More St. Louis, Missouri SperlingViews
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| Schools - 3/31/2013
For secondary school education in St. Louis, there is a wide variety of choices. In addition to day schools, there are also boarding school options. There are large schools and very small schools. All-boys, all-girls, and co-ed are all well-represented. Some schools are secular, others have a religious affiliation. The amazing thing is that each school has something very special to offer. This is a great place to raise children![read more...]
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| Depends on your goals and part of town you're in.. - 2/11/2013
I've lived in St.Louis my entire life and planning to make a change very soon! I'm 31, an African American woman, business owner, and single mother of two. I do pretty well for myself, (we live in a LARGE town home 2bd 3bth for $800)in South St.Louis, the best part of St.Louis if you asked me. It's more cultured and the people in the area don't carry that racial tension on them as they do in some other parts of St.Louis. The con of growing up in St.Louis is the school system. If you're African American and grew up in a low income part of the area, your education will be low budget! Sure they have magnet schools, but if you're child is Af.Am...look forward to be put on the BOTTOM of the list! St.Louis city is becoming more diverse and with the mixed incomes, it seems that "other" ethnicities get the first available classroom seat for their child. It was even mentioned to me when filling out the magnet school form for my youngest child, to put he was "other" on the application instead of Af.Am!! An advantage of living in St.Louis is that if you want your name to be well known and you love to network...this is the perfect city. It's soooo small that it's easy to get in front of the right people to help you launch almost anything. Meet one person... tell them what your plans are... and they know somebody that knows somebody. South St.Louis has amazing neighborhood restaurants and pubs. Just walk out your door and you can enter a cafe or enjoy fine dining. I'd end by saying with all my pros, I still want to leave St.Louis because I believe that in my profession I have reached my full potential here...it's time to take my show on the road so that I can be exposed to more opportunities![read more...]
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| Ready for consolidation - 1/22/2013
The St. Louis area is made up of the city then dozens of municipalities around the city. Many of these municipalities are so small they can only afford to maintain services from tickets. There's some but little cooperation between the municipalities and it's holding the St. Louis area back from thriving. If this problem can be solved the area would grow tremendously because the cooperation would lead to improvements in infrastructure and attraction of new companies to the area.[read more...]
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| Class spelled with a kapital "K" - 11/13/2012
This entire region is the middle step child of American cities.
It isn't large enough in any positive category and it only has the worst qualities of midwestern living.
Lousy real estate values, terrible salaries, only IT jobs are well paying since the midwest is a top choice for data centers since it is easy to avoid disasters here.
The entire state of Missouri is a cultural toilet and St. Louis is the permanent brown ring that everyone refuses to scrub. The iconic St. Louis Arch is old and usually closed for maintenance to prevent the hapless from making the tourist climb to the top.
The Mississippi river creates a stench and the night life is either frightened or fleeing. Drivers are clog the passing lane and hate anyone with out of state plates, most people that visit Missouri are only doing so because their plane made an emergency landing and the pilot can't wait for the replacement parts to arrive.
St. Louis and Kansas City best days are a hundred years behind it since commerce bypasses this region just like the railroads after the invention of the diesel truck.[read more...]
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| St. Louis is only good for the well-off. - 10/2/2012
I attended Webster Groves and Parkway North in high school. I was in the foster care system so I always attended schools in the county. I was always cut off from the city, Other than the arch for field trips. But once out of state custody, I was left to fend for myself. With a minimum wage job, no car, and no roommate, I was forced into the city. Even with a roommate I would not be able to afford a car, so getting a management job or a 10/hour job clerk job was nearly impossible because it takes a while to get from the city to the county. The county is were the half-way decent jobs are. I was stuck in poverty. The problem with St. Louis is if you are not well-off, you are pretty much doomed to live in poverty. You're only aquatainces or friends are thugs, drug dealers, section 8 government dependent people. They all are happy to see you stuck in poverty with them. So much fighting for street credit and popularity. If you get thrown into the chaos from the well-off county, you will find yourself depressed, anxious, and stuck in a hole, you can never climb out of. Stuck in your roach infested apartment with no friends because if you don't do drugs you are an outcast. And scared to let anyone in to visit because you know things will get stolen. No one ever cares to maintain contact with you because you are stuck like them and they are looking for friends that are well-off that can possibly help them out of the gutter. This has been my life since I was 21 yrs. old. I can get a degree but what would it do for me, since I don't have a car and insurance and gas is unaffordable. Without a boost, you get no where in St.Louis. You just constantly here about your neighbors getting locked-up. The system works only for the well-off here in St. Louis. I wonder if other cities are the same.[read more...]
