Moving to Saint Louis - Maryland Heights area..Help!!! (St. Louis: apartment complexes, rent)

[juicycouture]

I will be moving to missouri and found a great aparment on the internet and was told it is in Maryland Heights and about 20 mins to the Chesterfield mall.

Is Maryland Heights a safe area? My bf will be going to school in Wash U and I will be working around the O'fallon area. We want a safe neighborhood where other professionals possibly live in. Price is not much of an issue. Will appreciate any tips, suggestions, advice. And, not that it matters but we are black

[moorlander]

Maryland Heights is safe. It's quiet suburbia. If I were you, I'd focus my search on University City, Clayton, The Central West End, and Debalivier Place. (basically the area around Wash U) as it's much nicer, much more urban, and there is a ton more to do. Haveing Forest Park at your doorstep is a HUGE bonus too.

[BoomBoxing]

Maryland Heights is actually a really good option considering it is roughly halfway between Wash U and O'Fallon. On the other hand, it is a family oriented suburb with some young people and students but not as much as the city and inner county. It is plenty safe though.

I second Moorlanders recommendations if you are looking for something more fun and interesting, but I do think MH is a solid choice overall.

[aragx6]

If you chose the area to be roughly equidistant for the two commutes, it's an area that makes sense. Safe area, central to the metro, and plenty of apartment complexes.

It's really going to depend what you're looking for. There's a lot of great urban and inner-ring suburban living that I would suggest for a young couple where it would probably be easier to meet people, but we'd really have to know what your priorities are to make more tailored suggestions.

[DespicableMe]

Creve Coeur is suggestible for the simple fact that you could get onto 64 without stepping on congested and delay prone 270 between Olive and Page in the evenings.

[flynavyj]

The congestion on 270 would probably be one of very few negatives. Maryland Heights is very centrally located, which will give you access to both the university, and your work in O'Fallon. Dorsett road can get backed up at certain times of the day, but more of an annoyance than a traffic jam. You'll also have quick access to 364/Page Ave to link up to I-270 or hop into St. Charles (rarely has much traffic on it).

As mentioned, there are some very cool, fun, hip places around the Washington University area...Infact for housing stock, the homes immediately surrounding the university are probably some of the most sought after in the area, and can demand ridiculously high prices.The big benefits of being around the university would be a wide variety of people (universities tend to attract folks from every walk of life), close to metrolink stations, close to the central west end (one of the "trendy" locales for young professionals), and close to school. Not to mention closer to the city for downtown events, baseball, football, concerts on the square. You'd also have Forest Park at your fingertips, along with the Zoo, Museums, golf courses, trails that it has to offer.

Maryland Heights will give you a nice even commute between work and school, without being particularly close to either, but a fairly easy commute nonetheless. Close proximity to Creve Coeur Lake (and park, which features walking/biking trails) and grilling areas. There is a nice (newer) YMCA in Maryland Heights as well for exercise and other activities (my wife and i play volleyball there). Maryland Heights AquaPort (waterpark program, incase you have young kids, or have any nieces, nephews visiting). The rent would probably be cheaper, and the area equally if not more safe. All in all, it's a wash...But i wouldn't worry about safety in MH.

PS, my wife and I lived in Creve Coeur for a year. We were in King's Landing Apartments, which are a way overpriced, but if you can get a special they're only a "lil" overpriced. However, we absolutely LOVED having a half mile drive to the highway. We're now only about two miles from the highway, but it seems to take FOREVER in comparison to how it was in Creve Coeur...Boy do i miss that. And for myself, I could make it to the best motorcycling roads around St. Louis within 10-15 minutes, as opposed to 25 minutes from our current location a little further towards the "inner" suburbs.

[juicycouture]

Wow, thank you all for the responses. I am glad that Maryland heights is in the middle of work and school. We are a young couple but planning to start a family soonest so I like the fact that someone said MH is kind of in the suburbs. I am just wondering if there are any train stations there that could go to Wash U and back.

[stlcitygirl]

^No metrolink stops in Maryland Heights, but your husband can park and ride at the North Hanley metro stop.

[flynavyj]

Yeah, metrolink (metro-rail) stations are somewhat sporadically placed throughout the area...But North Hanley would be the closest stop (besides the airport). What i dislike about having to drive to a metrolink station is that once i'm already in my car, and the engine is warmed up, or A/C has cooled things off you have to stop at the station, buy your ticket, wait for the train, and in my case, either bus or bike from a train stop to my work....I've often thought about doing this if it starts seeming like a much better economic decision, but for the time being...i think i'll just drive.

[DespicableMe]

Yeah and Wash U danforth campus is like no more than 2.5 miles from the North Hanley stop anyways. The only significant savings might be from paying for university parking.

I have heard a couple of people tell me they got their cars broken into at that parking spot as well.