Alan Gionet visits Buena Vista as a community journalist and takes an in-depth look in this special CBS News Colorado program about the town, its people and things that matter to them.
Love BV, and Salida too for that matter. Will be passing back through both towns soon...after a five day drive from the southeast. Gotta date with ArkAnglers!
I used to live and work in Buena Vista. This is a town for rich and retired people. There is nowhere for the average working person to live there. There is a housing development called the "Farm" and you have to get on a waiting list in order to buy a house. Buena Vista is in dire need of housing!! What the rich people do is buy some land and build a house from the ground up. The town of Salida, 30 minutes south of BV, is the same way. Electricity is very expensive in BV. I was always shocked when I received my power bill every time!! They roll up the sidewalks in this town by 6:00 pm.The 2 main supermarkets in BV close at 10:00 pm along with the convenience stores!! Don't believe what others tell you about this town. There is really nothing to do there. This town is for rich, old retired people who don't work and get up early. Half of the restaurants in BV close in the afternoon, and the portions are small and overpriced. If you want to work at the prison in town, you will have a hard time finding a place to live! The prison even has temporary housing for a few guards who can't find housing. Many landlords and rentals cater to the tourists who come to BV in the summer and kick out the regular renters for the summer tourists!! The worst time to move to Buena Vista is the summer. It is impossible to find a place to rent or a hotel room in this town or Salida. I might as well include Leadville (45 minutes north of Buena Vista). Then you have the BV police, Colorado State Patrol, and the county Sheriff (all 3 departments hand out tickets), roaming up and down the main highway between BV and Salida!! Don't you dare drive above the speed limit between Salida and Buena Vista! BV and Salida are nice towns to visit, but forget about living in these towns unless you are wealthy and retired and a morning person. The closest to civilization is Colrado Springs or Canyon City.
Yes, I know all about the "Farm". Nice place if you can afford it. Those houses start at about $500,000 for a 3 bedroom. No gas, electricity only. And electricity is expensive in BV!! $500,000 and garages are extra! Also, no grass or turf in the tiny, tiny back yard, just sand. The electric heaters are near the ceiling and it takes several hours to heat the dining room and kitchen. Also, you will be put on a waiting list forever!! Many of the Californians are selling their properties in California and buying up these homes and people from other states also to retire in. Plenty of land in and around BV but nobody is building anything!! Also, landlords in BV and Salida expect potential renters to jump through hoops and beg and grovel to live in their precious properties!! Most rental places require you to put down 3 times the rent to move in!! So if rent is $2000 a month, you will need $6000.00 in cash to move into a place that you will never own. This is the way it is in Buena Vista, Salida and Leadville!! I know about all of this because I have lived in Buena vista. The town for rich, old retired people who have nothing to do and nowhere to go!!
Here's maybe an idea to preserve ranching in some parts of Colorado like BV...consider pursuing an agriculture conservation easement with a reputable land trust organization. Your slice of Colorado deserves to be preserved!
Great story 😊
Love BV, and Salida too for that matter. Will be passing back through both towns soon...after a five day drive from the southeast. Gotta date with ArkAnglers!
I used to live and work in Buena Vista. This is a town for rich and retired people. There is nowhere for the average working person to live there. There is a housing development called the "Farm" and you have to get on a waiting list in order to buy a house. Buena Vista is in dire need of housing!! What the rich people do is buy some land and build a house from the ground up. The town of Salida, 30 minutes south of BV, is the same way. Electricity is very expensive in BV. I was always shocked when I received my power bill every time!! They roll up the sidewalks in this town by 6:00 pm.The 2 main supermarkets in BV close at 10:00 pm along with the convenience stores!! Don't believe what others tell you about this town. There is really nothing to do there. This town is for rich, old retired people who don't work and get up early. Half of the restaurants in BV close in the afternoon, and the portions are small and overpriced. If you want to work at the prison in town, you will have a hard time finding a place to live! The prison even has temporary housing for a few guards who can't find housing. Many landlords and rentals cater to the tourists who come to BV in the summer and kick out the regular renters for the summer tourists!! The worst time to move to Buena Vista is the summer. It is impossible to find a place to rent or a hotel room in this town or Salida. I might as well include Leadville (45 minutes north of Buena Vista). Then you have the BV police, Colorado State Patrol, and the county Sheriff (all 3 departments hand out tickets), roaming up and down the main highway between BV and Salida!! Don't you dare drive above the speed limit between Salida and Buena Vista! BV and Salida are nice towns to visit, but forget about living in these towns unless you are wealthy and retired and a morning person. The closest to civilization is Colrado Springs or Canyon City.
Yes, I know all about the "Farm". Nice place if you can afford it. Those houses start at about $500,000 for a 3 bedroom. No gas, electricity only. And electricity is expensive in BV!! $500,000 and garages are extra! Also, no grass or turf in the tiny, tiny back yard, just sand. The electric heaters are near the ceiling and it takes several hours to heat the dining room and kitchen. Also, you will be put on a waiting list forever!! Many of the Californians are selling their properties in California and buying up these homes and people from other states also to retire in. Plenty of land in and around BV but nobody is building anything!! Also, landlords in BV and Salida expect potential renters to jump through hoops and beg and grovel to live in their precious properties!! Most rental places require you to put down 3 times the rent to move in!! So if rent is $2000 a month, you will need $6000.00 in cash to move into a place that you will never own. This is the way it is in Buena Vista, Salida and Leadville!! I know about all of this because I have lived in Buena vista. The town for rich, old retired people who have nothing to do and nowhere to go!!
Ive lived here all my life. Sad to see some of these changes. Only the rich can live here now.
Us Ranchers are getting pushed out
Of course part of the issue is ranchers selling out to developers, right?
That's the future of the whole state. The locusts destroy their own states and then move to new ones and destroy those.
Here's maybe an idea to preserve ranching in some parts of Colorado like BV...consider pursuing an agriculture conservation easement with a reputable land trust organization. Your slice of Colorado deserves to be preserved!
Ahhh, Garlic and Stockholm Merrifield's hometown.
Boycott Colorado.
Boycott bad comments.
@@stuartallen6582 boycott yo mama