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| Show me state - 9/12/2012
I have live here my whole life and it is affordable city but the crime rate is risky, its small city, great baseball town, not alot of opportunites but its not hard to find work if you stay on it.[read more...]
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| Outsiders review of St. Louis - 4/17/2012
Each city has 'pros' and 'cons' and St. Louis is one who has variances in each direction, but in different areas I have never experienced before.
About me, I have lived and worked throughout the world. I have lived and worked in countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. I carry professional certifications for my industry as well as advanced level degrees from a variety of international institutions.
Pros:
a) Conservative - very "educated middle class" and and somewhat 'Right Wing'
b) Safe - Everyone watches out for each other. The best example is the 2011 St. Louis Cardinals Championship parade; no violence, no burned cars; I am a Cardinals fan just because of the Cardinals fans.
c) Clean - the people here even pick up their own trash after concerts and even put their shopping carts up after they finish shopping, etc. I am originally from Atlanta, and the city is going to the dogs - filth everywhere. The people here appear to care about their city and surroundings.
d) Cost of Living - the overall cost of living is attractive
e) Job availability - if you are seeking a professional, upper middle income profession, this is the city. St. Louis is starved for talent and if you have any outside (outside St. Louis) training and/or experience you would be "heads-above" all your peers.
Cons:
a) "Where did you go to school?" - Once I explain this, as an outsider, you will learn why this question is not only rude and intentionally insulting. The locals do not care about where you went to college nor your professional certifications, they only care about where you went to High School. Yes, they judge you on where you went to High School and establish your social status upon this juvenile slice of information. Essentially, you can carry an MBA from Harvard or Oxford but if you didn't go to "their" upper class high school, then you are of little value. Also, they "incorporate" that High School environment/roles in the work place (think about it).
b) Stagnant - Very few people here in business have either traveled, studied or experienced business abroad. And when they hire someone who has, you are immediately perceived as a threat to everyone else. Be very careful when you tout your education, training and experience - it could lead to an adverse work environment.
c) "Good 'ole boys" - Being from the deep south I have to expect this, even in NYC they hire and promote based on friends, family and "Good 'ole boys". However, if you didn't go to a St. Louis High School, then you are not a "Good 'ole boy" and do not expect advancement unless you have "Top Cover" in your work place.
d) Housing - this city is backwards in relation to housing/homes and their prices. I have lived or worked all over the world and in St. Louis they price a $400k home for what I have paid $110k in other cities. These homes are what I would call "Home Depot" homes, they are built with what you would find a Home Depot. Very little high quality material and extremely overpriced. I actually had dinner and drinks with a general contractor about this issue, he willingly admitted he left building in other cities to build here because the people pay high prices for mediocre work and material.
e) Baseball Heaven - NYC may be the center of the baseball universe, but St. Louis is the mecca of baseball. Why is this a "con"? Easy, you are going to spend a lot of money going to very amazing baseball games with your family and friends. Very kid friendly so expect to pay out for the hats, balls, bats, etc. ;-)
Enjoy!
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| Block by Block - 3/11/2012
We live in South City. St. Louis City is ten times better than most of St. Louis County.[read more...]
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| Horrible quality of life - 3/7/2012
I've lived in many places throughout the US and the St Louis area is definately towards the bottom of the list. Horrible hot and humid summers, gloomy chilly wet winters, constant winds, tornados, very high crime, and no where to escape. The lack of recreational opportunities may account for the high drug and alcoholism rates. [read more...]
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| Beautiful Parks - 2/13/2012
St. Louis has many beautiful parks located right in the center of the city. Forest park is my favorite.[read more...]
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| Been here 11 months - 12/25/2011
Came for job that didn't pan out. Now feeling displaced. Even if we could afford to move... where do we go?[read more...]
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| Living in STL - 9/22/2011
We've been living in St. Louis for 4 years now. My husband attends Logan College of Chiropractic. This is a beautiful place to live. The sun shines most of the year. When it rains, it really pours, but then its over and the sun comes right back out. The summers are unbearably humid, and in the winter that moisture in the air turns to ice and nips at your bones. Tornado season is pretty scary, esp this last one. Entire houses were taken out just down the street from us and there was damage to our house as well. This is a great place for hiking and camping, if you don't mind pulling out ticks. There are A LOT of bugs in Missouri! There is a very high crime rate in certain areas, so check your area online before deciding where to move to. We are in Maryland Heights and its been a nice place to live. On a more personal note, I don't like living here. It is hard to make friends, people aren't too friendly, and I feel like the whole area just has a negitive energy to it. Some people really love it here though![read more...]
