South City neighborhoods for family of 5 (St. Louis, Princeton: rentals, crime, how much)

[philberf]

Hi all, I really enjoy reading about the various neighborhoods, and I was looking for more specifics from people who actually live in South City. We're a family of 5, kids ages 4, 3, and 1, and we're looking at South city, as I'll be working/grad school part-time at SLU. School isn't a HUGE issue, as we've applied to attend a private school by Tower Grove, and hope to hear back soon.

Crime maps seem to suggest Shaw/Tower Grove areas are pretty safe with decent single family homes for rent that would fit our needs (3br+) and budget (<1700/mo would be nice, but can flex). We're also considering further south, like Saint Louis Hills/Princeton Heights.

We're trying to stay kind of close in due to an intense dislike of commuting, but am open to convincing.

It seems like a few things pop up here and there, but not as much as we were hoping - will rentals pick up as the spring/summer comes?

Any thoughts?

[billiken]

Saint Louis Hills has been one of the most desirable areas in the city for families for a while. More expensive than the rest of the city, though, and quieter than Shaw or Tower Grove (can be good or bad, depending on what you're looking for). I'm less familiar with Princeton Heights.

I really enjoy Shaw and Tower Grove South (looking for a house there myself). Sounds like a good fit if you're doing school at SLU and your kids will be in school in the area. I like it because it's more central to everything and feels less sleepy. I feel you on housing inventory--there are slim pickings on the buyer side too!

[Dawn10am]

Those are all good areas. The main thing you want to ask is how much "city" you are looking for. While they're all pretty urban, Tower Grove and Shaw are decidedly funkier/grittier than St. Louis Hills and Princeton Heights, which are quieter. I think it would be really cool to grow up in an area like Tower Grove/Shaw and be exposed to the melting pot of cultures/people that hang out in that area. It'd probably be best to visit, check out some houses, and drive/walk around the neighborhoods to get a feel for what they're really like.

[Chicago76]

I second what has been said above. My wife and I own in Shaw a stones throw from St. Margaret's. We moved here expressly for the school options within the city for our two little ones. If they can't get into the gifted schools, our favored place is Citygarden, which Shaw still gets access to, although the catchment area has now shrunk to the point that only people in Botanical Heights have guaranteed attendance. We're pro-public schools, but St. Maragaret's is our other option. Shaw is very family friendly with a ton of kids, although there are a few blocks I'd still shy away from a bit. My only complaint about Shaw is that its a bit insular and people tend to oppose commercial in certain parts of the neighborhood. There are still a number of places to go in the neighborhood. It's just a bit more sleepy than TGS. It's a compromise between TGS and areas like St. Louis Hills in that respect.

TGS is a bit more expensive, but I especially love the Tower Grove Heights area of the neighborhood. If Citygarden isn't the school you're shooting for, this is the area I would have selected among your choices. South Grand and Morganford are very walkable and accessible and there are a couple of small corner stores in the interior of the neighborhood (Black Thorn, Hartford Coffee, the hardware store).

[philberf]

Thanks. We're making a house hunting/exploring trip out in April. We will do some exploring.