Valley Park

Located within the city of Valley Park, surrounding a stretch of the Meramec River, the Peerless Park section of the community has become a desirable suburb with its relatively low-cost homes, relaxing green spaces and easy highway access that makes commuting and traveling to nearby shopping centers, supermarkets and big box stores. The city of Valley Park traces its origins to the beginning of the 20th century when new summer resorts let folks from St. Louis retreat from the city to splash in the river and enjoy the natural environs. A busy railroad line and light industry also contributed to its economic development. Prone to flooding, however, the Meramec prohibited the area from developing much further. About a century later, Peerless Park, formerly a separate municipality, faltered and was annexed into Valley Park. With the introduction of a new levee in the past decade, the area has seen new opportunities for growth and development. “It’s kind of an up-and-coming area,” says Laura Sanders, a local Realtor with Compass Realty Group. “There’s already some established area around there. But you used to need flood insurance in the lower valley areas. Now that the levee is there, there are new homes and businesses opening since they’re out of the flood plain.” Sanders says the Valley Park and Peerless Park areas are appealing because of their affordability, with the average home value in Valley Park about $50,000 less than the rest of St. Louis County. She says buying a home here is a smart investment, predicting that properties will continue to appreciate as the area grows. “It’s so central to a lot of highways,” she says. “It’s really close to restaurants, shopping and anything you could possibly want.” Older ranch-style homes and some Colonial Revivals comprise the area’s older homes from the 1960s and ‘70s, generally ranging from around $100,000 to $200,000. More contemporary condos and townhouses sell for around the same price, while larger, more modern single-family homes from the ’90s can rise to $400,000 and more than 2,000 square feet of living space. At the center of Peerless Park’s residential section north of the Meramec River, folks can stroll in the woods alongside a burbling creek via the Vance Trail. At the Meramec Levee Recreation Park, visitors can launch boats and kayaks into the water. On the other side of the river, Interstate 44 splits Budder Park, an ample recreational space with wide-ranging amenities. Buder Park South offers reservable shelters where guests can have barbecues as kids run around the playground or play ball in the adjacent fields. At Buder Park North, visitors practice their aim at the archery and crossbow range as remote-control hobbyists fly model airplanes and helicopters from the park’s miniature airfields. If rain clouds and inclement weather cancel RC flight plans, would-be pilots can imagine flying in the clouds or learn to better predict the weather by borrowing books at the Valley Park Community Library. Students in the community can enroll at the Valley Park School District, where all grade levels are based in a single campus in the middle of the city. Niche gives Valley Park Elementary School a B-minus rating, while Valley Park Middle School and Valley Park High School get a B-plus and an A-minus, respectively. Sanders says the school district has also become a factor in attracting families to the area after years of improvement. Around 2015 and 2016, the high school earned distinctions as one of the top high schools in the state and country, according to Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report rankings. For shopping and commuting to St. Louis, residents rely on two highways: State Route 141 and Interstate 44. The two highways meet south of the river in a large interchange that touches Buder Park and an industrial section of Peerless Park that includes recycling centers, composting facilities and a landfill. Route 141 runs north to south, connecting the community to other municipalities such as Ballwin, Manchester, Town and Country, and Fenton. South of the interchange, residents can reach the SSM Health St. Clare Hospital. I-44 carries traffic west toward more rural areas or northeast into the heart of downtown St. Louis. Locals often shop for groceries at the Schnucks in Twin Oaks, about two miles north up Route 141. Within the community, folks can dine and shop at a few local businesses, including Young’s Restaurant & Ice Creamery and the Valley Park Elevator & Hardware Store, a family-owned hardware and garden store inside a historic milling structure from the 1880s. Four miles to the east, the Kirkwood Commons shopping center has a Target, a Walmart Supercenter and a Lowe’s to keep residents supplied with tools, home goods and other essentials.