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| St. Louis - 9/2/2011
I grew up in St. Louis and never really lived there as an adult but wanted to give my input as I've lived in a number of different places.
The cost of housing is very low and there are a wide range of communities in both the city and county so there should be a neighborhood to fit most everyone’s preference. Traffic is not bad (can you say traffic is “good”?) and there is a fairly extensive light rail system.
There are lots of cultural and leisure attractions, many located in the large Forest Park and many (zoo, science center, botanical “Shaw’s” garden, and most museums) are free. The zoo and symphony are considered among the best in the county. There are many good Italian restaurants with unique specialties such as toasted ravioli and (very) thin crust pizza.
Nightlife areas include Laclede’s Landing, Washington Ave, Soulard, CWE, the Loop and more “decadent” activities can be partaken in across the river in Illinois (the only reason to go to the “East Side”). There are good state parks and lake activities (Lake of the Ozarks) 2-3 hours away and you can take Amtrak to Chicago.
Civic pride is strong and centered on the Cardinals and Anheuser-Busch (although since AB sold out that might have changed). St. Louis is very Catholic and the most important thing for St. Louisans is where you went to high school – there are more private schools per capita than anywhere else (so I’ve heard) and many families have attended the same high school for several generations (whether public or private). The main sports for kids are soccer, baseball, and hockey. There wasn’t a lot of racial/ethnic diversity when I was growing up but I think this has changed some.
In short, if you’re a young (esp. Catholic) family I think it would be the ideal place. If you’re a single transplant I think it’s definitely worth a shot as it could be a good place to settle but it will probably take a while to break in.
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| Considering a move???? - 7/17/2011
I'm considering a move to St Louis, any comments? I've lived on the East Cost most of my adult life. Thanks for the help![read more...]
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| Why Saint Louis - 5/24/2011
Saint Louis and the surrounding areas can be a great place to live when you have children. There are many options for schools including public, private, charter, and magnet schools. Don’t forget your due diligence in determining what school is best for your child. [read more...]
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| 31 year old with a family moving to St louis - 3/1/2011
I'm a 31 year old male that will be moving down to st louis with my wife and 2-year old daughter. We are moving because I will be starting an academic program at barnes jewish hospital for the next 2 years. My wife is an attorney. She works for the federal government so is not making big bucks, but does OK (60-70K). We also have a fair bit of savings in the bank. I will be leaving my job for this program so we will be a single income family. We would like to live a more suburban area if possible even though we will both be working or studying in the city. We will have 2 cars (We are from chicago and not affraid of a little traffic). What we need to know is good places to live. We would like to rent a townhouse or house and stay around 1000-1200 dollars. doesnt have to be anything fancy, just a nice yard and safe area for kids. We would prefer a place that is family friendly. We don't really care about grade schools because we won't be there long enough to enroll are daughter in one. If anyone has a good suggestion on daycares, I would also appriciate that also. thanks, Bill[read more...]
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| Not looking back - 2/14/2011
Hello, I live in saint louis, missouri, I have been living here 3years now and all I have to say is that I am ready to move.I am not from st. louis,but living here has been an experience.Crime is #1, STDs is #2, and its no friendly people here, u cant have friends here cause their back stabbers, their stuck up, its not a place I would want to raise a family, I can go on and on and on about this place. But the good thing about saint louis is that they have alot of great schools(Colleges)to go, concerts, clubs and events u can go to.[read more...]
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| St Louis, Land of My Heart - 12/11/2010
I lived in St Louis for 12 years, moved, and now I miss it. Here are some things to do in STL.
There are plenty of cultural activities here. In the summer, you can attend the Muny in Forest Park, which is an outdoor theater that offers free seats for the public. We have the Symphony Orchestra, Sheldon concert hall, the Fox, Repertory Theater, Shakespere in the Park, and Touhill Preforming Arts Center. the St Louis Art Museum is amazing, there are also history museums, the Museum of Transportation, Science center, Contemporary art museum, Botanical Gardens, plus the chaotic and ever stunning City Museum. Many of the museums are free, which is uncommon.
