A planned mixed-usage area with distinct boundaries, the Lowry neighborhood has garnered awards and plenty of attention since it broke ground in 1996. With retail, education and recreation opportunities, corporate and residential real estate, plus parks and open space all within its three square miles, Lowry is a complete community. The centralized East Denver-West Aurora location is an easy commute to all points in the metro area. Its borders are defined by the previous, gated venue: Lowry Air Force Base. Hangars No. 1 and 2 remain as part of Wings Over the Rockies Aviation & Science Museum, where military planes are displayed indoors and out. Officers’ quarters were transformed into distinctive duplexes; other government housing and buildings were turned into lofts, apartments, and business offices.
New construction includes an impressive parkway of million-dollar mansions on Sixth Avenue. Lowry’s final completion date in 2011 includes a total of 4,600 homes and apartments with around 10,000 residents. A mix of private, charter schools, and those under the jurisdiction of Denver Public Schools cover pre-kindergarten ages to post high school with a small community college campus. Almost 30 percent of the neighborhood is dedicated to parks, trails, wetlands, and open space.