Boulder, Colorado - The Old and the New of Pearl Street

denveraztec · #1 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 3:28 AM**

Here are some of my pics of a stroll on Pearl Street in Boulder, Colorado on a warm March Saturday afternoon. It is nice to see the structures from the mid and late 1800s and early 1900s still in great condition and still being used. Mixed in are many new structures to help keep the street in demand with various businesses and residential needs. The pedestrian mall section was only half as full as it can get on typical Summer Saturdays. Take note of all the university students playing instruments for cash. I drive up from Denver at least once a month for lunch/dinner, a show or just to people watch! Boulder's elevation is 5,430 feet above sea level and it's population is around 280,440.

Top Of The Park · #2 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 4:46 AM**

Wonderful pics as always. I worked in Boulder from 1982 to 2000 and have witnessed the monied people pushing out the regular folk. It's a real shame to see the Aspenization of Boulder. However, that said, I love the buildings and the surroundings and the setting under the Flatirons. The city is such a contradiction with all the cause people...yet nobody in need would ever be able to afford it there.

I have several friends who graduated from C.U. when a middle class kid could still go there. Now C.U. caters to out of state kids and big money.

Sorry to go on and on about it on your awesome photo thread.

Cementglow · #3 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 5:00 AM**

LIBERALS!!!!

(I kid, I kid)

On a serious note I'm quite impressed by how well you captured the feel and vibe of downtown Boulder.

FrancoRey · #4 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 5:08 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top Of The Park

I have several friends who graduated from C.U. when a middle class kid could still go there. Now C.U. caters to out of state kids and big money.

It's ridiculous how right you are. But I'm out in 3 weeks and I can't wait!

Still, Aztec shows in beautiful immortalized photos one of the reasons I came to Boulder for school in the first place. Well done, sir.

OhioGuy · #5 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 6:01 AM**

Boulder is awesome!

ColDayMan · #6 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 7:59 AM**

Thanks. I haven't been there in years!

Top Of The Park · #7 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 8:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cementglow

LIBERALS!!!!

(I kid, I kid)

On a serious note I'm quite impressed by how well you captured the feel and vibe of downtown Boulder.

Actually it was liberals who f*cked up Boulder.

You must be fairly young or new to the area...(I'm a moderate independent btw)

JackStraw · #8 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 12:04 PM**

This is why Boulder was my type of town:

Great photos Denveraztec, you reall captured the Boulder scene well.

Anyways it is the pretentious rich college know it all hippies that come from the high end Californian suburbs that I never could stand.

Cirrus · #9 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 2:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top Of The Park

It's a real shame to see the Aspenization of Boulder...

100% the city's fault. Boulder was long ago hijacked by NIMBYs, and has for decades put crazy limits on the density and growth that can happen there. The effect, of course, is that Boulder gets super expensive and all the growth happens elsewhere, in the form of sprawl. The worst part is Boulder couldn't be more proud of itself for putting a wall around town and therefore causing massive environmental destruction *outside* the city limits. Make no mistake: Boulder is an environmental disaster.

I don't recognize this. Is it new?

denveraztec · #10 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 4:19 PM**

Thank you all for the photo comments and the interesting opinions about Boulder. I agree with most of them as the city has hurt the outer sections and it is incredibly expensive to live within. Height restrictions prevent thorough development and overall city growth. Visiting every so often works for me, for the reasons I stated above, just like Vail and Aspen. I don't think any political party is to blame, given that the University of Colorado is ultra Conservative and the historic past of the older sections of Boulder had the second highest concentration of Hippies outside of the Haight in San Francisco at one time. The city has hurt itself with growth but I think many of the residents there are okay with that. Sections between Denver and Boulder have benefited from that, Flat Irons Mega Mall, Interlockin, the recent sale of Storage Teck/Sun to Exxon Mobile, etc. Who really every heard of Superior in the 70s? Boulder relies on C.U. to keep it functioning and occasional visitors like me to drive in from elsewhere. Just my thoughts, but thanks again for the dialogue and comments!

Yes, Cirrus, that and many others are new to the east end of Pearl Street. Significant 2 and 3 floor construction has been going on for that past 2 years there.

