Olin Residence Hall
4550 Scott Ave.
314-362-3230 (normal business hours)
314-362-3100 (after hours)
Website: facilities.med.wustl.edu/olin-residence-hall
Email: olinresidence@wusm.wustl.edu
Single room (130 sq. ft.) ~$1,466; large single (165 sq. ft.) ~$1,800; solo suite (225.75 sq. ft.) ~$2,182.
If you have a hard time waking up early for class and hate layering up in the winter to stay warm, you should probably consider living in Olin Residence Hall. The commute from Olin to class is approximately two minutes and you almost never have to step outdoors because you can just use the indoor hallways to get pretty much anywhere (the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center, the hospital, Shell Café, the student health center, etc.). In addition, a lot of social events, such as post-exam parties and game nights, take place in Olin. It is not only convenient to live here, but also it is very affordable, and Olin has some pretty good amenities. Each room has your basic dorm-room needs (bed, desk, sink, Wi-Fi, etc.) and Olin houses many lounges, a recreational area (the 11th floor penthouse), a fitness center, basketball courts and a chapel. One thing that I really appreciate is the weekly room cleaning that is provided, which is pretty cool. I think the biggest con about staying in Olin is the dorm lifestyle, where the bathrooms and kitchen are communal, which can be rough to deal with at times. Overall, living in Olin has many advantages
and many students choose to stay here throughout their time at WashU.
— Elaine O., M1
Parc Frontenac
Studios from $995, 1 bedrooms from $1250, 2 bedrooms from $1785.
Water included, you pay for gas (~$45/month at peak of winter), Internet ($40/month with Charter), and electricity (~$40/month at peak of summer.) Surface parking is FREE for WashU people, garage parking is extra.
Amenities: Nice laundry facilities and gym in basement. Package receiving. Lounge with free Keurig coffee and Wi-Fi. Beautiful rooftop terrace (with grills and lounge chairs) overlooking Forest Park. 24/7 staff at front desk is friendly/helpful. Very responsive and prompt maintenance. Freight elevator makes moving a lot easier. Keyless electronic access to building. Area feels quite safe overall.
Apartments are large and pet-friendly, with plenty of closet and storage space and air conditioning. It’s a very convenient location, next to Forest Park and a less than 15-minute walk to class. Parc Frontenac’s kitchens are really nice, with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, gas stove (somewhat rare in CWE apartments), nice wood cabinets, big sink, dishwasher, garbage disposal and over-counter lighting. I really enjoy living here and highly recommend it. Rent is more expensive than other buildings, but it’s a great value for the quality you get.
— Zach R., M1
West End Terrace
If you like the idea of living in a gated, quiet apartment complex, with no high rise in sight, then you should check out West End Terrace. The rent is pretty cheap ($1100 for a two-bedroom) and there is plenty of space. The highlights for me are the kitchen, which has a ton of cabinet space (though the stoves are electric rather than gas) and the very large living room. There is an outdoor pool and a gym (which is pretty small) as well as a few outdoor grills. The walk to campus is a bit far (about 20 minutes), although you get the benefit of living closer to the grocery store, Schnucks, which is about 12 minutes away. I would highly recommend getting a unit with a washer and dryer so you won’t have to walk outside to go the laundry building.
— Chris M., M1
The Residences at Forest Park
The Residences at Forest Park is a historic hotel that has been transformed into beautiful apartment residences in the Central West End. The lobby itself is cozy and welcoming with free coffee, complimentary Wi-Fi, a billiards room and a fireplace. You can walk to school in about 10 minutes or you can walk straight to Forest Park in two minutes. Since you’re located right in CWE, you are minutes away from great bars and restaurants that are all within walking distance. The apartments are spacious and the in-unit dishwasher and laundry room are definitely a plus. They also have free parking, a great fitness center, and two courtyards with areas for grilling or just relaxing outside. Even though these apartments are a bit more expensive than others, the pros make it well worth the price!
— Gaby M., M1
Del Coronado
If you wish you could mix the social atmosphere of a freshman dorm with the space and privacy of an apartment, then Del Coronado is the perfect place to live. There are more first year medical students living at Del Coronado than any other place, so you’ll never have to walk anywhere alone, and you can have a study group or movie night with friends without ever having to go outside. Del Co has a nice lounge with a huge TV, couches, tables and a bar, plus there’s a recently renovated exercise room. Located near the intersection of Euclid Avenue and West Pine, Del Co is a short walk to school and an even shorter walk to many great restaurants and bars. In addition to all these great bonus features, the apartments at Del Coronado are surprisingly big for the price, and if you live with a roommate, you still each get your own bathroom. If you’re looking for something fancy, there are plenty of other options in the area, but if you just want a place that’s spacious, convenient and cozy, then you can’t beat Del Coronado.
— Abby R., M1
Park 44
Studio: $695-766, one-bedroom loft: $929-959, two-bedroom: $1165.
Heat and AC are included in rent. Garage parking $75/month, surface parking $50/month, street parking free (if you can find a spot). Monthly water/trash/sewer bill is ~$20, electricity bill is ~$15. Laundry on every floor.
