Briarhills, Houston

Briarhills is a subdivision in western Houston, Texas.[1] The Briarhills Property Owners Association (POA) and the Briarhills Home Owners Association (HOA) serves Briarhills, Meadowbriar, and Oaks of Parkway.

History

In 2013 Faye Liu, a prospective homeowner quoted in a Houston Chronicle article, speculated that there were many employees at BP and Shell Oil Company who were buying houses quickly in Briarhill since they were able to pay with cash; these employees would be in the later stages of their careers.[2]

Cityscape

The community is in proximity to the intersection of Texas State Highway 6 and Briar Forest.[1][3] Briarhills has 664 houses. Meadowbriar has about 125 houses. Oaks of Parkway has about 100 houses.[3] Lakes of Parkway,[1] Parkway Villages, retail developments, and restaurants are nearby.[3]

As of 1996 the housing sizes are 1,800 square feet (170 m2) to 3,400 square feet (320 m2).[1] In 2003, the lot sizes ranged from 5,500 square feet (510 m2) to 16,000 square feet (1,500 m2). The first generation houses, which were constructed in the late 1970s,[3] include contemporary house and patio houses.[1] In 2003 Nancy Scott, a real estate agent of John Daugherty, Realtors West Houston, stated that these houses had "more-modern kitchens and baths than most houses had" in the late 1970s and that "they were very innovative in their designs".[3] 1980s-built houses traditional patio and "soft contemporary houses". Houses built in the early 1990s included two-story traditional brick houses. The 1990s houses were priced from $140,000 ($211232.76 according to inflation) to $200,000 ($301761.09 according to inflation), or beginning at $70 ($105.62 according to inflation) per square foot; these houses were more inexpensive compared to those in the nearby gated "Parkway" communities. A real estate agent quoted in a 1996 Chronicle article, Rita Tucker Wright, stated that she believed that the diversity in housing styles makes Briarhills "the most unusual neighborhood in the west side of Houston."[1]

As of 2003, according to Scott, the price range of the houses in Briarhills was $160,000 ($205817.66 with inflation) to $290,000 ($373044.5 with inflation).[3]

Government and infrastructure

The community is within the Eldridge/West Oaks Super Neighborhood (SN17).[4]

Education

West Briar Middle School in Parkway Villages
Barbara Bush Elementary School in Parkway Villages

Residents are in the Houston Independent School District.[5] The zoned schools are Barbara Bush Elementary School,[6] West Briar Middle School,[7] and Westside High School.[8]

Residents zoned to Ashford, Askew, Bush, Daily, Emerson, and Walnut Bend may attend Shadowbriar Elementary School's magnet program.[9]

In 1996 Bush was ranked as an "Exemplary" school, and that year Katherine Feser of the Houston Chronicle stated it was a "selling point" of Briarhills.[1] In 2003 Feser wrote that Bush "was a key factor in buying in the neighborhood" and that it was "highly rated".[3]

Bush opened in 1992.[10] Westside opened in August 2000.[11] West Briar, which was given a name combining those of Westheimer Road and Briar Forest, opened in 2002.[12] Previously residents were zoned to Revere Middle School,[13] and Lee High School.[1][14] Lee High School is over 10 miles (16 km) away from Briarhills. Grant Farris, a resident of Briarhills quoted in a 2003 Houston Chronicle article, stated that the openings of West Briar and Westside increased property values and increased cohesion in the community.[3]

Media

The Houston Chronicle is the citywide newspaper.

The Briarhills POA publishes the Briar Beat.[15]

Parks and recreation

Briarhills has basketball courts, a pool, tennis courts, and a 5-acre (2.0 ha) park. The park includes a clubhouse,[1] and Meadowbriar and Oaks of Parkway residents share the facilities with Briarhills. The community is in proximity to Terry Hershey Park.[3]

The community has a swim team called "The Dolphins".[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Feser, Katherine. "Briarhills has wide selection of home styles." Houston Chronicle. Sunday, November 3, 1996. Business p. 10. Available from NewsBank, Record Number HSC11031378029. Available from the Houston Public Library website with a library card.
  2. ↑ Feser, Katherine. "REAL ESTATE - Relocations - In a seller's market, hesitation can hurt - Couple having trouble making a purchase in a popular area where the supply is limited." Houston Chronicle. Sunday, April 14, 2013. Business p. 15. Available from NewsBank, Record Number 15276779. Available from the Houston Public Library website with a library card. "In their preferred neighborhood of Briarhills near Texas 6 and Briar Forest, they are losing out to employees in later stages of their careers at companies such as Shell Oil Co. and BP who can pay cash for a quicker closing, Liu speculated."
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Feser, Katherine. "Briarhills has older homes, modern touch." Houston Chronicle. Sunday, November 23, 2003. Business p. 6. Available from NewsBank, Record Number 3710427. Available from the Houston Public Library website with a library card. "The community, near Texas 6 and Briar Forest, is a shorter commute than from Katy, and taxes are substantially lower, says Farris, who takes the Metro Park & Ride downtown. The location is close to shopping, restaurants and the upscale gated communities of Parkway Villages."
  4. ↑ "Maps" (Archive). Eldridge/West Oaks Super Neighborhood. Retrieved on May 12, 2014.
  5. ↑ "HOA%20POA%20Map.bmp" (Archive). Briarhills POA/HOA. Retrieved on May 11, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Bush Elementary Attendance Zone." Houston Independent School District.
  7. ↑ "West Briar Middle Attendance Zone." Houston Independent School District.
  8. ↑ "Westside High School Attendance Zone," Houston Independent School District.
  9. ↑ "Energy Corridor Boundaries" (Archive). Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on March 18, 2016.
  10. ↑ "Elementary Schools (A-J)" (Archive). Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on May 11, 2014.
  11. ↑ "High Schools" (Archive). Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on May 11, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Middle Schools" (Archive). Houston Independent School District. Retrieved on May 11, 2014.
  13. ↑ "MID98.HTM" (Archive). Houston Independent School District. December 14, 2001. Retrieved on May 11, 2014.
  14. ↑ "HIGH98.HTM" (Archive). Houston Independent School District. April 13, 2002. Retrieved on May 11, 2014.
  15. ↑ The Briar Beat. Briarhills Property Owners Association, August 2013. Volume 1, Issue 4. p. 1 (Archive). Retrieved on May 12, 2014.
  16. ↑ Wright, Billy. "Briarhills Dolphins Swim Team" (Archive). The Briar Beat. Briarhills Property Owners Association, August 2013. Volume 1, Issue 4. p. 5. Retrieved on May 12, 2014.

External links

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