What makes an area a "neighborhood"?  There are borders defined by the city.  There are signs we can point to.  We can see with our own eyes as we drive around subtle differences in architecture, in age or grandiosity of the homes.  Recently I have been working on a photography project trying to capture the uniqueness of different neighborhoods.   It really got me thinking about how I can characterize a space in photos to say what makes this area special, what makes it a neighborhood, not just the boundary streets but the innate character of the space. The Stapleton neighborhood is characterized by smaller sub-neighborhoods that are there by design.  Blocks come together with a small park at the center or wide greenbelt that is designed for gatherings of kids or families, for play and outdoor life.

Not many of the streets go all the way through to a main thoroughfare so it makes the driving slower, a bit more of a lazy feel.

The houses are all relatively new but have a more old-time feel with porches and green trees.  There is easy access to bike paths and plenty of areas for gathering.

Stapleton has it's own town center with restaurants, coffee, yoga, bikes, and retail in easy walking distance from the homes.  There's a big town park that hosts concerts, outdoor movies, exercise classes, art fairs, and a farmer's market.

The area features a public Rec Center, tennis courts and an off-leash dog park.

Nearby is Central Park with a fabulous playground, ball fields, and plenty of walkable and bikeable trails.

Just east is Sand Creek Preserve, an amazing resource right here in town with 14 miles of biking/walking trails in a gorgeous wilderness preserve.  The Stapleton area isn't full of mansions, although there are some generous lots, but it feels like it's about creating a community, people who enjoy outdoor lifestyle, family, and kids.