Ascent

I’m a current resident here. Ascent Apartments (formerly Dartmouth Woods) is going through a lot of changes as of 2014 – 2015, and most them are for the better. Back when the property was named Dartmouth Woods, it allowed for Section 8 housing which assisted low-​income families, much like the Fox Crossing apartment complex nearly. Now, however, Section 8 is no longer supported and apartments are being renovated one-​by-​one as people move out. The new apartments look great with granite countertops and dark wood cabinets, and the main office has been completely remodeled as well with an exercise room and three new computers for resident use. Ascent is clearly targeting a new clientele which understandably has caused stress for residents who can barely afford their place at old prices.
My favorite thing about these apartments is their proximity to the Cherry Creek and Highline Canal bike trails. You can bike to downtown Denver in ~40 minutes, or bike a loop around Cherry Creek Reservoir in about an hour. (I love it and it’s why I moved here.) I’ve only had a few maintenance requests and they were completed on time. The worst I’ve seen is water heaters failing, which caused flooding issues. They were replaced but consider asking when the one on the next floor up was replaced.
For the most part I really like this community but there are some things I would try to improve: first, while the apartments and office look great, the grounds are often littered with garbage and muddy grass left by kids nearby. The office could probably fix this by giving treats to kids who pick up garbage and bring it to the office. (Ascent has started power washing the breezeways as well about every six months.) Next, there are so many kids and large families here that it can be very noisy by the pool and the playground, sometimes as late as 9−10PM. Christmas Eve can be noisy as late as 1AM. Thankfully, things usually quiet down by 10:30PM, but the noise can go from adorable to annoying after a summer. Third, the landscaping of the grounds is such that kids have access to tons of rocks which they throw everywhere. The bushes produce berries which, when smeared on the concrete, are really hard to clean. If Ascent is going to continue catering to families with little kids, it may be preferable to rip out the bushes and rocks and install something more family-​friendly.
If you look at Trulia’s crime map of this area, there’s a strip of higher crime through here. I’ve seen groups of teens come through (perhaps from Fox Crossing) looking for bikes to steal, so keep your valuables locked up or inside. I’ve seen police come by every few weeks although it’s been better in 2015. There’s a mix of honest, hard-​working families and more shady/​crazy families, so be careful who you buddy up with. I have to echo the other poster who complained of occasional peeping kiddos. I’m sure it’s innocent curiosity but can feel invasive when you’re not expecting it.
So, to sum up, if you like to bike, want a brand new remodel, and don’t mind noise in the summer, Ascent is a good community with a mix of middle/​low-​income families.

This place is absolutely nasty.
The common areas are in need of power washing and people throw their cigarette butts and don’t pick up dog poo. I even walked over a frozen yellow puddle where someone let their dog pee (b/​c it was cold out and they didn’t want to walk to the grAss). I’m not sure if there are maximum occupancy rules, but many apartments have several families living together. It is noisy and the smokers are inconsiderate! The children run unattended and cause disturbances. Over priced and under delivers.