Chariton Senior Retirement in St. Louis, MO

Pros

• The community is great to live in, with friendly residents, helpful staff, and a convenient location.
• The property is well maintained, and repairs are handled by a fantastic technician.
• Ed, the manager, is a very nice and helpful person who cares about the residents and the community.
• Chapel View is peaceful, safe, and close to everything residents need.
• Under new management, the building has seen significant upgrades and improvements with friendly, professional staff.
• The apartments are clean, well-lit, and nicely sized.
• The security features, including a secured entry and gated parking, contribute to a safe living environment.
• Maintenance requests are addressed quickly, making residents feel supported.
• There is a strong sense of community fostered by attentive management and considerate neighbors.
• Residents praise the ongoing upgrades and improvements, enhancing the overall living experience.

Cons

• The complex is described as the worst place to live, with bed bugs and cockroaches infesting the walls, appliances, and cupboards.
• Pest control is invasive and ineffective, failing to fully fix the underlying problems.
• The walls are paper-thin, making neighbor noise and activity easily audible.
• The area around the property is dangerous, with break-ins and nightly gunshots.
• Plumbing issues persist, and maintenance is not responsive.
• The apartments are vastly overpriced for the conditions tenants endure.
• The property is infested with bed bugs and roaches despite pest-control efforts.
• Management is incompetent and dishonest, treating residents poorly.
• The gated parking is misleading; security is not present and vehicles can be broken into.

Review

Chariton Senior Retirement in St. Louis is best suited for independent seniors who want a central urban setting with a built-in community, responsive on-site management, and the conveniences of maintenance-free living. The feedback that endures across reviews highlights a notably friendly staff and a sense of camaraderie among residents. The location earns its keep, with quick access to major roads, shopping, and services, and the property has shown measurable momentum in renovations and upkeep as ownership has shifted. For households valuing visible improvements, reliable maintenance response, and a management team that makes an effort to create a livable, connected environment, Chariton presents a compelling, affordable option in the right phase of life.

Not every senior or family will want to consider this community. Those who require a pristine, pest-free, immediately turnkey living space should look elsewhere. A persistent thread in the feedback centers on pest challenges, bed bugs and roaches, that have at times undermined comfort and trust. Safety and security concerns also surface in several accounts, including reports of inconsistent access, theft risk, and neighborhood safety issues surrounding the building. Additionally, families who demand highly predictable operations, unwavering privacy protections, or robust, permanent security features may find the experience uneven, especially during periods of turnover in management.

The strongest pillars of Chariton’s value lie in people and process. A number of residents praise the staff for their courtesy, responsiveness, and willingness to go the extra mile, from timely maintenance to friendly day-to-day interactions. Upgrades and renovations appear ongoing, and many residents note that improvements have progressed since new ownership arrived, contributing to a refreshed atmosphere and better neighborhoods within the building. Practical amenities, well-maintained common areas, elevators, on-site maintenance, and convenient floor-by-floor laundry, contribute to daily ease and reinforce a sense of community. In combination, these positives help offset some of the longer-standing maintenance irritants for residents who stay through the changes.

Yet the cons do not vanish in thin air. Pest infestations have been a recurring focal point of feedback, with multiple accounts describing bed bugs or roaches well before and after renovations. Security concerns, including perceptions of inadequate entry control and occasional safety incidents in the surrounding area, repeatedly appear in reviews. Operational inconsistencies, offices with irregular hours, turnover among managers, and disputes over deposits or move-in charges, also color the experience for some residents and families. Taken together, these factors can offset the perceived value for households prioritizing absolute condition, predictability, or a completely worry-free environment.

From a decision-making perspective, the pros offset the cons for families who value engagement and price more than flawless physical conditions. If the plan is to live in a building with a genuine community feel, an approachable management team, and a program of continuous improvements, Chariton can be a solid fit. The improvements in management and renovations have made the property feel fresher and more responsive, which matters when addressing day-to-day concerns and maintaining a sense of safety and belonging. For those who can tolerate occasional pest-control efforts and a willingness to engage with management to monitor progress, the trade-offs make sense, particularly given the price point and location.

