Young Professional moving to St. Louis from Uptown Dallas? (Washington: transplants, apartment complex)

[GameOver32]

Hi Everyone,

I am contemplating a move to St. Louis from uptown Dallas. I am a 25 year old single professional who loves excitement, things to do, new restaurants, bars, girls and sports. Preferably I would like all of that within walking distance. If you are familiar with uptown Dallas (right of Mckinney) it is where you can find the majority of those things in a close vicinity and I am looking for a similar atmosphere in St. Louis. With that being said what is the best street to be off of? I hear alot of CWE but I am not sure exactly how big that area is. Also I would love to be in an new luxury apartment complex with young professionals as well. Typically finding one where there are alot of transplants seems to work well as they tend to be more open to making new friends. From the apartments I have seen it seems as though rent is much cheaper, but there are not many options. I currently pay around $1400 a month for a 1 bedroom in a upscale apartment and would love to pay less but wouldn't be adverse to paying around the same. Appreciate the help....

1. Best street to live on/off?
2. Best apartment complex to live in if looking to meet new people?

[BoomBoxing]

Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis. Great nightlife, and you can get a nice one bedroom loft for less than what you're paying now. The CWE is a great choice too...it's a big neighborhood and encompasses the entire area directly east of Forest Park. Both of these areas are highly populated with young professionals and transplants.

[GameOver32]

Thanks!! Anyone have any apartment complexes in particular they would recommend? Upscale amenities/appliances, granite counters, all that jazz? Good pool/common area scenes?

[billiken]

I would consider either the CWE or the Downtown Loft District. Downtown, the main street is Washington Avenue, with the most going on around maybe 10th and Washington. Another plus side of this area is that most of it is new loft developments, and there are plenty of buildings with nice amenities. Not to mention the Rams, Cardinals, and Blues all play downtown. In the CWE, you'll find a much larger range of housing, with a lot of vintage apartments out there. The epicenter of the Central West End is probably Euclid and Maryland.

[stlcitygirl]

I echo the above places, Downtown or Central West End, I would look at both and see which one fits you the best. Personally, I like CWE, but my husband likes Downtown.

[aragx6]

I agree with others who said to look at downtown (Washington and Tucker is really the nexus of the neighborhood). There are a lot of other great, vibrant walkable neighborhoods but the rental stock is much more vintage (St. Louis is an all-around old city, though most of us like that!) I don't know of any specific buildings, but Craiglist is the way to go.

Downtown is likely somewhat cheaper than Uptown in Dallas, but it won't be a significant difference. You could get a basic 1 bedroom in the area for as little as maybe $900, but high-end 1BR units can go for up to about $1,500.

Just do a Craigslist search for Washington Ave and you'll get loads of results.

The surrounding neighborhood is newly developed from old warehouses and factories, and has a very cool feel, and there are tons of bars and restaurants within walking distance. Culinaria is a great grocery store that could provide all your daily needs. And you've got solid access to the metro if you want to get around on by light rail.

[GameOver32]

What is the main difference between downtown and CWE?

[BoomBoxing]

Well the CWE is more of a traditional neighborhood and has pretty much always been the epicenter of urban hustle and bustle in St. Louis. It benefits greatly from the proximity to the areas best two universities, St. Louis Unviersity and Washington University, as well as being right next door to Forest Park, which is one of the best urban parks in the U.S. Parts of the CWE are very exclusive with historic mansions on private streets while other parts are mostly high rise apartments and condos. It's diverse in all respects in that there are students, young professionals, retirees, families, older singles, and basically all types of people you can imagine. It also boasts the St. Louis areas only 24/7 coffeeshop, Coffee Cartel and many of the most popular restaurants and bars in St. Louis including Salt (new in 2011) and Dressels (a Welsh pub).

Downtown, on the other hand is mostly new to being a place where people lived. Only in the last decade has downtown become a place people actually want to live. The corridor along Washington Avenue has been completely transformed into a nightlife and loft district. The big benefit of being downtown is that most of the rental and condo units are recently renovated and have all the things younger people love. Such as exposed ducts, large windows, stainless steel, rooftop patios, granite etc. Most of the buildings are very urban chic and lean toward the upscale side of things. There are some more basic apartments, but not many, and not as much of a selection as the CWE. Of course the big benefit to being downtown is being able to walk to sporting events and the various festivals, parades, and whatnot. You also have citygarden, the City Museum, the Arch, and a ton of great restaurants and bars you can walk to.

I think the CWE has more choices and more "activity" right now, but downtown has a more chic feel that I really dig. I also like Lafeyette Square and Soulard, which are two great neighborhoods just south of downtown, so if it were me, I'd probably choose downtown.

[STLCityMike]

The Central West End is a residential neighborhood, that offers many restaurants and some shops at most intersections on Euclid Ave. The West End is also very close to both Wash U and SLU - and their medical facilities. Forest Park is adjacent to the area, and there is good transportation via Hwy 64/40, and the metro. Forest Park is a jewel in St. Louis, with the Science Center, Art Museum, History Museum, and the zoo. Also in the park are golf course, 2 tennis clubs, sofball / baseball fields, the Jewell House, the Boat House (with paddle boats), and walking / pike paths. The West End also has the Chase Park Plaza Movie theaters, and nearby is the Moolah Theaters. Much in the CWE strip is local, but if you want fast food / chain, a lot of that is also immediately available on Lindel Blvd. There is a lot more regular foot traffic in this neighborhood. There are 2 grocers in the vicinity. Very nearby is Grand Center, with the Fabulous Fox, and other performing institutions.

Downtown has been redeveloping for many years, and has gained a lot recently. Washington Ave is the center of this, but other areas are also emerging. Missing from downtown at this time is a theater (although one is on the way), and more recreational activities. There are some small parks downtown, but nothing on the scale of Forest Park. While the population has grown downtown, I am not sure it quite equals that of the West End at this time. There is not as much foot traffic during off peak times (lunch time, dinner time, or on the weekend when the bars on Washington are popular).

Between the two, I think the West End is still a destination neighborhood in the city. People come there from other neighborhoods to dine, people watch, etc. I think downtown caters more to those that are in the immediate area (workers, residents -- including at the hotels).

So you know, I live in an area close to each, and this is but my opinion I think there are other very fun neighborhoods in St. Louis. We are very different than Dallas, but I would hope that if you were considerring a move, it would be to a place that is different!

[billiken]

Big difference: Downtown is almost entirely new lofts, while the Central West End has a mix of huge single family homes, a few townhomes, small flats, and huge apartment complexes that can vary a little more in terms of how updated they are. Since you mentioned wanting a luxury complex, you might be more impressed with the variety of options downtown. I think the two areas just feel very different--maybe it's just that the Central West End is more established, while Wash Ave is the main established area downtown, with development just beginning outside of that.