Getting Settled

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Finding A Place To Live

Although Washington University is located in a major metropolitan area, very affordable and accessible housing immediately surrounds the Danforth Campus. Most law school students live in privately owned housing within a 3-mile radius of Campus. In order to assist you with finding a place to live, we suggest several options:

Housing Days: The Admissions Office hosts two “Housing Days” throughout the summer to assist admitted students find affordable housing. Each program consists of a tour of the neighborhoods where most students live and a chance to meet with representatives from local apartment complexes and real estate agencies. Please contact the Admissions Office at 314-935-4525 for more information. We will also provide information on the Admitted Students Bulletin Board (password protected).

University Owned Off-Campus Housing: Washington University provides some graduate housing, available through Quadrangle Housing. These University-owned units are close to campus and situated along the University’s Green Line Shuttle route. You may contact Quadrangle Housing at 314-935-9511 or 800-874-4330.

Washington University’s Apartment Referral Service: A rental company that provides current listings and helpful hints about rental locations, utility companies, and moving tips for free to students. The University does not inspect or license any of these dwellings. The office is located at 700 Rosedale Ave., Box 1016, which is part of West Campus. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. You may contact Apartment Referral Service at 314-935-5092 or send an email to Ars@wustl.edu.

Roommate Search: The Admissions Office will assist those admitted students interested in finding a roommate. Please contact the Admissions Office at 314-935-4525 for more information.

More Housing Links: (links open in a new browser window)

Utilities

Electricity: AmerenUE - http://www.ameren.com
St. Louis-based customers: 314-342-1111
All other customers: 800-552-7583
Payments: P.O. Box 66529, St. Louis, MO 63166-6529
Phone Center Hours: Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Representatives are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to report emergencies.

Gas: Laclede Gas Company - http://www.lacledegas.com
Main Number: 314-621-6960
Emergency: 314-342-0800
To Establish Service: Call the Customer Relations Department at 314-621-6960 between 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday (toll calls: 1-800-887-4173). You will need to call at least 24 hours before you want to establish service. It is best to plan ahead to avoid asking for your service to begin on a Sunday or a holiday because those days are reserved for emergency work. New customers will be charged $36 for initiation of service. A customer may choose to have the total fee billed on one month’s bill or spread over four months. New customers may also require a security deposit.

Telephone: SBC - http://www.sbc.com
Main Number: 800-203-7070
Logistical Information: There is a connect fee of $36.50 plus tax which may be paid in a lump sum or installments. This fee is only for the connection of a basic phone line. Additionally, depending on your credit, an advance deposit may be required.

Water: St. Louis City Water Division - http://www.stlwater.com
General Information: 314-771-2255
Water Quality Information: 314-868-5640
Payments: Department of Public Utilities, 1640 S. Kingshighway, St. Louis, MO 63110
Hours: Monday through Friday from 8.a.m. – 5 p.m.

Automobiles

Driver License
To establish residency in Missouri, you must apply for a Missouri driver license even if you have a valid driver license from another state. As a new Missouri resident (with an out-of-state driver license), you will need to take the following to a Missouri Department of Motor Vehicles when you apply for your license:

Out-of-state driver license (valid, or expired no more than 184 days)
One other acceptable document for proof of identity (i.e. a Social Security card)

Vision and road sign tests are required, but you may take those tests at the driver license office. You are required to surrender your out-of-state license when you receive your new Missouri driver license. There is a fee of $20 for your new Missouri driver license, which is valid for 6 years.

Missouri Department of Revenue Driver Licensing Locations, St. Louis only:

AAA St. Louis License Office
3917 Lindell Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
Telephone: 314-531-0700
Fax: 314-534-0646
Office Hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 a.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
View Map

Northside Contract Office
1330 Aubert, Ste. 102B
St. Louis, MO 63113-0000
Telephone: 314-454-1071
Fax: 314-454-1082
Office Hours - Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. and the first & last Saturday of the month from 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
View Map

South Kingshighway Contract
4628 South Kingshighway
St. Louis, MO 63109
Telephone: 314-752-3177
Fax: 573-352-1386
Office Hours: Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m – 12 p.m
View Map

St. Louis City Hall License Office
1200 Market St., Room 106
St. Louis, MO 63103
Telephone: 314-622-4231
Fax: 314-622-4177
Office Hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
View Map

Additional office locations can be found at: http://www.dor.mo.gov/mvdl/offloc/

Car Registration
If you have to title your car, you might consider having your car licensed in Missouri and get your very own “Show Me” plates. You are required to title your vehicle within 30 days of becoming a Missouri citizen. To obtain a title and registration, you must have the following documents:

A vehicle ownership document (i.e. title, registration certificate)
A signed application for Missouri Title and License (DOR-108)
A current insurance identification card
A statement of non-assessment to showing you do not owe personal property taxes in St. Louis
A Missouri safety inspection not more than 60 days old.
An emissions inspection not more than 60 days old if your vehicle is registered to operate in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County, Franklin County, or Jefferson County.
Identification number and odometer (ID/OD) inspection - All motor vehicles previously titled in another state or country must be inspected to verify the vehicle identification number and odometer reading of the vehicle. A Missouri authorized inspection station can complete this inspection.