For families evaluating options, a practical checklist matters. Request a current pest-control report and a recent maintenance history, and ask for specifics on how pest issues are tracked and resolved. Inquire about security measures, entry controls, parking lot lighting, and watchful on-site staff, and verify the consistency of office hours and maintenance response times. Dig into lease terms, move-in costs, and any penalties or credits tied to repairs or disruptions. Speak with multiple residents about their daily experiences, and assess whether the community’s renovation trajectory aligns with long-term expectations. Finally, clarify whether independent living is the only option here or if memory-care or assisted living services exist on-site or nearby, and whether those services will be required in the near term.

In the end, Chariton Senior Retirement offers a pragmatic, community-forward option for seniors who value location, a collaborative management approach, and ongoing upgrades, provided pest and security concerns are actively managed and clearly communicated. For families whose top priorities are immaculate conditions, unambiguous safety, and highly predictable operations, alternatives may deliver greater peace of mind. This community rewards proactive engagement: ask hard questions, stay closely connected with management, and monitor progress on pest control and safety enhancements. When those elements align, Chariton can be a dependable, affordable home that supports independent living with a sense of belonging.

Located in St. Louis, Missouri, this area offers a variety of amenities within close proximity. With multiple pharmacies, hospitals, restaurants, places of worship, parks, cafes, transportation options, physicians' offices, and even a theater nearby, seniors can easily access the services they need. The neighborhood is well-connected with public transportation options such as Amtrak and Jet Aviation for convenient travel arrangements. Additionally, the presence of parks like Carondelet Park and Tower Grove Park provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and relaxation. With a diverse range of dining options and healthcare facilities including Barnes-Jewish Hospital within a short distance, this area offers convenience and accessibility for seniors looking to settle in a vibrant community in St. Louis.

Pharmacies

• Walgreens (0.6 miles)
• Walgreens (2 miles)
• Walgreens (2.8 miles)
• Globe Drug (2.8 miles)
• Walgreens (2.9 miles)
• Walgreens (3.1 miles)
• Walgreens (3.2 miles)

Hospitals

• St Alexius Hospital (0.6 miles)
• SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center (2.9 miles)
• The Rehabilitation Institute of St Louis (4.1 miles)
• St Louis Children's Hospital (4.3 miles)
• VA Medical Center Spinal Cord Injury Program (4.4 miles)
• Metropolitan St Louis Psychiatric Center (5.5 miles)

Restaurants

• The Civil Life Brewing Company (1.3 miles)
• Venice Cafe (1.8 miles)
• Frazer's Restaurant & Lounge (1.9 miles)
• City Park Grill (2 miles)
• Tucker's Place (2.5 miles)
• John D. McGurk's Irish Pub (2.5 miles)
• Duke's (2.6 miles)

Places of Worship

• St Johns Lutheran Church (1.6 miles)
• St Ambrose Church (3.1 miles)
• St Raphael the Archangel Church (3.4 miles)
• Macedonia Baptist Church (5.4 miles)
• Old Orchard Church (5.5 miles)
• St Matthias Catholic Church (6 miles)

Parks

• Carondelet Park (1.9 miles)
• Tower Grove Park (2.2 miles)
• Lafayette Park (3 miles)
• Willmore Park (3 miles)
• Bar K (3.1 miles)
• Francis Park (3.4 miles)
• Grant's Trail (4.1 miles)

Transportation

• Amtrak (3.7 miles)
• Jet Aviation (4.4 miles)
• Zooline Railroad The Wild (4.8 miles)

Cafes

• Starbucks (3.7 miles)
• Starbucks (4.1 miles)
• Starbucks (4.3 miles)

Physicians

• Barnes-Jewish Hospital (4.1 miles)
• BJC Behavioral Health Service - Dinu Petru Gangure MD (4.1 miles)
• Southwest Medical Center (4.5 miles)

Theaters

• AMC Esquire 7 (5.7 miles)