Boulder Neighborhood Guide: Hillcrest

Sandwiched in between Whittier and Old North Boulder neighborhoods, Boulder’s exclusive Hillcrest neighborhood is perched high on a hill above Boulder’s floodplain. This translates to the centrally-located neighborhood being very small and exclusive. There are wide winding roads, homes featuring modern design, and expansive views that sweep from the foothills to the Flatirons. Anyone lucky enough to call this area of Boulder home can (literally) look down on the rest of Boulder.

History: This neighborhood was started in the beginning of the 1950’s, when Boulder’s population was booming and homes were expanding towards the north. Land on a hill can be difficult to divide but that did not stop the early developers from doing it. They measured out generous lots and the subdivision of Hillcrest/Panorama Heights was born.

Housing: In Boulder’s Hillcrest, renovation is the name of the game. It’s about buying the midcentury ranch houses and then tearing them down or remodeling them. Many of the lots are larger than the average Boulder home which means that many of the house prices are higher than average Boulder home. You definitely pay for the seclusion and gorgeous panoramas. Houses in Hillcrest start in the $500,000 range and it’s easy to spend a million or more for the opportunity to live in this neighborhood.

Restaurants and Shopping: Hillcrest is a small and mostly residential neighborhood. Fortunately, the midtown location means that Pearl Street anddowntown Boulder are just a short bike ride down the hill. This neighborhood is also only a few blocks away from Ideal Market and the various shops there (Breadworks, Marie’s Restaurant,Boulder Wine Merchant and Pharmaca, among others) provide many different options for shopping or dining. Additionally, RTD bus routes service the neighborhood frequently via Folsom street and connect you with wherever you want to go in town.

Family and Fitness: The neighborhood elementary and middle school are inwalking distance and there are obvious signs of family life all over Hillcrest. While there aren’t any parks proper in this neighborhood, Casey Middle School is right down the hill with soccer fields aplenty for outdoor recreation. There are also two different parks, Columbine and Salberg, that are within a four-block walking radius of the neighborhood.

Schools: Columbine Elementary, Casey Middle, Boulder High

Quirks: This Boulder neighborhood was featured in the New York Times as an example of what $1.3 million can buy you in the Boulder real estate market. If that’s not affirmation enough for Hillcrest, I don’t know what is.