HIGHLANDS RANCH, COLORADO Find Highlands Ranch Real Estate & Homes For Sale: CLICK HERE
"People Just Like You" Founded in 1981, Highlands Ranch, Colorado is a 23,000-acre master-planned community with a population of nearly 87,000 people; and growing daily.The Highlands Ranch community in DouglasCounty consists of more than 31,000 single-family homes and over 3,300 apartments. It is located about 12 miles south of Denver and only minutes away from the DenverTechnicalCenter,Meridian Business Park and the Inverness BusinessPark and the Park Meadows Regional Shopping Mall. Highlands Ranch City Map Highlands Ranch Land, Mansion& History The first homesteader of the "Ranch," was David Gregory in 1867. Many more followed in the next 40 years, including Lewis Wales Cleveland, a sixth cousin to President Grover Cleveland. It is believed that Union General Kit Carson built his last campfire near Highlands Ranch in 1868.
Highlands Ranch Homes And Real Estate The first homes were offered for sale in 1981. By 1993 the population of Highlands Ranch reached 78,633 residents with nearly 28,000 homes and 3,300 apartments. By mid year 2006, there were 87,000 people living in 31,000 homes. In 1997, the J.F. Shea Company purchased the remaining undeveloped areas of Highlands Ranch. Estimated build-out of the community is anticipated shortly after 2010 with a final population of approximately 90,000 residents and 36,700 homes.
Over the years, many builders have purchased land to develop many subdivisions within North Ranch, West Ranch, East Ranch and South Ranch. The newest subdivision of BackCountry opened in September of 2007. Home prices start in the $500,000's to the high $700,000's. The extensive but pricy options list brings final purchase prices closer to $900,000 to well into the million dollar plus range.
A small ranch-house was initially built near Quebec & University Blvd. in 1879 by Johanne Welte & Plazides Gassner. It was known as the Big Dry Creek Cheese Ranch; where brick & Limburger cheese were produced for the next 50 years.
The original Mansion House was built between 1890 and 1904 on 12,000 acres of land then owned by John Springer, a descendant of the Czar and Grand Duchess of Russia. The home was built using field stone and had 14 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms and 5 fireplaces. Mr. Springer continued building several additions to the home for the next 30 years, eventually completing 60% of its present size. During the early 1900's additional homesteads were acquired and the cattle ranch grew to over 23,000 acres.
Mission Viejo was the initial developer and began offering homes for sale in July 1981. In August 1997, J.F. Shea Co., parent company of Shea Homes, purchased the community of Highlands Ranch and continues to develop the community today.
The next property owner was Waite Phillips, brother of Phillips Petroleum founders, Frank and L.E. Phillips. He purchased the property in 1920. Phillips sold the property 6 years later to Frank Kistler for $425,000. Kistler changed the mansion to a Tudor style, added 6 fireplaces, 9 bedrooms and a secret panel and passageway. Kistler sold the ranch in 1937 to Lawrence Phipps, Jr., son of US Senator Lawrence Phipps. The ranch became known as the Phipps Ranch and was used as a cattle ranch. Phipps died in the mansion in 1976.
The ranch was briefly purchased by a group of Denver businessmen in 1977 and then sold to the Mission Viejo Company, a California-based master planner and land developer. They were the original developer of the land who began the spectacular community that it is today.
Consistent covenant controls provide residents piece of mind, a uniform neighborhood "look" and more consistent appreciation.The prices of Highlands Ranch homes begin around $200,000 at the low end and extend well above $1,000,000 at the higher end. The newest community in Highlands Ranch is called Back Country. You will find new homes from 2,900 to 4,650 square feet with base prices from the $500's to over $1 million. Take a talented and seasoned broker along to help negotiate your final sales price since builder's extras are extensive and pricey. Area Home Prices Highlands Ranch City Map
To See Typical Highlands Ranch Homes Call 303-880-4944 or click on More Information .
Diversions & Recreation Centers Walkers, hikers and anyone on non-motorized wheels can enjoy using the 19 community parks, 60 miles of walking and jogging trails and 2,000 acres of natural open space. Highlands Ranch also offers several state-of-the-art recreation centers. Amenities include swimming pools indoor running tracks and climbing walls. In addition to the 19 community parks, Highlands Ranch also boasts two skate parks, 4 dog parks where residents can let family dogs off the leash for exercise, an outdoor in-line hockey rink, 8 lighted public tennis courts and 3 lighted baseball diamonds.
Today, it's a community of parks, trails, picnics and playgrounds, award-winning schools and a expansive network of retail shopping centers. There are two golf courses in Highlands Ranch and large areas of open space and parks offer everything from sledding to soccer.
One of the Highlands Ranch Recreation Centers
You will find neighbors gathering for the annual Easter egg hunts, Independence Day fireworks and a wonderful summer concerts in the park.
Schools: Adding to the family atmosphere of Highlands Ranch is the academic success of the area's public schools.Parents looking to ensure a good public education for their children need not look any further than the DouglasCountySchool District. The DCSD is one of the largest metro-Denver school districts hosting a student population of 41,000 pupils. Even amid such a large student population, DCSD has performed well above the state average at every grade level and in every content area when being judged on the Colorado Student Assessment Program, more commonly known as CSAP testing.The school district also boasts an above average high school graduation rate which reached 94.4 percent in 2002. Highlands Ranch's three public high schools, HighlandsRanchHigh School, ThunderridgeHigh School and MountainVistaHigh School have a high level of student involvement with an average of 80 percent of its students finding involvement in one extracurricular activity or more. High School Stats
Residents of Highlands Ranch can also utilize the many different higher education institutions located within driving distance of the area.
During November of 2005 the U.S. Census Bureau reported that Douglas County was the second-richest county in the nation with an annual median income of $92,089 per household. Colorado was ranked the ninth-wealthiest state with a median income of $42,248 compared with $43,318 for the national median income.
Area Airports Highlands Ranch also caters easy access to many airports certified for carrier operations including DenverInternationalAirport located 30 miles east and CentennialAirport a closer seven miles away.
Transportation Interstate 25, which runs on the east side of Highlands Ranch, takes commuters north to the DenverTechCenter, a four-mile/15-minute trip. Downtown Denver is about 15 miles (30 to 40 minutes) north on I-25. University Boulevard takes commuters and shoppers north for the 12 miles/30 minute trip to the upscale Cherry Creek Shopping District and another three miles/five minutes to downtown Denver.
One of the newest state highways, C-470, loops south of Denver then west through Highlands Ranch and then northward for about 10 miles (20 to 25 minutes) where it once again connects to Interstate 70. I-70 is the major east/west route through Colorado.
Eastbound, the toll road, E-470, loops north to link with Interstate 70 on the east side of town and offers a 20-mile (30 to 40 minute) commute to Denver International Airport.
The $1.6 billion light rail system takes commuters and shoppers from Lincoln Avenue & I-25 (just minutes east of Highlands Ranch) to downtown Denver in about 30 minutes. The Southeast Corridor Light Rail Line provides parking for 1,120 vehicles at the Lincoln Avenue stop.
Let us know if we can assist you in either finding your next home or selling the one you now have.
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Highlands Ranch 62 W. Plaza Drive Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 303-791-0430
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