Capitol Hill Neighborhood in Denver

The Capitol Hill neighborhood is named after Denver's Capital Building, which indeed sits atop a hill. Capitol Hill stretches from Broadway to Downing St. The neighborhood is bounded by Colfax Ave. to the north and 8th Ave. to the south. While Capitol Hill used to be the province of criminals, the area has been gentrified in the past decade. Many young professionals work downtown and enjoy the convenience of living close to the city in Capitol Hill's historic buildings. However, there are still pockets of crime and vandalism, so tread carefully after dark, especially along Colfax Ave.According to the 2000 census, Capitol Hill is home to 14,987 residents. The average home costs $426,233, while $528 covers the average rent. Most of the housing consists of apartments and condos, with some single-family homes in the mix. Fifty-one percent of Capitol Hill residents have college degrees, higher than the city's average of 39 percent.Capitol Hill is home to many restaurants and bars, especially along Colfax Ave.

• The Red Room at 320 E. Colfax Ave. offers an extensive happy hour menu. The bar was owned by Mayor Hickenlooper before he assumed office.
• Next door, City Grille at 321 E. Colfax Ave. consistently receives rave reviews for its burgers, and is frequented by local politicians.
• Watercourse Foods at 206 E. 13th Ave. features an all-vegetarian menu with such specialties as buckwheat pancakes and BBQ tofu. (Update: Watercourse Foods moved to 837 E. 17th Ave. in 2007.)
  Schools:
  Capitol Hill has several local schools in the neighborhood, although Denver Public Schools allows students to pick the schools they want to attend.
  • East High at 1545 Detroit St. is one of Denver's four original high schools, imaginatively named North, East, West and South.
  • Morey Middle School at 840 E. 14th Ave. serves grades 6-8.
  • Moore Elementary at 846 Corona St. offers classes for K - 5.
    Grocery Stores, Etc.:
    • Although small in size, the Wild Oats at 900 E. 11th Ave. carries a wide selection of organic groceries.
    • King Soopers at 1155 E. 9th Ave. is open 24 hours.
    • Colorado State Employees Credit Union has a branch with a 24-hour ATM at 1390 Logan St.
      Trivia:
      • Staying true to Denver's nickname of the Mile High City, the 13th step of the State Capital building is exactly 5,280 feet high.
      • Actor Don Cheadle and folksinger Judy Collins both attended East High (although obviously not at the same time.)
      • At 26 miles long, Colfax Ave. is the longest continuous street in the United States.