Boulder Valley mixes great outdoors with vibrant business community

The Boulder Valley is home to a variety of businesses and nonprofits nestled at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, where members of a talented and educated workforce choose to live, work and play.

Its main towns and cities of Boulder, Broomfield, Longmont, Louisville, Superior, Lafayette and Erie are frequently touted among the best places to live in the United States.

With a mix of rural and urban areas, the Boulder Valley is unique to its metropolitan big brother, Denver, 25 miles to the southeast. The air is clearer up here, and the mountains can be just a walk away. Also, because of our location and access to the Northwest Parkway, the 30- to 40-minute drive to Denver International Airport can be shorter than from some parts in Denver.

U.S. Highway 36 is the main thoroughfare through the area. It connects the Boulder Valley to Denver and Rocky Mountain National Park. On the eastern side of the counties, Interstate 25 provides access to Denver and Fort Collins. The Boulder Valley is serviced by Regional Transportation District bus routes, with connections to the Denver area. The future FasTracks commuter rail service is slated to offer additional transportation opportunities. The area also has four regional airports.

The Boulder Valley’s private industries tend to focus toward high-tech, bioscience, energy and the outdoors. Global companies, such as IBM Corp., Seagate Technology LLC, and Amgen Inc., all have a major presence here.

Numerous local up-and-coming solar and biofuel energy companies are treading the forefront of the alternative energy industry here.

Publicly traded companies such as Level 3 Communications Inc., DigitalGlobe Inc., Ball Corp., Array Biopharma Inc., and Vail Resorts call the Boulder Valley home. In total, 11 public companies traded over the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq market are headquartered here.

While the big companies make headlines, it’s the small entrepreneurial companies that give the Boulder Valley its unique economic spirit. Entrepreneurs flock to the area for the established structure and support of their peers, business incubators and local governments. Many young local businesses grow up to be successful and/or acquired.

The success of these companies, large and small, has attracted a broad range of professional services such as banks, law firms and real estate-related companies. Seven banks and seven credit unions are based in the Boulder Valley. Another 22 financial intuitions have one or more branches here.

A wide variety of commercial real estate is available for companies. Office space ranges from the large modern Class A developments in Broomfield along U.S. Highway 36, to the small historic spaces in the heart of downtown Boulder. Industrial, manufacturing and flex spaces are also available in every city.

All of the Boulder Valley’s main cities have economic-development groups willing to assist with information and incentives for new businesses creating jobs. The groups also focus on retention to help existing businesses remain in the area.

The Boulder Valley’s public education sector is boosted by the University of Colorado-Boulder. It is the largest university in the state and supports an effective technology-transfer program to the private sector. The Boulder Valley School District and St. Vrain Valley School District teach approximately 50,000 students in 100 schools. There also are numerous private schools and universities focusing on a variety of teaching methods and disciplines.

The area greatly benefits from several federally funded science laboratories such as the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the National Institute of Standards & Technology, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Institute of Telecommunications.

Companies looking for philanthropic opportunities will be impressed by the area’s wide range of nonprofits and charities. The organizations work closely with businesses to help foster healthy and productive communities, families and workforces.

The outdoors cannot be underestimated as one of the area’s main attractions. The mountains and average 300 days of sunshine per year attract young, active and talented workers who are happy to live here.

Skiing and snowboarding are less than an hour away at the small resort of Eldora, west of Nederland, or it’s less than a two-hour drive to major world-class resorts such as Vail and Breckenridge. And in the summer, these mountains provide the perfect trails for mountain biking and hiking.

Rocky Mountain National Park is an hour away, but locals also flock to the nearby Indian Peaks mountain range and wilderness area, which offers free access, fewer crowds and more backcountry trails.

The golf ball flies farther at this altitude, and there are more than 15 local public golf courses to challenge your game or entertain a business client. Local recreation centers and leagues provide opportunities to play tennis, soccer, lacrosse, softball, volleyball and even adult kickball.

With all those outdoor activities within easy reach, the Boulder Valley consistently boasts one of the nation’s most healthy and fit populations. We’re supported by four major hospitals, numerous medical centers and some of the world’s top doctors, who move here for the lifestyle.

The Boulder Valley has its own established retail sector, including a mix of major malls, lifestyle centers, big-box stores and unique downtown Main Street shopping districts.

Local restaurants are plentiful, many capitalizing on homegrown and organic foods to create fresh and creative meals. Several restaurants are led by national award-winning chefs. And frequently, your meals can be enjoyed outdoors, accompanied by beautiful mountain views.

With that meal, or after a long day’s work, you can always sit down and relax with a locally brewed beer. Colorado is known for its quality beer, and the Boulder Valley contributes to the tradition with more than a dozen original brewpubs and microbreweries. And if you want to keep it simple with just a drink of water, we have some of the best – it’s straight from the mountains that rise in the background.

The Boulder Valley provides a wide range of living options, including remote homes in the mountains, single-family neighborhoods in the suburbs, senior-housing communities, and mixed-use urban lofts in the city.

People love to live here, and that translates to a positive attitude at work. The Boulder Valley provides the good weather, food and active lifestyle similar to that of the West Coast, but at half the cost. The mountains are in your backyard, but the big city is a short drive away. And at the end of the day, the sunsets over the mountains are spectacular.

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