Moving to Kirkwood, will live in Valley Park..any info on Valley Park (Manchester: affordable apartment)

[choirman]

I will be starting work in Kirkwood in September and think I found an affordable apartment (Forest Woods) in Valley Park. I haven't been there to look the area over yet, but it's close enough to Kirkwood and much more affordable for my budget. Has anyone been to Valley Park and can you tell me about the area? Thanks!

[pianist1972]

I'll hope someone who actually lives there chimes in. I've just driven to the area to eat (The Tavern is very good), and it's mostly a suburban sprawl sort of environment that just bleeds into the next sprawl area. My $.02 worth.

[brewyourown]

Valley Park is a nice outer suburb. It's very safe. It's also very nice to be near 44 and 270 since you can get to the Southern half of the city or downtown quickly.

I always felt like the development around Valley Park spilled into Valley Park. You have new construction but drive down back streets and see 50 year old homes too. There are lots of businesses close by. It is in between the more expensive areas just North and West and the boonies further West down 44. Manchester, just North, or Fenton near 44, just South, may also be something to consider too.

[Hunter2013]

That area is fine and an easy commute to Kirkwood. Have you checked out the Autumn Oaks apartments? I think that is the name of the newer complex closer to Big Bend and Dougherty Ferry. It looks very nice and is close to some several restaurants.

[MUTGR]

Originally Posted by choirman

I will be starting work in Kirkwood in September and think I found an affordable apartment (Forest Woods) in Valley Park. I haven't been there to look the area over yet, but it's close enough to Kirkwood and much more affordable for my budget. Has anyone been to Valley Park and can you tell me about the area? Thanks!

That part of Valley Park is pretty standard modern suburbia, as others have said. It is a convenient location to working in Kirkwood and accessing the rest of the metro area by car.

[choirman]

Thanks for the responses. They were most helpful.

[silibran]

I wouldn't choose Valley Park for the schools, but it is an old river town with newer subdivisions. You might want to do a sniff test before signing the lease. There is a landfill near there.

[hodgemo2]

I live in Valley Park. It's somewhere between up-and-coming and salt-of-the-earth. There are some nice new and newer houses and apartment complexes. There are some older houses. Part of Valley Park is in the Parkway school district, but Valley Park schools are getting better ratings every year. (better than Afton, worse than Kirkwood, and (depending on rating system) on par with some of Rockwood or Parkway).

Very small town, and blends into Kirkwood, Twin Oaks, Manchester, Fenton, Des Peres...

[tw71]

Yep, I lived in Kirkwood for about 6 years and Valley Park was one of those municipalities you'd cross over into almost by accident while driving down a road like Big Bend. Other than looking a little more "spread out" than much of Kirkwood, it was hard to tell the difference visually.

I believe they had some kind of spat a few years ago over discriminating against Hispanics living and/or working there? But otherwise, I don't remember much "news worthy" about Valley Park, really.