Briar Forest Community Features

The Briar Forest area is bounded by Buffalo Bayou to the north, Gessner to the east, Westheimer to the south and Dairy Ashford to the west. The area is largely single family residential with some multi-family, patio and townhomes located along the area’s major thoroughfares. Office complexes are located along the Sam Houston Parkway in the Westchase District, on Wilcrest, along Westheimer and on Dairy Ashford.

Brief History of Briar Forest

From the early days of the Akokisa until after World War II, the area making up the Briar Forest neighborhood was one which people largely passed through on their way to and from places such as the Habermacher ranch to the west, or from Dairy (now known as Alief) on the road (later Dairy Ashford road) to the Ashford stop on the Houston & Texas Central Railroad. Along the way, they would follow or cross over the neighborhood’s most significant landscape feature, Buffalo Bayou. For those who chose to stay in the area, rice and cotton became a way of life, with farms and mills providing a large portion of the jobs and livelihoods for many residents up until the last three decades of the 20th century.

By the 1960s, urban sprawl resulted in bedroom communities, such as Ashford, Lakeside and Briargrove Park – developed by Walter Mischer, Sr., emerging from the forests. Farms disappeared and a small two lane road became a massive thoroughfare and anchor for successful commerce – Westheimer – bordering the southern boundary of the neighborhood. By 2000, at least 42,000 Houstonians chose to call the Briar Forest area home.

Whereas the Briar Forest area was once far from Houston, it now sits on the edge of what is rapidly becoming the very center of the entire metropolitan area. Westchase District, the first management district of its kind in Texas, supports the southern portion of the neighborhood, with outstanding business and commercial opportunities, tremendous beautification efforts and master plan style management. The Energy District sits just to the west and north and City Centre, Town & Country and Memorial shopping are a stones throw to the northeast.

Briar Forest Community Features

Within the Briar Forest area residents and visitors also enjoy access to outstanding recreation and entertainment opportunities. Adventurous mountain bikers ride the “Ant Hills” trail alongside the southern bank of Buffalo Bayou. Joggers and walkers are able to experience a peaceful run or stroll under the trees along the Robin Trail in Terry Hershey Park or in Francklow Park. If you are lucky, you may spot an armadillo, raccoon, river otter, coyote, Mississippi Kite, heron, Loggerhead turtle, coral snake or other fauna found along the Bayou. Golf and tennis enthusiasts will enjoy Lakeside Country Club and Westside Tennis Center, possibly even spotting one of the Rockets outside their training facility. Residents and guests also enjoy some of the best French, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, Brazilian, Italian, Spanish and Tex-Mex cuisine found in the city.

With easy access to I-10, the Beltway, Westpark Tollway, Westheimer, Westchase District and the Energy Corridor, the Briar Forest area is superbly placed to develop as one of Houston’s premier 21st century neighborhoods.

Civic Associations in the Area

• April Village Community Association, Inc.
• Ashford Community Association, Inc.
• Ashford Hollow Community Association, Inc.
• Briargrove Park Property Owners, Inc.
• Northbriar Community Association, Inc. (Country Village)
• Northbriar Security Cooperative
• Epernay Community Association, Inc.
• Executive Row Town Home Subdivision
• Heathlake Community Association, Inc.
• Lakeside Commercial Community Improvement Association, Inc.
• Lakeside Estates Townhome Association, Inc.
• Lakeside Improvement Association, Inc.
• Riverview Place Community Improvement Association
• San Simeon Townhomes Association, Inc.
• Shadowbriar Community Association, Inc.
• Southbriar Community Association, Inc.
• Village Place Community Association, Inc.
• Village Place Townhomes Association, Inc.
• Village West Community Association, Inc.
• Walker’s Mark Townhomes
• Walnut Bend Home Association, Inc.
• West Belt Town & Country Townhomes
• Westchase Business District

Community Schools

• Walnut Bend Elementary (HISD)
• Ashford Elementary (HISD)
• Shadowbriar Elementary (HISD)
• Askew Elementary (HISD)
• Paul Revere Middle School (HISD)
• Westbriar Middle School (HISD)
• Westside High School (HISD)
• The Briarwood School
• Ascension Episcopal School
• Grace School
• Smaller Scholars Montessori Academy

Meeting Times and Locations

Meetings are held every 3rd Tuesday of the month at Briarwood School (located at 12207 Whittington, Houston, TX 77077) from 6:30 – 8:00 pm. For tentative meeting agendas, please visit the SN website at www.briarforestsn.org.

Contact Info

• briarforestsn18@sbcglobal.net

Neighborhood Statistical Info

• Houston City Council District G
• 4,305 acres (6.73 sq. miles)