Park 44 is located in a quiet residential area. Although there isn’t a 24-hour doorman, the leasing office is open from Monday to Saturday. They take care of your mail and packages, are friendly and helpful, and respond to maintenance issues quickly. It’s a 15-20 minute walk to the Farrell Learning and Teaching Center (FLTC), which is particularly important if you plan to go to 8:30 a.m. class everyday, rain or shine (and prepare for snow and wind!). There is plenty of space in a one-bedroom loft, and you also get spacious closets and a patio or balcony. Importantly, heat and AC are included in rent, which saves you quite a bit of money. I would suggest getting your own parking spot either in the garage or surface parking, so you don’t have to worry about moving your car during street cleaning or inclement weather. The noise level is probably the only thing that I’m not satisfied with at Park 44. The walls are paper thin, and you can hear your neighbors talking, watching TV and even walking/running/moving things around. Luckily, most of the time your neighbors will respect the general rules. Finally, the Park 44 website provides useful information, including floor plans and availability. If you really need to move in at a specific time and their website shows no rooms available, don’t hesitate to call them because sometimes they may have residents who want to move out earlier than scheduled.
— Lingling H., M1
Buckingham
This is one of the cheapest apartments available in the area closest to the medical campus. For my two-bedroom apartment, my roommate and I split the $850 rent plus ~$100-150 for utilities so I’m only paying around $500 each month, which is quite a bargain. Besides the price, other pros include: large, spacious bedrooms, 10-minute walk to school (and located across the street from the hospital’s Laclede garage which means the rest of the walk to school is conveniently indoors), location on a safe and quiet one-way street. There is free street parking available with a permit, but sometimes at night all the spaces are taken up and you’ll have to find either metered street parking or park in the Euclid garage. However, there is limited reserved parking in the back of the apartments for $50-100/month if you don’t want to deal with that. Some cons include: creaky hardwood floors, thinnish walls, and only one washer/dryer in the kind of sketchy basement (but then again I’ve never had a problem with running into someone doing laundry at the same time because there are only six units/building). Overall, though, I recommend living here for its value and convenience!
— Sonya L., M1
Towne House
Studio (600 sq. ft.): ~$975, 1 bedroom (750-1000 sq. ft.): ~$1075-$1400, two bedroom: ~$1500. (Electric, AC, and heat included in studio, fully-electric kitchens.) All other utilities ~$24/month. Email me at jiangd@wusm.wustl.edu for a referral discount on your first month’s rent!
Highlights: Garage parking available (free street-parking almost always within two blocks), free bike storage in garages, 24-hour doorman, electronic key access to garage and building, on-site coin/credit laundry, office, gym, ping-pong table, sauna, and outdoor pool included, pet-friendly (flat fee + $25/month), dog park, free Wi-Fi in community areas (gym, office, lobby, laundry room, etc.), ~15-20 minute walking distance from campus.
PROS: gorgeous view, you live directly across from the largest mosaic collection in the world (Cathedral Basilica), 24-hour doorman that receives packages for you (and then sends you a notification email), arguably the nicest, most friendly, and helpful leasing office in STL (i.e. they receive furniture installations for you over the summer if you’re not home, all rent/utility payments are online, etc.), immediate on-site maintenance, free gym, incredibly friendly residents (mostly older long-term residents, residents/fellows, and young-professionals with pets), pretty sound-proof walls (or perhaps quiet neighbors), giant windows, incredible view (if you’re facing the cathedral/arch), easily the MOST pet-friendly apartment in St. Louis, floor plans are very spacious, plenty of closet space and cabinets, and a dishwasher. I LOVE this place!
CONS: You won’t be able to host those huge class-parties here and it’s a chunk more costly than your Park 44/Del Co friends (although still way cheaper than a lower-tier apartment in any other major city … Go STL!).
— Diana J., M1
Metrolofts
Aside from Olin, Metrolofts is the closest apartment to campus. Sitting right on top of the St. Louis Bread Co. on Forest Park Avenue and Euclid Avenue, it’s a 10-minute walk to the lecture hall and a 5-minute walk to the indoor campus walkways (which is really nice when it’s miserable outside). The three buildings are about five years old, and if you’re looking for high ceilings, concrete floors, and that open “lofty” feel, this is the place for you. Utilities are included except for electricity. There’s also free Wi-Fi throughout, but it’s unsecured and slow so you’ll probably want to get your own. Pros: new kitchen appliances, washer and dryer in-unit, optional garage parking, fitness center, resident lounge with TV and free coffee/tea/hot chocolate, free cookies in the leasing office. Cons: it’s expensive (expect to pay $1200-$1400 for a one-bedroom), bedrooms have walls that don’t reach the ceiling, and there are no windows in the bedrooms.
— Aaron Z., M1
The Ashley
Imagine, for a minute, your future two-bedroom apartment in the Ashley. Approximately 1400 square feet of hardwood floors, exposed brick walls, an open kitchen, and tons of windows. It’s got Internet, water, gated parking, and a washer/dryer included. Across from Del Co, this hidden gem has it all. Are you afraid of bad weather? It’s less than a two-minute walk from our back door to the beginning of the glorious med center indoor walkway network that’ll take you to class. Do you like to party? With the Ashley’s central location and spacious layout, we’ve had some of the biggest get-togethers at WUSM. Do you like to study? Well, probably not, but the Ashley is so cozy that you’ll never want to study or chill anywhere else. Do you like parks? I can literally see Forest Park from my room. I’m sure you’re thinking that this kind of place will cost you a year’s worth of WUSM tuition, but it’s actually very comparable to other places like Del Co or Parc Frontenac. The Ashley is mostly filled with residents (the doctor kind), some families and the few medical students lucky enough to discover it. If you’re thinking of living in economical luxury, check out the Ashley on West Pine.
— Kavon J., M1