If you want to go biking, you can hit the Katy trail (it's 200 miles long) or trails in Forest Park. There are lovely lazy creeks and rivers on which you can "float" ie: spend most of the day in a Kayak, Canoe, or Raft and just drift down the river. It's very peaceful and relaxing. Missouri is geologically interesting too. There are many caves in which you can go spelunking, and further south, there are many abandon mines which give tours and information about the mineral mining industry. One of my favorite places is Elephant Rocks, essentially many 20ft boulders surrounding a lake. It's a ton of fun to climb on and thru them. There are also state parks with miles of hiking and riding trails. Another notable park is Johnson Shut-Ins. If you want to take a bit of a drive, there is wine country out west. The Daniel Boone home is very cool.
Many people don't know this, but in the winter hundreds of Bald Eagles nest along both rivers. My friends and I have an annual day trip to Grafton, IL every winter to spot them.
Other thoughts: not very many homeless people, traffic is so-so, meaning getting stuck on the highway during rush hour is a pain in the bootie, but a drive thru the city is mild compared to a place such as San Francisco. People in St Louis and the surrounding area seem to drive very conservatively compared to other, bigger cities. I lived in Clayton, then New Melle (very small, waaaay out west) so I feel very at home in both the city and the country. When I am in the city, I stay out of the ghetto areas, and at night, stay in the very public, well-lit areas; I've never had a problem. I like the four seasons, and I'm a very good driver because of them. Having four seasons makes me feel refreshed and alive, plus my biological calendar doesn't get confused. I don't feel that people in STL are any more artificial then residents of other, bigger cities. STL is very close-knit, and once you get in (not hard) they'll be with you til the end.[read more...]
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| St. Louis, Missouri Weather - 8/22/2010
2010 Summer in St. Louis was one of the hotted and most humid in recent history. [read more...]
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| View as a twenty-something transplant - 7/13/2010
Moved to (downtown) St. Louis 3 years ago, from Chicago, for my first job. In sum, I would say my opinion of St. Louis definitely leans toward dislike and I wouldn't recommend it for other transplant young people just starting their lives.
PROS: Cost of living is very cheap. It's easy to get around if you have a car, commute times are small and traffic is not bad. Parking is not a problem except in a few areas. No toll roads. Gas is cheap. You can drink in movie theaters and in general, alcohol laws are pretty lax. Lots of outdoor cafes. Beautiful, interesting old architecture, particularly in the Lafayette Square and Soulard neighborhoods. Winters are warmer than Chicago. Lots of places to eat and drink beer, including some microbreweries. Lots of free public activities, including the giant Forest Park, a zoo, an art museum, and the Muny outdoor theater. There is also a gorgeous botanical garden. A few bustling cultural spots - The Loop, Central West End, Soulard, and South Grand. Occasional sightings of cultural activity and art/music events. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is excellent, albeit their repertoire is limited to the popular selections. Good hospitals.
CONS: Bad economy. Jobs are so low paying that it will be hard to save money and get out of here. Hard to grow your career. Many empty and boarded up store fronts. City neighborhoods are extremely spotty, with a few nice blocks right next to run-down ones - you really never know what you're going to get when trying a new restaurant or bar, and also makes walking/jogging alone at night unsafe. Seems like this is also hindering development and growth. Racial tension is still a problem - there are areas you definitely don't go if you're white, and vice versa if you're black. North St. Louis is extremely poor and crime-ridden, and some of this is now spreading to the south. The suburbs are exclusive, cliquish, and conservative. Roads are really bad and poorly planned. You have to pay an annual 'personal property tax' on big ticket items, like cars - a few hundred dollars a year just to own something you already paid for, and paid sales tax & licensing fees on. Auto insurance is expensive because drivers are really bad. It's very hard to make new friends - the majority of people have lived and grown up here, and already have their group of friends, and don't put a lot of effort into new relationships. Popular activities seem to be limited to heavy alcohol drinking and eating a lot - not a lot of intellectual activities. Occasionally there are fun cultural events, but you have to know someone who knows someone to even hear about it, usually the day of - little to no advertising. Standards here are very low when it comes to talent, ambition, and accomplishment (however, this makes it easy to break into the art & music scene as a hobbyist).
If I were to sum it up in a single statement, I'd say that St. Louis is a very midwestern blue collar city with an infiltrating sense of mediocrity, and a few hidden gems in the midst of a bog of cultural & economic stagnation.[read more...]
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