Southshore
Aurora, CO

Aurora’s Only Waterfront Neighborhood — Now Fully Established

Southshore was built over roughly two decades on the south shore of Aurora Reservoir — a 800-acre body of water that is genuinely unusual for the Denver metro’s eastern corridor. The community’s identity was planned around that water from the start: the Lakehouse sits at the highest point of the neighborhood, positioned to overlook the reservoir and the mountain views beyond it, and nearly every design decision in the common areas reflects the nautical theme that ties the community together. The final new homes sold in 2025, which means Southshore is now a fully established resale community with no large-scale new-build releases remaining. Buyers enter a market with settled landscaping, activated amenities, and a clear neighborhood character rather than the construction activity of a community still finding its shape.

The approximately 1,960 homes span a wide price range depending on lot position, proximity to the water, and home size. Homes backing to or near the reservoir carry meaningful premiums — the lake views and trail access that come with those positions have sustained buyer interest consistently since the community opened. The interior sections offer more accessible price points while retaining full access to the community’s amenities.

HOA and Metro District Note: Southshore has two separate governance structures: a Homeowners Association (HOA) and two Metro Districts. Both carry ongoing assessments that apply to all owners. When budgeting for a Southshore purchase, verify the current total monthly cost of both the HOA and Metro District assessments — they are separate line items and should be evaluated together.

Reservoir Living With E-470 Minutes Away

Southshore sits in Aurora’s southeastern corridor with E-470 providing straightforward access north to DIA, west to the Denver Tech Center, and south toward the Colorado Springs corridor. The Denver Tech Center is approximately 15 miles west. Southlands, SE Aurora’s retail and dining anchor with 184-plus stores and an AMC Dine-In Theater, is about three miles away on South Main Street. The daily commute calculus for most Southshore residents runs along E-470 to I-225 for Denver, or directly down E-470 for airport runs that feel short enough to make early flights manageable.

The Aurora Reservoir itself adds a layer of practical recreation that most Denver metro neighborhoods can’t offer. Non-motorized boating, fishing, swimming, scuba instruction, and picnic pavilions are all available at the reservoir’s public facilities. The 8-mile shoreline trail loop is accessible from within the neighborhood, creating a running and cycling route that Southshore residents use regularly without needing to drive to a trailhead.

The Lakehouse, the Boathouse, 120 Acres — All Resident Access

• The Lakehouse (saltwater pool, fitness center, childcare, firepit)
• The Lighthouse (second community center)
• Private Boathouse on Senac Lake (resident-exclusive, paddle boats)
• Senac Creek corridor (streams, waterfalls, ponds, wetlands)
• 120 acres of public open space within the community
• Miles of internal trails connecting neighborhood to reservoir
• Aurora Reservoir (800 acres — non-motorized boating, fishing, swim beach)
• 8-mile reservoir shoreline trail loop
• Scuba instruction at Aurora Reservoir
• Southlands farmers market (3 miles — Saturday mornings)

The Lakehouse is the community’s centerpiece — a resident-exclusive facility perched at the highest point of the neighborhood with reservoir views, a saltwater pool, a fitness center, a childcare center, exercise classes, and an outdoor firepit. Below the Lakehouse sits the Boathouse on Senac Lake, also resident-exclusive, with paddle boats available in summer and a deck and interior space available for private gatherings. The Senac Creek corridor running through the community adds a second water feature — streams, waterfalls, ponds, and restored wetlands — that creates a year-round aquatic environment distinct from the reservoir itself. Very few Denver metro neighborhoods have this concentration of water-oriented amenities, and for buyers who prioritize that lifestyle, there isn’t a comparable option in southeast Aurora.

Education in Southshore

Southshore is served by Cherry Creek School District. What distinguishes the school situation here is geographic proximity — all three schools in the pipeline are either within or immediately adjacent to the community, which is unusual and practically valuable for families managing daily school logistics.

School attendance boundaries are address-specific and can change. Always verify your specific school assignment directly with Cherry Creek School District before purchasing. Open enrollment options within CCSD are available to all families.

Where Southshore Residents Eat

Southlands, three miles west on South Main Street, serves as Southshore’s primary dining and retail destination. The outdoor lifestyle center holds over 184 stores and a range of restaurants that Southshore residents have folded into their regular routines. The dining options below represent the mix of local and regional restaurants that form the practical dining landscape for most Southshore households.

Life in Southshore

Southshore residents describe their community in terms that keep returning to the water. The morning walk along the reservoir trail, the summer evenings at the Lakehouse firepit, the kids in paddle boats on Senac Lake, the school drop-off that takes five minutes because Altitude Elementary is inside the neighborhood — these are the specifics that accumulate into a daily life that is genuinely different from what other southeast Aurora neighborhoods offer. The community holds regular events including ice cream socials, car shows, food trucks, and holiday gatherings that activate the common spaces year-round. For buyers who want the waterfront lifestyle without leaving the metro, Southshore is the only option in Aurora that delivers it at scale.