Five Points - Denver, CO

Five Points has a deep jazz history. Some of the greatest jazz musicians performed in this neighborhood, such as Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Miles Davis. This neighborhood was the first predominantly African-American neighborhood in Denver and had some of the most prominent jazz bars and clubs in the Metro area.

Located right in the heart Five Point is the Black American West Museum, showcasing Denver's rich African-American heritage. Founded in 1971 by Paul Stewart, the goal of the museum is to illustrate the contribution of the African-American community to the Old West.

A few blocks to the east is City Park, which has the Denver Zoo and also the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

The RiNo district is one part of the Five Points neighborhood that is taking off in popularity with its retail growth, art galleries, coffee shops, high-end restaurants, breweries and bars.

With Five Points being so close to downtown, there are numerous options for high-quality food, from Mexican to Mediterranean as well as typical American fare.

Specializing in adding a twist on the classic pizza dish, Cart-Driver is a unique restaurant that serves pizza and seafood. The wood-fired pizzas are impeccable, especially the clam pizza with the guanciale, roasted garlic and panna. The late-night menu offers $2 oysters and $5 pizzas, making that a hard deal to pass up. The wait staff is beyond helpful with any questions you might have regarding the menu.

To fill your belly while you explore the city, make sure to stop in Snarfs for a sandwich. The building is covered in bright colors, so it is hard to miss while you travel down Broadway. The New York steak sandwich will fill that food craving in minutes.

Given Five Points' deep history in jazz music, there are many bars and entertainment venues on most of the blocks, especially as you get closer to LoDo. A popular bar includes Meadowlark Bar with a intimate, art-lined basement bar that hosts many live entertainment events.

If you're looking for a relaxing night, make sure to stop by Matchbox, a funky urban bar with a courtyard. It has a wide variety of beers on tap for all different taste preferences.

With the expansion of the light rail stations through the Five Points neighborhood, this neighborhood has become one of the most easily accessible in the Denver area. Still within walking distance to downtown and Auraria Campus, Five Points offers a great number of bus stops and light rail stations throughout the whole neighborhood.

The expanded light rail takes students right to Auraria Campus, which houses the University of Colorado, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and Community College of Denver, making this a potential neighborhood for incoming students to Denver.

While there are a few small parks in the neighborhood, two of the central parks include Curtis Park and also Lawson Park.

Given the few schools within the Five Points neighborhood, the parks are kid-friendly and also dog friendly.

There is also an annual Five Points Jazz Festival that takes place every year in May. This event celebrates the history of the neighborhood and also features several live jazz shows and film events.

Between 2000 and 2006, the Five Points neighborhood saw a 49% growth in households. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,200.00.

The cost of living in Five Points is higher than some of the Denver Metro area due to its recent growth, growing RiNo district and proximity to the LoDo neighborhood.

With a close proximity to downtown Denver, Five Points houses an array of boutiques and retail stores. Outdoor enthusiasts dig Topo Designs. This little shop comes packed with outdoor gear for those looking to explore the Rockies, fish the mountain streams, or just head out for a morning run.

The only big grocery shop within the Five Points neighborhood remains the Safeway near Park Avenue and 20th. Locals hit up the clean and friendly Larimer Street Market for fast errands and Mondo Market on Brighton Boulevard for specialties, such as cheese, olives, meats, and bulk spices as well as a deli counter serving freshly-made sandwiches that customers praise.

For the exact cut of meat you want, try Downing Supermarket, a neighborhood favorite with a long-standing reputation of providing residents with everything from thick steaks to ham hocks and even cow tongue as well as basic grocery staples.