East Coast to Southshore!

June 23, 2020

When Kirsten Miller and her family moved from Maryland to Colorado last fall, they were very deliberate about choosing a home. Even though they only had a month to make a decision – dictated by career relocations – Southshore easily topped the list.

“We chose our house due in part to its immediate availability, but also based on Southshore’s new elementary school – that was our first priority – then the community’s walkability, and the amazing community center,” said Kirsten. 

On the Millers’ three-day house-hunting trip last August, they went to 24 home showings. It didn’t take long to narrow the search to Southshore and amazingly, they were able to make an offer, close and move in by mid-September.

Diversity, Beauty and the Great Outdoors

Kirsten, her husband Greg, and their two children Sydney, 8, and Nathan, almost 2, came to Colorado for the work, but have fallen in love with the location because of the lifestyle. Kirsten said, “I thought, this area is so beautiful – I’m living in a vacation destination!”  

The Millers purchased one of the original Craftsman-type beauties in Southshore, gravitating toward the space that it offered and have been slowly making it their own. “We love the diversity of our community,” Kirsten says, “and couldn’t ask for better neighbors.”

The Millers have embraced all the outdoorsy activities Colorado offers. Living less than a mile from the Aurora Reservoir, they spend a lot of time biking around it and walking the paths. “We’re looking forward to when the beach at the Aurora Reservoir opens – hopefully soon,” Kirsten said. “We were there last weekend and the air was so clear that you could actually see Pikes Peak in the distance! I love that you can see the mountains from parts of Southshore!”

Before and After Care

One of her favorite aspects of the community is the before and after care offered by the Cherry Creek School District’s local school– since both Kirsten and Greg work. “Available childcare seems like it’s a built-in thing here, and it has been easily accessible,” she said.

Additionally, The Lakehouse provides free Child Watch for residents’ children during two exercise classes per week and periodic Kid’s Nights Out, which does set Southshore apart from other communities. In their mentoring relationships with children, the YMCA staff at The Lakehouse maximize learning in a safe setting, emphasizing character values, positive role models and enrichment activities.

“We came from an area with a nice community center, but we’d never seen that model with childcare. Plus, Greg and I can exercise in the gym, while the kids are engaged with fun activities with qualified YMCA staff!” 

Kirsten says she and her family live on a tight-knit street and have been getting involved in community events and activities since the fall. “We went to a tree lighting event at the Lakehouse with horse-drawn carriages, and I’ve joined the book club and Bunco group,” she said. “We love that the community has organized regular food truck nights with music at The Lakehouse. We have such a beautiful location at The Lakehouse to host these events, and we’re looking forward to next summer, when there will be a second recreation center and pool available for the community as well.”

Adjusting to Life in Southshore

Daughter Sydney has enjoyed her new school, especially all the technical features, according to Kirsten. “They did a unit on the science of flight this year in second grade and one of her new skills is building a paper airplane and understanding the engineering of lift and drag,” Kirsten says. “The school has a robotics lab and a green screen room for film production, technologies we never had growing up.” 

The Millers are hopeful the kids will get to return to Altitude Elementary in the fall.

“Altitude has been really resilient to turn its curriculum to remote learning on a dime and support the scholastic needs of the community during the shutdown,” Kirsten said.

There wasn’t a playbook for what happened, Kirsten acknowledged, and the fact that so many “volunteers, teachers and staff were able to end the school year on such a high note during a pandemic, is a testimony to their willingness to do whatever’s necessary to take care of the kids,” she said.

The Sweet Spot That is Southshore

With so many great amenities, there is little wonder why the master-planned community of Southshore is one of the fastest-growing in the Denver metro area! This lakeside community offers access to all the essentials – shopping and dining and recreation. Take a tour of the brand new homes from Taylor Morrison, Richmond American Homes and Toll Brothers for a taste of Life at the Lake. These ranch and two-story designs are priced between the $400s and the $700s.

*Feature Photo Credit: Taki Bailey