40 West Arts & West Colfax
Lakewood, CO

Lakewood’s Creative Gateway — Historic Colfax, Reinventing at the Edge

West Colfax Avenue is one of America’s most famous streets — US Route 40, the highway that ran coast to coast before the Interstate system replaced it, passes through northeast Lakewood as West Colfax Avenue and carries with it the architectural legacy and community diversity that long-running commercial corridors accumulate over a century of use. The Molholm Two Creeks area that anchors this corridor is identified as Lakewood’s oldest neighborhood, established before the city’s postwar residential expansion, and the mix of mid-century modest housing, small commercial blocks, and newer infill development reflects a community that has been continuously inhabited and is now actively and deliberately investing in its next chapter.

The 40 West Arts District, a state-certified Colorado Creative District managed by a 501(c)3 nonprofit, is the most visible expression of that investment. Located along West Colfax and anchored by the Rocky Mountain College of Art + Design (RMCAD) and the Lamar Street RTD W Line light rail station, the district has organized the West Colfax corridor’s creative energy into a recognizable identity: a 40 West Gallery for community and professional artists, a 4-mile ArtLine trail connecting Aviation Park to Walker Branch Park that integrates public art along the walking and biking route, and a calendar of events including First Friday Art Walks, the WestFax Chili Cook Off, and the Colfax Art Fest. The Lamar Station light rail stop — on the RTD W Line that connects west Lakewood to Union Station and downtown Denver — makes the entire Denver core accessible without a car, a specific and daily-use transit advantage that few Lakewood neighborhoods at this price point can offer.

The residential character of West Colfax reflects the neighborhood’s era and its trajectory. Older housing stock — 1950s and 1960s ranches, bungalows, and modest single-family homes — provides the most accessible price floor in all of Lakewood, with options for first-time buyers and investors that Green Mountain, Belmar, Solterra, and Applewood haven’t carried in years. New construction is arriving alongside it: row homes and townhomes with rooftop decks, open-concept layouts, and city and mountain views are being built by developers like redT Homes along the West Colfax corridor, bringing contemporary design to the most historically underinvested part of Lakewood. The Two Creeks Trail runs parallel to the light rail route, extending the neighborhood’s bikeability and walking options toward downtown Denver. Lakewood/Dry Gulch Park provides a 2.6-mile loop park within a block of newer construction.

4 Miles from Denver, Light Rail Direct — Lakewood’s Most Connected Entry Point

West Colfax’s northeast Lakewood position makes it the most Denver-proximate residential address in Lakewood — approximately 4 miles west of downtown Denver via West Colfax Avenue. The Lamar Street RTD W Line station provides light rail access to Union Station and downtown Denver without a car. The Two Creeks Trail running alongside the light rail corridor offers a cycling commute option for Denver-bound residents. Belmar’s full retail and restaurant district is 10 minutes west on Alameda. The Federal Center — one of the largest federal employment concentrations in the country — is minutes away along 6th Avenue.

For buyers whose primary transportation need is Denver access at minimal cost of ownership, West Colfax’s combination of Lakewood’s lowest residential prices and the RTD W Line’s direct Denver connection is a specific practical argument that no other Lakewood neighborhood addresses as directly. The neighborhood is within one mile of grocery stores for daily needs, and the broader West Colfax commercial corridor handles everyday retail without requiring a trip to Belmar or the larger shopping centers further south.

The 4-Mile ArtLine, Two Creeks Trail, and Lakewood/Dry Gulch Park

• 40 West ArtLine (4-mile walking/biking arts trail · Aviation to Walker Branch)
• Lakewood/Dry Gulch Park (2.6-mile loop · 1 block from new construction)
• Two Creeks Trail (multi-use · mirrors RTD W Line · Denver connection)
• Aviation Park (ArtLine anchor · east end)
• Walker Branch Park (ArtLine anchor · west end)
• Lakewood Heritage Center (3 miles · 30,000 artifacts · 10 historic structures)
• Crown Hill Park (243 acres · lake · wildlife sanctuary · nearby)
• RTD W Line cycling access (Lamar Station · Denver connection)
• Belmar Park (132 acres · 10 min west)
• Green Mountain / Hayden Park (20 mi trails · 15 min west)
• Red Rocks Amphitheatre (20 min west)
• Fox Hollow Golf Course (18-hole public · nearby)

The 40 West ArtLine is the neighborhood’s most distinctive outdoor asset — a 4-mile walking and biking arts experience that integrates public art installations, murals, and sculpture along a dedicated multi-use trail connecting Aviation Park to Walker Branch Park. Unlike conventional trail systems that prioritize distance over engagement, the ArtLine is specifically designed to make the walk or ride itself an arts experience, placing the work of local and regional artists in the public spaces that the corridor’s residents use daily. For buyers who value arts programming as a neighborhood characteristic rather than a destination they occasionally visit, the ArtLine is the kind of infrastructure that is rare outside of designated arts districts in major cities.

Education in West Colfax

West Colfax is served by Jefferson County School District R-1 (Jeffco). The high school assignment for much of the West Colfax corridor is Lakewood High School, which holds strong Jeffco ratings. Elementary and middle school assignments vary by specific address — always verify with Jeffco before purchasing.

All West Colfax addresses are served by Jefferson County School District R-1 (Jeffco). School attendance boundaries vary by address — always verify directly with Jeffco before purchasing. Jeffco’s Choice Enrollment allows families to apply to any district school.

Where West Colfax Residents Eat

West Colfax Avenue’s commercial corridor provides the neighborhood’s most immediate dining options — the eclectic mix of independently owned restaurants, cafes, and bars that historic commercial corridors accumulate is part of what makes West Colfax feel urban rather than suburban. Belmar’s concentrated restaurant and retail scene is 10 minutes west for residents who want a broader dining option. Denver’s full dining scene is 4 miles east via the light rail for an evening out without a car.

Life in West Colfax

West Colfax residents describe their neighborhood in terms that split roughly between those who have been here for decades and those who arrived recently attracted by the arts district identity and the price. Both groups value the same things: the light rail access that makes Denver genuinely optional rather than necessary, the ArtLine that gives the neighborhood outdoor programming as distinctive as anything in Lakewood, the community events that make First Fridays and the Chili Cook Off recurring social anchors, and the fact that Lakewood’s least expensive residential address is also one of its most actively invested.