Colorado State Off-Campus Housing

West Central is where Colorado State University is located, and is, as you might have guessed, west of the campus. The area as a whole is comprised of several different smaller neighborhoods and subdivisions like Fairview, Village West, Avery Park, just to name a few. To try and make this less complicated, these smaller neighborhoods make up West Central, and West Central is a part of Central Fort Collins (okay, so maybe it’s a little complicated). Since CSU is right here, this area has a gained wide variety of housing as the years went by. Here, there are tons of ranch-style houses, bi-level, and tri-level complexes, mixed in with luxury student housing apartments. Shopping and errands are made easy at Drake Crossing, Cedarwood, and Raintree Village. Students are also really close to all the main shops on College Avenue.

If you looked on a map, Central Fort Collins would be smack dab in the middle of the city (makes sense being titled central). Cental is the heart of Old Town, the area surrounding Fort Collins’ downtown, and all that surrounds Colorado State University. From older bungalows, smaller rental units, and larger apartment complexes this area has a great mix of different types of home, while also bringing a variety of different lifestyles and environments.

There are several major shopping centers throughout this area like The Square and the Foothills Fashion Mall. You’ll also be in walking distance to restaurants, banks, and virtually anything you need. Fort Collins is a big biking city. So much, in fact, it has been said that everyone there owns at least one bike (I know, pushing it a little bit, but you get the idea). Since CSU is one of the most bicycle-friendly campuses, there are numerous biking trails that can lead you all around the city. If you come car-less, try and look for a place near the bus routes because those Colorado winters are brutal!

Here are some neighborhoods that help to make up Central Fort Collins.

If you’ve ever been to Disneyland, Main Street USA was actually modeled after Old Town Fort Collins. The streets are lined with cozy cafes, boutiques, candy stores, and antique shops. Being a college town, the nightlife scene is buzzing with live entertainment, art galleries, and more than 84 bars and restaurants to choose from. There are more than 10 microbrewers, making Fort Collins the city with the most breweries per capita in the state. If you’re into beer (which is practically a requirement to live here) make sure you hit up Colorado Brewers’ Festival, this event takes place every June for two days.

To note, Old Town isn’t technically a specific neighborhood but is more of a general term used to describe downtown and the surrounding area. Old Town and Downtown have a lot of loft-style apartments, condos, and townhomes to choose from. The closer you get to CSU the older the homes are, and it's much more of an urban tone. Houses are generally your traditional one and two-story places with a tree covered yards. With tons of public transportation getting around is a breeze. From Old Town alone you have access to the Mason Trail, Poudre Trail, and Spring Creek Trail for biking.

Just east of the Colorado State University campus is the University Acres neighborhood. Historically, this land was once owned by CSU for agricultural research and later sold for real estate development in the 1950s.Today, the land is covered with houses and lush landscape. Living in University Acres you get the convenience of living in Old Town but at a lower price. Both Downtown and the CSU campus are minutes away on a bike making this a great choice for off-campus living. Nearby, you’ll have easy access to the 65-acre Edora Park where you can utilize the baseball fields, basketball court, skate park, tennis courts, and the Edora Pool Ice Center (EPIC). Here, you can also take the Spring Creek Trail throughout different areas of Fort Collins.