Please note: It is not necessary to have a Missouri driver license to obtain Missouri plates for your car. Click here for more information.

If you do get Missouri plates, you will be subject to an annual property tax on your car (cars and boats are treated, for tax purposes, like houses). The rate varies by county, since the County Assessor’s office determines the rate, and may be waived for your first year if you are new to the state. The tax is determined based on your place of residence on January 1 prior to registration.

University Car Registration
Washington University Parking & Transportation
314-935-5601
http://parking.wustl.edu/index.html

The campus at Washington University in St. Louis is located in an urban area and, as a result, parking is limited. Students wishing to park on the campus will have to purchase a Washington University parking permit. The different types of permits available are:

Yellow Permits are available at the annual rate of $400 to faculty, staff and commuter students, and are always valid in yellow zones. The student yellow permit is never valid in brown or blue zones during academic sessions, but is valid in brown and blue zones during specified break periods. The yellow permit is valid in certain red spaces (unless marked by 24 hour designation signage) between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. weekdays, and all day Saturday and Sunday.

Short Term Passes (Daily & Monthly) are available to faculty, staff, students, and visitors to be used in yellow zones.
Daily scratch off parking passes are available for an estimated cost of $5.00 (please visit the Parking & Transportation website for more information [http://parking.wustl.edu/]). Daily passes may be purchased directly from Parking Services, the University Bookstore at Mallinckrodt, or Support Services in room 301 at the Law School.
Monthly passes are available for an estimated cost of $100.00 (please visit the Parking & Transportation website for more information [http://parking.wustl.edu/]).

Motorcycle Permits are available at the estimated annual rate of $15.00 and are issued for motorcycles, motor scooters, and motorbikes, all of which must be registered with Parking Services under the same conditions as other vehicles and are subject to all University parking regulations (please visit the Parking & Transportation website. Motorcycle permits are valid only in areas designated for motorcycles. For the safety of pedestrians, motorcycles, motorbikes, and motor scooters may not be driven on campus walkways.

Bicycles

Sometimes, two wheels are better than four. If you do ride your bike, register your ride with the Campus Police and park it at many of the bike racks around campus (with two at the law school).

Pets

St. Louis is a very pet friendly city. In fact, the canine-savvy experts of www.dogfriendly.com have named St. Louis as one of the Top 10 Dog-Friendly Vacation Destinations in North America. The research team, because of the number and quality of dog-friendly accommodations and attractions, recognized the Gateway City. Below is a list of great websites dedicated to St. Louis pets:

Health Insurance

Student Health Services

WebSite - [http://shs.wustl.edu/index.html]
General Office – Information: 314-935-6666
Counseling & Psychiatry: 314-935-6666
Director – Admin. Assistant: 314-935-9626
Medical Appointments:314-935-6666
Pharmacy: 314-935-6662
Health Promotion Services:314-935-7139
Fax: 314-935-8515
Location: Student Health Services is located in the Health and Wellness Center in The Nathan Dardick House (terrace level) at the corner of Shepley Drive and Big Bend Boulevard.
Mailing Address: Campus Box 1201, Washington University, One Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899

All Health Insurance information can be found on the Student Health Services website. All Washington University students are required to participate in the Student Health Plan. For more information, please contact Student Health Services directly.

Media

Local Radio Stations,the BBC listing of radio stations in St. Louis
Local Television Stations, from Wikipedia.com
Local Newspapers, from Yahoo.com
Local Magazines

Playback, monthly magazine about “St. Louis Pop Culture.” CDs, local concerts, offbeat performances. Free.
St. Louis Magazine, monthly magazine about shopping and life in St. Louis.
What’s Up Magazine, bi-monthly non-profit magazine “distributed by and for the homeless and disadvantaged.” Sold for $1 suggested donation, 75 cents of which goes to the seller.

