What if your morning coffee, your workout, and dinner plans were all a short walk from your front door? If you want urban energy without the chaos of downtown, 9th and Colorado, often called 9+CO, delivers a polished, everyday rhythm. In this guide, you’ll see what daily life looks like here, the housing options on and around the site, how people get around, and a smart buyer checklist. Let’s dive in.
Why 9+CO works for daily life
A walkable mixed-use plan
9+CO reimagines a former medical campus as a 12-block neighborhood with inviting streets, plazas, and landscaping. The site spans roughly 26 acres at 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard, where the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center once stood. The redevelopment totals about 2 million square feet with approximately 1,100 housing units and around 150,000 square feet of office, supported by a retail core and lively public spaces. You can see the project’s scale and intent in developer and trade coverage that tracks its evolution and leasing activity, including ownership updates over time (The Real Deal’s program figures and recent ownership news, CIM Group’s site overview).
Food, coffee, and retail
You’ll find a curated mix of restaurants, local boutiques, and services that fuel regular foot traffic. Anchors include an AMC movie theater, along with well-known dining concepts like Postino WineCafe, Hopdoddy, and Culinary Dropout, balanced by smaller local tenants. New retail announcements have rolled out in phases, which keeps the scene fresh and adds variety over time. For a snapshot of early tenant momentum and how it shaped the street feel, review local reporting on restaurant and retail commitments at the project (BusinessDen’s tenant coverage).
Wellness and services
Day-to-day errands are designed to be easy. Fitness studios, personal-care services, veterinary and dental options, and a neighborhood pharmacy support quick, walkable trips during the week. With this mix in place, you can handle most routines on foot and leave the car parked when you want to.
Plazas, art, and events
Public space is central to 9+CO’s identity. The masterplan introduces a pedestrian-oriented street grid, planted sidewalks, a green corridor, and intimate plazas for community programming. The focus is walkability and human scale, with thoughtful details recognized by local design circles (Davis Partnership’s project overview). Public art and facade treatments enrich the experience, turning parking and building edges into part of the neighborhood fabric. Evenings often center around dining, the theater, and plaza activity, which brings a pleasant buzz to the area.
Housing at and around 9+CO
On-site apartments: Milo and Theo
Two major rental communities anchor the residential base at 9+CO. Milo and Theo opened between 2018 and 2019, bringing studio to three-bedroom apartments, townhome-style floor plans, and amenities like pools, lounges, and fitness spaces. Together, these buildings account for a large share of on-site homes and front key retail blocks that keep streets active. For a closer look at this inventory and its role in the project timeline, see the coverage of the 319-unit Milo completion and the broader rental presence at the site (REBusinessOnline on Milo’s delivery, CIM Group’s note on Milo and Theo).
For-sale choices nearby
While 9+CO emphasizes rental living today, the broader plan and surrounding blocks include a range of for-sale options that change by phase and builder. Many buyers who want ownership look just beyond the core to adjacent neighborhoods. West of Colorado Boulevard, Hilltop offers traditional single-family streets with a mix of historic homes and newer replacements in a long-established market (Hilltop neighborhood overview). East of the site, Hale provides a blend of older single-family homes, mid-century bungalows, and smaller multi-family buildings that add more modestly scaled ownership choices (Hale neighborhood overview). To the southwest, Cherry Creek and Cherry Creek North deliver higher-density condos, townhomes, and luxury options alongside premier shopping and the Cherry Creek Trail (Cherry Creek North district).
Which lifestyle fits you?
If you want a low-maintenance, amenity-rich routine where dinner, a film, and a fitness class are all within a few blocks, living inside 9+CO or on its edge can be a great fit. If you prefer larger yards and detached single-family homes, look closely at Hilltop or nearby pockets of Hale. Buyers who want upscale condo living with immediate access to destination retail often focus on Cherry Creek. Your ideal match comes down to what you value most day to day, from walkability to lot size.