Top Of The Park · #11 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 5:11 PM**

I shouldn't have made political comments in your wonderful photo thread. Your observations are exactly right. I am angry about what has happened to this amazing town.

Stan

LSyd · #12 Posted: **Apr 17, 2008, 6:04 PM**

great pics. looks charming except for the smelly hippies. some pics kind of remind me of Charlottesville, VA.

-

dktshb · #13 Posted: **Apr 18, 2008, 12:19 AM**

Wonderful photos as usual Denveraztec!

I love Boulder but what's with all the liberal, California Hippie bashing. I know it's all lighthearted but I do believe liberals didn't ruin Boulder and I think Boulder has its own organically grown hippie culture that wasn't a result of supplanted California college hippies, LOL. The town seems somewhat similar to Berkeley, CA.

denveraztec · #14 Posted: **Apr 18, 2008, 1:24 AM**

Thanks again for the comments!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Top Of The Park

I shouldn't have made political comments in your wonderful photo thread. Your observations are exactly right. I am angry about what has happened to this amazing town. Stan

No worries TOP, there is much about many cities that make me angry.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LSyd

great pics. looks charming except for the smelly hippies. some pics kind of remind me of Charlottesville, VA.

Poor furry little hippies, they do look stinky. I have only smelled incense or patchouli oil around them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dktshb

Wonderful photos as usual Denveraztec!

I love Boulder but what's with all the liberal, California Hippie bashing. I know it's all lighthearted but I do believe liberals didn't ruin Boulder and I think Boulder has its own organically grown hippie culture that wasn't a result of supplanted California college hippies, LOL. The town seems somewhat similar to Berkeley, CA.

True, it was a joint effort that ruined aspects of Boulder and there is an organically grown hippie culture there of its own. They have morphed into fitness enthusiast, which allows them to blend right in with the rest of the Coloradans at some level. They only become evident when the crickets and wheat grass are pulled out as snacks. They again, it is somewhat difficult to pick out hippies from those caught up in the Seattle Grunge scene, just from visual observations. Mom always taught me to be nice to everyone and some of my nieces and nephews have become hippies in their college years, but I have to draw the line at cricket munching!

JackStraw · #15 Posted: **Apr 18, 2008, 2:11 AM**

Quit with the hippie hating. The hippies in Boulder are nowhere close to a real hippie. They are the fake pretentious hippies from the Upper Class suburbs from California. These are the kids that make the real hippie culture look bad. They are the ones who live off "organic food" from whole foods, and have no idea what karma actually means.

and it Is the California Hippies. Most of you have no idea, that the people you work for and see in society were once tripping on acid following the dead (east coast to west coast). These little shits in Boulder are just pretentious college know it all hippies.

Sorry for the rant.

Evergrey · #16 Posted: **Apr 18, 2008, 2:28 AM**

isn't this the city that spawned the nationwide fast casual mexican craze?

JackStraw · #17 Posted: **Apr 18, 2008, 2:30 AM**

^yes, and soon we will have another Chipotle in Oakland! Put that in the Pittsburgh Rundown!

Although, I wish we could get a illegal pete's around here.

dktshb · #18 Posted: **Apr 18, 2008, 2:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackStraw

^yes, and soon we will have a Chipotle in Oakland! Put that in the Pittsburgh Rundown!

The first Chipotle was actually opened in Denver not Boulder.

daniel_t · #19 Posted: **Apr 18, 2008, 2:42 AM**

Great pics. Wish I would have toured Boulder a bit more. maybe next time.

JackStraw · #20 Posted: **Apr 18, 2008, 2:54 AM**

Anyways, Denverazteck, I love your thread. I really wish we could see photos of the enormous bowl and bong emporium you guys had on the 16th street mall there.

In places like Pittsburgh where we have U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan. A nazi bitch from the Bush/Ashcroft dictatorship that made all American Rights to carry a glass pipe illegal within a 250 mile radius around the city. The bitch that put Tommy Chong in Jail. People like us in Pittsburgh would not understand what it means to see a store like that, that you liberal hippies have.

Also, I love the Boulder theater (great photos). They get a awsome music scene, that attracts bands that I wish I could see.