CWE or Downtown Loft? (St. Louis, Washington: apartments, rentals, lofts)

[Todd.LA]

I'm a 29 yo partnered gay man from LA moving to STL this summer for a new job. My partner and I are both professionals and want to live in a walkable urban neighborhood. When I was in town for the job interview, I briefly checked out both the Central West End and the Washington Ave. lofts district. We plan to rent and would like to spend $800-$1200 / month, preferably for a two bedroom. I will be working downtown, and my partner will likely work downtown or from home. I was hoping for some advice on selecting between the neighborhoods, and I'd welcome any suggestions of other neighborhoods to consider.

How do these neighboorhoods compare as far as saftey goes? I have heard that the CWE is the most gay neighborhood in STL; do many gay men live downtown? (I don't need or especially want to live in a gay ghetto, but I also prefer not to be the only homo on the island, so to speak). Which neighborhood has more active restraunts, bars, coffeeshops, stores, and people out and about on the street? To me, downtown seemed a bit more dead compared to around Euclid Ave., but I was visiting on a Sunday and a Monday. I toured a few lofts downtown, and they seemed like really cool spaces, but the neighborhood seemed kind of quiet and deserted compared to the CWE. I'd love to be able to walk to work and live in a cool loft, but I'm worried that downtown doesn't yet have enough services compared to the Central West End.

Finally, are there any other neighborhoods that we should be looking at? Thanks for any advice!

[STLCardsBlues1989]

As far as convenience, St. Louis Downtown is getting a Schnucks, and I think it's going to have a pharmacy or something. There's also a City Grocers.

I think Downtown is more alive when the Blues/Rams/especially Cardinals are playing.

As far as rental lofts, there are the Merchandise Mart, Cupples Station Loft Apartments, and Tudor Lofts and GW Lofts. Tudor Lofts and GW Lofts are a little further west (just north of Scottrade Center), so they would probably require driving to work. I have no experience with any of them, though.
Here's some Downtown apartments. I don't know about CWE as much.
Merchandise Mart Apartments
Cupples Station Loft Apartments
Blue Urban - GW Loft Apartments Development
Fashion Square - Loft Apartments
Pointe 400, Luxury Apartments for Lease | 400 South 4th Street, St. Louis Missouri
The Paul Brown Loft Apartments

I don't know a lot about either area. Sorry.

http://www.downtownstl.org/
http://www.downtownstl.org/docs/Down...ebruary09.html

Welcome to the Lou and best of luck!

[aragx6]

The heart of the Washington Ave. Loft District is very lively and is growing more so every year, but I think you're right that all in all CWE is still a bit more vibrant.

That said the rental stock is better and more plentiful downtown, so you'll certainly want to take that into consideration.

Honestly, I would think you'd be happy either place. And as for the gay factor? Definitely not an issue either place. The Central West End is probably the heart of the gay single community in St. Louis -- mostly because of its status as the most sought after urban neighborhood for years -- but downtown has plenty of gays living there. There's also a nicely sized gay couple/family community centered in the Tower Grove area.

[Todd.LA]

Originally Posted by aragx6

The heart of the Washington Ave. Loft District is very lively and is growing more so every year, but I think you're right that all in all CWE is still a bit more vibrant.

That said the rental stock is better and more plentiful downtown, so you'll certainly want to take that into consideration.

Honestly, I would think you'd be happy either place. And as for the gay factor? Definitely not an issue either place. The Central West End is probably the heart of the gay single community in St. Louis -- mostly because of its status as the most sought after urban neighborhood for years -- but downtown has plenty of gays living there. There's also a nicely sized gay couple/family community centered in the Tower Grove area.

Thanks for the advice and comments. I didn't get a chance to look at any apartments in the Central West End. Do they tend to be more run down than the ones downtown? When I toured some lofts downtown, I was very impressed with how nice the apartments were.

[aragx6]

Most of the small (1 and 2 bed) rentals you'll find in CWE are vintage rental quality -- old crappy kitchens and baths, small rooms etc. Unless you can pay for condo units, CWE is not going to have anything near the kinds of places you saw downtown.

Downtown stock is fabulous because pretty much all of it is less than 10 years old and the old empty warehouses of downtown were just primed for loft developments.

[jules32]

Either location would be fine. I have lived in the CWE for years, and it's definitely the kind of neighborhood where you can walk around and just about any hour pretty safely. Depending on where in the CWE you're talking about, there are sometimes issues with petty crimes, like a smashed car window or stolen license plate. But if you get a place with secure parking (which you can definitely do with the price range you're talking about) even that issue goes away. There is a lot to choose from in the CWE - historic homes or new construction, a variety of prices, etc. And if you work west of the city (which I do) CWE offers a definite traffic advantage. Possibly the best thing about the CWE is having two grocery stores within walking distance. The downsides - it has gotten more crowded in recent years, and its proximity to BJC hospital means frequent sirens.

Downtown is coming along, but you are right that the amenities are just not there yet. There are some really cool loft spaces, though.

Definitely check out the Tower Grove neighborhood as well - thriving gay community, great restaurants, and both Tower Grove park and the Botanical Gardens are absolutely beautiful.

[Todd.LA]

Regarding the Tower Grove neighborhood, what streets roughly define the borders of the area, and where is the main commercial drag of the area (i.e., the equivalent of Euclid Ave. or Washington Ave.)? Thanks for all of the advice.

[Brickmama]

There is Tower Grove South and Tower Grove East. The main drag is the lively funky South Grand strip. Both are great areas and very diverse. TGS is south of Tower Grove Park and TGE is east of the park.

As far as downtown it is pretty lively on the weekends, during weekdays, and Wed and Thurs nights. Keep in mind you visited in the dead of winter and things will pick up once the weather gets warmer. The area just got off the ground earlier this decade and has come a long way and will keep adding amenities as it matures. I live in the Loft district and love it. However any of the neighborhoods discussed will be a good choice. Its a matter of deciding which one fits your needs and interests.

[Todd.LA]

Originally Posted by Brickmama

There is Tower Grove South and Tower Grove East. The main drag is the lively funky South Grand strip. Both are great areas and very diverse. TGS is south of Tower Grove Park and TGE is east of the park.

As far as downtown it is pretty lively on the weekends, during weekdays, and Wed and Thurs nights. Keep in mind you visited in the dead of winter and things will pick up once the weather gets warmer. The area just got off the ground earlier this decade and has come a long way and will keep adding amenities as it matures. I live in the Loft district and love it. However any of the neighborhoods discussed will be a good choice. Its a matter of deciding which one fits your needs and interests.

Thanks for your comments. Living in LA, where it's fairly warm all year, I sometimes forget that what season it is can affect how lively a neighborhood is in cooler climates... When I come back this summer for my apartment hunting trip, it will be fun to compare.

[Brickmama]

If you do any apt hunting downtown try looking at The Merchandise Mart or the Ely Walker Lofts. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions.