Relocating to Scott AFB. Where do I want to live? Please help! (St. Louis: apartment, for rent) - Missouri (MO) - City-Data Forum

bnbarnes2001 · 04-02-2009, 10:31 AM

Hi everyone! I just took a job on Scott AFB, and I have about 2 weeks until I relocate. I have never been to St. Louis, and I don't know anyone around the area. I am single 30 year old, active guy with no pups! Don't mind living in the city (just moved from LA!) but I do like quiet as I am a southern boy from Pensacola FL! Any suggestions would be a great help! I'll be renting, and I don't want to pay a whole lot since I'm hardly ever at home anyways. Any good happy medium areas between city and burbs for good restaurants, golf, running, and socializing? Thanks tons, Brian!

aragx6 · 04-02-2009, 11:00 AM

How long of a commute do you want? There's not a lot of great middle ground between St. Louis city and the AFB -- it goes from dense city to typical suburbs pretty quickly. That said there are definitely city neighborhoods that would offer more of that inner-ring suburb feel that I think you're looking for -- they'll be to the south and west of downtown -- but that will make your commute rather long.

I'd look at Soulard -- it might be more of a destination neighborhood than you're looking for, but it's safe and is quiet almost all the time (It's home to the U.S.'s second largest Mardi Gras however so it is very loud and very rowdy for a couple of days per year). Even that's going to give you a probably 45 minute commute though.

You might want to look at getting a place in the Illinois suburbs near the base and then taking the metro (light rail) into the city when you want to, but honestly I don't know enough about the suburbs on the Ill side to give real advice on where to look.

bnbarnes2001 · 04-02-2009, 11:49 AM

I have looked into Soulard. It sounds appealing. The commute is no big deal. I used to commute 40 minutes to work in Los Angeles... Only 8 miles!! Traffic can not be NEAR as bad as it was there. So Soulard is a quiet neighborhood? I was just thinking of inner city loud suburbs like in Cali. the Mardi Gras thing is a definite plus! My favorite time of the year!!! Thanks for the info aragx6!

TSOLfan · 04-02-2009, 01:24 PM

I am also relocating to Scott AFB for a job and I was just in St. Louis this past weekend to check things out. I am sold on living downtown in the loft district, it seems to have everything you need within walking distance. I drove over to the Illinois side and it wasn't my thing so to speak, but it is probably good for people w/kids. By no means am I an expert, but that was my impression. I personally don't want to live around the base beacause I will be working there, but that is a whole different story. It seems like you cant go wrong with many of the neighborhoods in St. louis metro. Again, just an opinion from a fellow newcomer, but St. Louis seems like a great city.

aragx6 · 04-02-2009, 02:10 PM

Yeah, traffic in St. Louis is nothing compared to the three big cities (I live in Chicago now and it's obnoxious).

I like Soulard because there's plenty of corner bars mixed in with plenty of residential. A lot of neighborhoods will have a "main drag" or two of businesses -- Tower Grove is an example -- Soulard draws plenty of people, but living there is actually surprisingly quiet (except Mardi Gras as I mentioned). You can get a nicely sized apartment fairly cheap as well -- as little as $550-600 for a one bedroom.

TGS · 04-02-2009, 02:45 PM

Here is a crude map of the Mardi Gras party zones.
http://www.stlmardigras.org/Images/maps/09%20Festival%202.bmp (broken link)

The zones on the map indicate the parking zones during Mardi Gras (red is no parking at all, yellow is only resident parking). However, I do think it is also a good map of the "party" and "quiet" areas of Soulard all year long. The red section has a lot of residences and a lot of businesses. The yellow section is almost all residential.

bnbarnes2001 · 04-02-2009, 03:29 PM

Awesome. Thank you for the map link. i really do believe I will be moving to the neighborhood. Seems like a nice place and there are great deals on apts and lofts. How dog friendly is Soulard and am I going to die when it snows?! never lived anywhere that it snows. OH yeah and how is parking through the year. I have a full size SUV. Is there any problems with it fitting down the roads. Ran into alot of problems with that in Charleston and Los Angeles. Once again, Thanks to all for the great feedback~Brian!

panzerattack41 · 04-02-2009, 06:58 PM

Wow...yet another AF guy PCSing to Scott here...October for me though. Loft district by a METRO is what im looking at...the train goes right to the base...drops you off by the dorms...less than a mile to AMC HQ. Thats my tentative plan at least.

aragx6 · 04-03-2009, 07:47 AM

Check out Red Brick Management's Web site (http://www.redbrickmanagement.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?search=action&sortorder=descending&cat egory=HIS1&keywords=all&template=Templates/residential.htm - broken link) -- they have a lot of Soulard properties for rent.

Soulard is one of the oldest neighborhoods in St. Louis but its streets aren't as thin as they could be -- it'll be tight with a big SUV -- esp. if you (as you likely will) have street parking, but I think it'll be doable.

TSOLfan · 04-03-2009, 06:38 PM

Panzer,
I just visited STL this past weekend and the loft district is where its at, everything you need is right there. I saw a few officers walking into apartment buildings, so it seems like a popular spot for some AF personnel, and the fact that the Metro goes right out to Scott, it works out perfect. Good luck with your change of station.