Neccessities

Banks

Bank of America
Mallinckrodt, upper level (Branch) and main level (ATM)
Small Group Housing (ATM)
7800 Forsyth (main bank), 466-0460
4625 Lindell (CWE), 284-0525
Citizens National Bank of Greater St. Louis
7305 Manchester Ave., 645-0666
Commerce Bank
6630 Delmar, U City, 726-2255
8000 Forsyth, Clayton, 746-3000
6383 Clayton Rd., Clayton, 746-7420
First National Bank
7707 Forsyth, Clayton, 862-8300
Pioneer Bank & Trust Company
2211 S. Big Bend, 644-6600
UMB Bank
Brentwood Promenade, 621-1000

Dry Cleaners

Banner Cleaners
500 S. Brentwood Blvd., Clayton, 725-4500
DeMun Professional Cleaners
726 DeMun, Clayton, 721-6400
Colonial Cleaners
2244 S. Brentwood Blvd., 961-3550
Tip Top Cleaners
7600 Wydown, Clayton, 726-0939
8260 Forsyth, Clayton, 862-0321
6360 Clayton Rd., 644-4999
40 N. Euclid, CWE, 367-1720
Al’s Wydown Laundry & Cleaners & Alterations
7620 Wydown, Clayton, 721-2004

Grocery Stores

Dierbergs
8450 Eager Rd., 962-9009
Schnucks
6600 Clayton Rd., Richmond Hgts., 644-0510
6920 Olive, U City, 726-2373
8867 Ladue Rd., Ladue, 725-7574
9074 Overland Plaza, 426-3800
710 North Kingshighway, 361-3200
3431 Union, 381-8789
8800 Manchester, Brentwood, 961-5454
4171 Lindell, 533-8027
Shop ‘N Save
10461 Manchester Road, 984-0900
Straub’s
8282 Forsyth, Clayton, 725-2121
302 N. Kingshighway, 361-6646
Trader Joe’s
48 Brentwood Promenade Court, 963-0253
Whole Foods
1601 S. Brentwood Blvd., 968-7744
Wild Oats
8823 Ladue Rd., Clayton, 721-8044

Home Improvement

Home Depot
1603 S. Hanley, 647-6050
Lowe’s Home Improvement
2300 Maplewood Commons Drive, 450-1000

Office Supplies

Office Depot
1024 S. Big Bend Blvd., 646-8100
OfficeMax
6590 Manchester Ave., 645-4422
Washington University Campus Bookstore
Mallinckrodt Center, 935-5500

Pharmacies

Student Health Services Pharmacy
Forsyth House So. 40, 935-6666
Jennifer’s Pharmacy
30 N. Central, 862-7400
K-Mart
6700 Manchester Ave., 645-5902
Schnucks
6600 Clayton Rd., 644-0510
Target
25 Brentwood Promenade Ct., 918-9500
Walgreen’s
6733 Clayton Rd., Clayton, 721-2033
2310 McCausland, 647-7810
2401 S. Brentwood, 963-1818
4218 Lindell, 371-4232
Wal-Mart
1900 Maplewood Commons Drive, 781-2165
Williams Pharmacy
7010 Pershing Rd., University City, 727-4854

Post Offices, Shipping

US Post Office Locations [http://www.usps.com]

On Campus, Small Group Housing, 935-5635
561 Kingsland Ave., University City, 800-275-8777
1201 S. Big Bend Blvd., Richmond Heights, 800-275-8777
7750 Maryland Ave., St. Louis, 800-275-8777
1409 Hamilton Ave., St. Louis, 800-275-8777

FedEx/Kinkos Locations [http://www.usps.com]

On Campus, Mallinckrodt Student Center, 935-8481
8805 Ladue Rd., St. Louis, 725-8704
1901 S. Brentwood, Brentwood, 963-2700

The UPS Store [http://www.theupsstore.com]

6614 Clayton Rd., St. Louis, 781-7244
9648 Olive Blvd., Olivette, 569-0692
4579 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, 361-5505

Shopping Centers

St. Louis Galleria [http://www.stlgalleria.com/]
1155 Sait Louis Galeria, St. Louis, 863-6633

St. Louis Union Station
1820 Market St., St. Louis, 421-6655

Plaza Frontenac [http://www.plazafrontenac.com/]
97 Plaza Frontenac, St. Louis, 432-6760

Westfield Shopping Towns [http://www.westfield.com/uscentres/]
109 Crestwood Plz., .St. Louis, 962-3390
500 Northwest Plz #700, St. Ann, 656-2500
80 West County Ctr., St. Louis, 995-1432