of colonial towns with names like ‘York’ or ‘Middlesex.’ There’s nothing ‘minimalist’ about the Oxford 5; it’s flush with gables and spindle stairs and lush wainscoting to waist high. Company President Jack Fleury developed the style for Gaithersburg, Maryland; and then heard about Stapleton’s community design — oriented to recreate the appeal of an older, Eastern town. more »

Two years ago, new-urban developer Peter Kudla walked away with Denver’s highest “Community of the Year Award” for his imaginative Vallagio neighborhood beside Inverness Golf Club and a Light Rail station. Now, with a handful of lofts and luxury row homes left, he’s giving Vallagio’s final buyers something back, starting with a little advice.

Metropolitan’s Julia Sherman (left) and Melodie McCuaig look out over the new-urban design of Vallagio from a loft.

“These final homes are a steal,” he says. “People need to know the window is closing; you’ll never be able to build at this price.” more »

Ever since ‘new urbanism’ arrived in the 1990s, Denver builders have tried creating new-urban communities–places where most daily needs are walkable. Many of those projects somehow never generate the actual cafes and grocery shopping that buyers want to have close at hand…but today you can tour one that’s everything advertised: shops, coffee, fitness, a pub or two, groceries, all within 2 blocks.

Distinctive Properties’ Cate Dobson shows off a lavishly furnished two-bedroom-plus-study plan at Luce, re-priced for a reopening behind Lowry Town Center.

Luce…pronounced ‘loo-chay’…is right behind Lowry Town Center, so close that you can actually walk into Albertson’s flagship store within three minutes of leaving your door. This is a project that was set to open a year ago but that’s been totally re-priced now, with some homes 25% lower than they were then. more »