If you take Interstate 64 west for 15 miles from downtown St. Louis, you will find yourself in the quaint community of Creve Coeur. The city's name is entrenched in local folklore. Legend has it that here a Native American princess fell in unrequited love with a French fur trapper centuries ago, resulting in the name Creve Coeur which means broken heart in French. Today, there is no way your heart will be broken by this charming community. With its close-knit atmosphere and high quality of life, there is a reason why Creve Coeur apartments for rent are becoming a hot commodity for St. Louis residents. A growing town, Creve Coeur's estimated 2011 population was nearly 18,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Until recently, Creve Coeur was a small lakefront community that consisted mostly of family farms. Today the community has developed into a thriving town with lovely residential neighborhoods, plenty of business activity and acres of green space. However, Creve Coeur's history began on Olive Street Road, which is now called Olive Boulevard. In America's early days, this road connected the high ground between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, bringing passengers and freight into the new lands that were stretching the country westward.
As St. Louis began to rapidly develop, Creve Coeur began to develop into a city devoted to agriculture, which can be seen in the Hackmann and Clester cabins in Conway Park. These former residences facing Highway 270 are a fitting tribute to the farming life that was central to Creve Coeur during the late 1800s.
After World War II, like so many other big cities in the United States, St. Louis began to expand due to soldiers returning from war and capitalizing on the GI Bill to raise their families outside of the city. The town was formally incorporated in 1949 with less than one square mile and a population of around 1,900 citizens. Today, the city is home to excellent schools and 80 miles of roadways, all within close proximity to everything the big city has to offer.
This community has always had an eye for the future, so it is no surprise that the city operates some of the largest technology and life science firms in the St Louis area, according to the city's Economic Development Strategy. Creve Coeur is home to Monsanto Corporation's world headquarters, a major conglomerate in food science, as well as other notable technological firms including the Nidus Center for Scientific Enterprise, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center and the Bio Research and Development Growth Park. However, St. John's Mercy Medical Center remains the city's largest employer. Whether you are commuting to nearby St. Louis or staying in town to work, finding fantastic Creve Coeur rentals should be a cinch since the community is continuing to grow.
One of the most respected private institutions in the area is Missouri Baptist University, a Christian-based liberal arts university that offers certificates, undergraduate and graduate degrees with a variety of fields for local students to choose from. Another popular nearby school is Vatterott College, a part of the West St. Louis community since 1969. This school offers many programs in fields like business, medicine and technology.
Even though this growing community is only 20 minutes from one of the largest cities in the United States, the cost of living is more than 7 points below the national average, making it a very affordable place to live. According to information from city-data.com, the median gross rent in 2009 was $948 per month. Since the average Creve Coeur resident earns twice as much as the typical Missouri citizen, it makes sense that the city has seen an 8 percent bump in population from 2000 to 2009.
This community is committed to preserving its scenic beauty, and one of the city's best green spaces is at Millennium Park. Sitting on a 25-acre plot, this park offers two playgrounds and a splash pad for the kids as well as a 100-seat pavilion, sports fields and a paved walking trail. Residents also take pride in the many public art pieces that are scattered throughout the city. A public works project to beautify Creve Coeur that started in 2009, and the community now features 14 work of art and sculptures that heighten awareness of the arts in the city.
If you are looking for an apartment for rent or a house rental in Creve Coeur, search for rental properties at Rent.com®.