Gunbarrel, named after a historic local stagecoach route, is a neighborhood located northeast of Boulder proper and one of the fastest growing parts of the region. With expanding bike paths, rolling hills and affordable housing, Gunbarrel is beginning to look a lot like home for many people.
History: Gunbarrel came about mainly due to IBM. Before that time, Gunbarrel consisted of farmland. But when IBM’s plant was built in Boulder County in 1965, they needed housing for the many executives and employees that they brought in to work at the new facility. What better place to build than right across the road from the company headquarters? With the new development of houses, it was also decided to move the Boulder Country Club to it’s current location in the heart of Gunbarrel. This area is also home to one of the top advertising agencies in the nation, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, which adds to the area’s population.
Housing: There are two different advanced degree programs located in Gunbarrel, the Boulder College of Massage Therapy and the Southwest Acupuncture College. This means that there is no shortage of rental properties, both condos and townhomes, to be found. And because Gunbarrel is a little further from downtown, many of the rental prices you find here will be cheaper than counterparts in Boulder proper. The same holds true for housing sales. The average price for a single-family home in Gunbarrel is mid-$300’s, significantly lower than Boulder proper, and most homes were built in the 1970’s.
Restaurants and Shopping: Gunbarrel is starting to blossom with a variety of retail options. The many non-retail companies that have been relocating there are to thank for this. In addition to a major grocery store, there’s a sushi place, a deli, and a couple of coffee shops. And let’s not forget there is a major hotel currently under construction and set to open in early 2014. With the growth of the area, Gunbarrel will be unrecognizable in five years’ time.
Family & Fitness: Surrounded by Open Spaces, Gunbarrel boasts many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. There is the Boulder Reservoir, right across Diagonal Highway, and home to many events including races, festivals, and leisurely summertime picnics. Hop on a bicycle to hit the trails that head west into Boulder or go to the east, making a path out to Longmont. If that’s not enough activity for you, there’s the golf course or Twin Lakes Open Space to quench your thirst for fitness.
Schools: Heatherwood Elementary, Platt Junior High, Boulder High
Quirks: With a massage school and an acupuncture school located in Gunbarrel, you have all your alternative healing practitioners within walking distance. Additionally, Celestial Seasonings has their tea operations based in Gunbarrel. So if you have a thing for their peppermint room or just can’t get enough of the Zinger blend, then this neighborhood might be your cup of tea.
Major Street Boundaries: Hwy 119 (the Diagonal) on the west, Jay Rd on the south and 75th on the east
Gunbarrel provides the best of both worlds…living close to Boulder without any of the traffic, parking or real estate prices. You get a Boulder zip code without any of the pretense. Some may scoff at the neighborhood but with more and more happening in Gunbarrel, they won’t be laughing for long.
