Greenwood Village, CO

Located in Arapahoe County, south of Denver, Greenwood Village, Colorado, was only a sparsely populated farming town in the 1950s. Greenwood Village has developed into a vibrant town of both urban and residential neighborhoods and is one of suburban Denver's major business districts. The village is home to more than 14,000 residents.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Almost 95 percent of the workforce is employed in professional, management or office jobs. Greenwood Village also has a very high percentage of employees who telecommute or work from home. Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services are major industries in Greenwood Village. Other prominent industries in the city are educational services and health care, finance, insurance, real estate and rental and leasing.

Greenwood Village is home to the corporate headquarters of Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Quovadx Inc., and First Data Corp.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

Greenwood Village is typically known for its highly educated enclave of urban sophisticates, and the organization of the area neighborhoods is characterized by programs that encourage the development of lively urban districts and quiet residential areas.

The eastern side of Greenwood Village comprises several covenant-controlled communities. Western Greenwood Village is home to some of the most prestigious properties south of Metro Denver, which include horse pastures and farm houses.

Representatives of the Denver Technological Center area, Madden and Co. and the Plaza Tower Building have helped develop a distinct mixed-use structure. The 45-acre Village Center features office buildings, residential properties, shops and entertainment amenities. Future plans for the development include the erection of a bridge connecting the east and west sides of the Village Center.

The Brookside neighborhood was the site for a traffic-management program that encouraged motorists to reduce their speed in residential neighborhoods and maintain a traffic-calmed environment for pedestrians and bicyclists. In 2006, the Greenwood Village City Council approved the idea of making such a program available throughout the area's other residential neighborhoods. The campaign, in which residents place signs on their property reminding motorists to voluntarily reduce their speed to 20 miles per hour, generally runs for one week during the summer.

FAMILY FUN

Greenwood Village is famous for its many greenbelts and open spaces:

• Featuring a natural wetlands drainage area, Huntington Park offers a number of recreational opportunities, including hiking and biking trails.
• Silo Park offers a wetlands area as well as outdoor amenities, attractive gardens, a small amphitheater, and a multiuse playing field.
• Running Fox Park is part of the area trail system and is surrounded by a variety of trees and plant life. Visitors can enjoy picnics under a park gazebo and view the park's abstract steel structure, "The Cusp of Life," which was erected as part of the Greenwood Village Public Art Program.
• Providing access between the Cherry Creek High School Campus and the Belleview Square business district, Chenango Park is a popular park hangout and lunch spot for students.
• Located in a residential neighborhood, Francis H. Williams Park features a newly renovated playground, a small pond, and a hiking and biking trail. The park is a popular site for family picnics.

EDUCATION

Three-fourths of the inhabitants of Greenwood Village have earned a college degree or higher. The town is home to seven academic institutions or campuses:

• First opened in 1965 and the first community college to open in the Denver region, Arapahoe Community College offers programs such as math, humanities and social sciences, and business and professional services.
• Also opened in 1965, Colorado Technical University offers bachelor's, master's and Ph.D.-level programs in computer science, business, criminal justice, engineering, health-care management, visual communications, and information technology.
• College for Financial Planning Institute offers a Professional Education Program, which includes online instructor-led courses and interactive coursework.
• DeVry University offers a number of degree programs in business administration, biomedical engineering technology, computer information systems, electronics engineering technology, and game and simulation programming.
• Metropolitan State College of Denver offers courses in business, arts and science, and professional studies.
• Webster University offers a variety of programs, including arts and science, fine arts, and education.
• Offering education in the Jesuit tradition, Regis University provides a breadth of courses in areas such as accounting, Catholic studies, neuroscience, philosophy, religious studies, and women's studies.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Greenwood Village offers a number of arts-related venues:

• Fiddler's Green Amphitheatre: The largest outdoor amphitheater in the Denver metro area, this popular concert venue is now known as Coors Amphitheater.
• Crescent Amphitheater: Located on East Crescent Parkway, this amphitheater is a popular venue for free community concerts.
• Curtis Arts and Humanities Center: Renovated from its original schoolhouse structure in the early 1990s, this center is the main hub of the Greenwood Village arts community. Supported and advised by the Arts Council and the Arapahoe County Scientific and Cultural Facilities District, the center presents a variety of art forms from local artists.

EVENTS

Popular events in Greenwood Village include the Spring Fishing Derby at Tommy Davis Park, which happens in April; the Fourth of July Youth Parade at Westlands Park; Fallfest, which takes place every fall; and the Mayor's Holiday Lighting, which occurs in early December.

There are other activities held throughout the summer and fall months:

• Greenwood Village Day is held on the last Saturday of July and offers the opportunity for families to explore art, participate in a variety of interactive games, and view live stage shows and an impressive fireworks display.
• The Tri-Our Village Kids' Triathlon takes place in October.

LOCAL MEDIA

The weekly Greenwood Village Villager newspaper has been serving the area for more than 26 years.