Getting around and commute
Streets and pedestrian design
The neighborhood reconnects local streets and shapes a retail corridor that favors walking. Wider sidewalks, new crossings, and a human-scale block pattern encourage you to stroll between shops and plazas. These upgrades reflect the project’s intent to balance cars with a safer, more comfortable pedestrian experience (Davis Partnership’s design summary).
Transit and drive times
Colorado Boulevard is the primary north-south arterial serving 9+CO and carries several local bus routes. RTD service on nearby corridors connects you to downtown and cross-city destinations, with exact lines and schedules best confirmed near your move date. Driving times vary with traffic, but marketing descriptions often cite under 20 minutes to central downtown in normal conditions. Use live navigation for precision and trip timing (area overview noting typical access and travel, Kiewit’s project summary for roadway context).
Buyer checklist for 9+CO
Phase and future blocks
Ask for the exact block and phase of any home you are considering, along with a phasing map and estimated timelines. Future phases may bring new retail and residential buildings, as well as temporary construction impacts that affect views, noise, or traffic. Review recent commercial real estate coverage to understand current ownership partners and what is planned next for remaining parcels (recent ownership and parcel updates).
Parking and guest policies
Structured parking serves both retail and residential uses, but allocations differ by building and ownership type. If you are buying a condo or townhome, verify whether stalls are deeded or assigned. For rentals, ask about included spaces, monthly rates, and guest-parking rules so your daily routine and hosting plans work smoothly (project parking and circulation context).
HOAs and management
For for-sale homes, request HOA budgets, reserve studies, and recent meeting minutes. Review CC&Rs for rules on leasing and short-term rentals, pet policies, and any commercial-use provisions. Compare management approaches across buildings so you understand service levels, operating costs, and long-term maintenance planning.
Noise and evening activity
A vibrant dining scene and a movie theater create evening energy, especially on weekends. Ask neighbors or building managers about typical noise levels, event schedules, and how sound travels on your specific block. Simple steps like window upgrades or strategic bedroom placement can make a noticeable difference if you are sensitive to activity.
Schools and taxes
Confirm school attendance boundaries for your exact address and verify the current mill levy and assessment on the county site. These details can vary by block and change with parcel transfers. If you are purchasing new construction, ask how and when the property will be reassessed.
Is 9+CO right for you?
If you picture a week where you walk to coffee, meet friends for dinner, catch a movie, and fit in a quick fitness class without getting in the car, 9+CO aligns with that lifestyle. If you prefer more space and a traditional home on a quiet residential street, Hilltop or nearby Hale may serve you better while keeping you close to the action. Either way, you can balance urban convenience with the home type that fits your life.
Ready to explore homes in and around 9+CO, including private and off-market options tailored to your goals? Connect with Rachel Gallegos to get access to our private listings and a calm, strategic path to your next move.
FAQs
What is 9+CO and where is it located?
- 9+CO is a 12-block, mixed-use redevelopment on the former University of Colorado Health Sciences Center site at 9th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard in Denver, designed for walkable, everyday living (project snapshot, program details).
Which restaurants and entertainment are already open at 9+CO?
- The area features an AMC theater and a lineup of dining options like Postino WineCafe, Hopdoddy, and Culinary Dropout, alongside local boutiques and services that activate the streets day and night (tenant coverage).
What housing options exist inside 9+CO?
- Two major apartment communities, Milo and Theo, deliver studio to three-bedroom layouts with amenities, while for-sale opportunities depend on phase and nearby neighborhood offerings (Milo delivery overview).
Where should buyers look for for-sale homes near 9+CO?
- For detached single-family homes, explore Hilltop to the west and Hale to the east; for higher-density condos and townhomes near destination retail, consider Cherry Creek and Cherry Creek North (Hilltop, Hale, Cherry Creek North).
How is parking handled for residents and guests at 9+CO?
- Parking is mainly in structured garages, with allocations that vary by building; confirm whether spaces are deeded or assigned and review guest-parking rules with the manager or HOA (parking and circulation context).
What are typical commute options from 9+CO?
- Colorado Boulevard provides primary north-south access, RTD buses serve nearby corridors, and drives to downtown can be under 20 minutes in normal traffic, though you should verify times with live navigation (area overview).