Living in CWE - Attending WashU (U-City) (St. Louis, University City: apartment, crime)

[nelly0]

Hey Everyone,

I just recently secured a place in the CWE (near the corner of Lindell Blvd and Euclid Ave.). I will be attending WashU (University City Campus) this Fall and I wanted to ask a few questions:

1) I have done some research and found out that WashU students can ride the metro for free. Is it easy to use the metrobus to get from WashU campus to CWE area?

2) What do you think of the area. I am wondering about safety, whether this is a "happening" place in STL? etc. Any reviews of the area would be appreciated.

Looking forward to the move in August. I've only visited once and I can't wait to explore the city more. Thanks!

[Azalea City Man]

Originally Posted by nelly0

Hey Everyone,

I just recently secured a place in the CWE (near the corner of Lindell Blvd and Euclid Ave.). I will be attending WashU (University City Campus) this Fall and I wanted to ask a few questions:

1) I have done some research and found out that WashU students can ride the metro for free. Is it easy to use the metrobus to get from WashU campus to CWE area?

2) What do you think of the area. I am wondering about safety, whether this is a "happening" place in STL? etc. Any reviews of the area would be appreciated.

Looking forward to the move in August. I've only visited once and I can't wait to explore the city more. Thanks!

That is a great area. Most of the social happenings in CWE will be directly north or south on Euclid, especially at Maryland/Euclid. The area is perfectly safe, imo. There might be a minor crime here and there, and an ocassional panhandler. Also make sure to walk to the movie theater inside the Chase Plaza (one bloack away).

Why not take the metro light rail train instead of the bus? Just walk to Barns-Jewish Hospital at Euclid/Forest Park Ave and hop on. Takes you right to Wash U if you get off at the Skinker stop (two stops away from CWE). Just make sure you take the Shrewsberry (sp?) line and not the Lambert Airport line.

I lived at Euclid/West Pine, didn't go to WashU though.

[nelly0]

Thanks Azalea. I appreciate your reply. I hadn't considered the Metro Light Rail simply because it is a few blocks walk and google maps tells me that the metrobus Gold Line stops right on the corner of Lindell and Euclid (so i figured it would be easier). I will take any suggestions on this one. Light rail or bus? Which is faster/easier? Which is safer (especially at night)? etc. Thanks!

[billiken]

I prefer the MetroLink...typically less stop & go involved. Especially since you're so close to the CWE stop, and WashU pretty much has 2 stops adjacent to campus. I would consider taking the bus at night so you spend less time walking alone.

[moorlander]

use trip finder on the metro website not google transit. I can't say enough good stuff about the CWE. I'd be shocked if you didn't love it. A bike would be a good alternative too.

[BoomBoxing]

Yeah you definitely will enjoy living in the CWE. Safety-wise it is a heavily populated, dense neighborhood and so you should take some mild precautions. Stay on main streets walking around at night, don't leave valubles sitting out, keep aware of your surroundings etc. It is not dangerous and most crimes there are of the petty theft variety so you will be fine.

Personally, I prefer Metrolink over the bus. It has always been on time +-2 minutes tops, it is (usually) very clean, and goes to my favorite parts of town. The bus can be great for getting around places off the main line though, like parts of south St. Louis. I also second Moorlanders suggestion of a bike. You will be living right next to one of the largest urban parks in the U.S. And that awesome park would be pretty much the only thing between your apartment and the campus, so you can't beat that commute.

[Azalea City Man]

Originally Posted by nelly0

Thanks Azalea. I appreciate your reply. I hadn't considered the Metro Light Rail simply because it is a few blocks walk and google maps tells me that the metrobus Gold Line stops right on the corner of Lindell and Euclid (so i figured it would be easier).

It's a few blocks, but it's not a bad walk at all - and it is straight down Euclid which stays populated with the bars, eateries, shops, etc. You could always ride a bike to the metro station too. Bikers have to get on the back of the train, but then you could still have the bike with you for the WashU campus. I don't know, just an idea.

Personally, I would take the train. Less creepy people ride the train and the bus will be very stop-and-go. But I wouldn't shy away from the bus, as I'm sure it gets the job done too. And like you said, it would be less of an initial walk. I always found it fun making the 5-10 minute walk and taking the train though.

Edit: After reading the post above, yeah, in the spring or fall you could just bike across Forest Park. Lovely those times of year. Definitely take train or bus in summer or especially winter.

[wustu87]

I use and have used both the Metrobus system and Metrolink significantly around Wash U and there is a difference in the type of folks who ride the two, but both are quite safe. The Wash U #1 (Gold) and #2 (Red) lines are both quite dependable, but based on the different drivers and the traffic on the streets the timing can vary substantially. Definitely add some buffer time on any bus trips and make sure you show up a few minutes before scheduled (yes, they sometimes show up a bit early!) The Metrolink times are much more consistent although they are also much more crowded, especially during peak times. Also watch out for "Cardinal day game" days, when the trains are jam packed and can run 3-5 minutes late after a game (which is otherwise very rare.) You should check the recent changes that started this week on the metrostlouis.org site. There are now more trains running during rush hour and more bus service too. Thank you, Proposition A supporters! Personally, I use the bus when it is more convenient, and the trains when they are more convenient. Having a U-Pass and various bus and train options is great.

As for the CWE being a "happening" place, I can't think of any other place in the metro area that is more "happening", although I'm sure some other folks might disagree. Especially for the more active, young adult Wash U crowd (graduate students, fellows, post-docs, etc.), it is pretty much the place to be.

Incidentally, the "University City" campus you mentioned is actually called the "Danforth" Campus (it was the Hilltop Campus.) The Danforths paid a lot for that name on the campus, and they want people to use it!

[andyc0803]

Outside of maybe Washington Ave downtown I can't think of a more "happening" area than CWE. Plus you are just a quick ride away from fun areas like Dogtown, U-City, and Midtown. Even Clayton is just 10 minutes away. CWE is a great central location. I hope you enjoy it!

[moorlander]

Most hip/happening areas in StL

Downtown
Central West End
Soulard
Loop
Clayton
South Grand