GOOF/Heights vs. Westbury/Meyerland/Maplewood/Braeswood Place (apartment, houses)

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Some fabulous shopping and dining in Meyerland. Meyerland Plaza offers a variety of shopping experience. There is a gym, some shops, restaurants and cafes around the Meyerland Plaza which is within walking distance from Section 1 and 2 of the Meyerland subdivision. Overall it's a quaint established neighborhood being very close to the loop and 59. Easy access to Downtown and Med District. Great public schools for kids. Large front and back yards that you don't find in Heights, and are set back from the streets.

[aimeenp]

I wrote this long response and then it timed out or something, let me try this again .

What about flooding? Since Allison, have the Braeswood improvements extended outside of the loop? I know lots of Maplewood, Westbury and Meyereland are on the 100 year flood plain. Can anyone tell me how expensive flood insurance is?

As for the schools, I am glad to hear your direct comparison with Katy schools, bc I know a lot of people from Katy who really pride themselves in the schools and think i am crazy that i would send a child to HISD. I know HISD as a whole isnt great, but there seem to be some decent pockets of schools.

I heard that there has been an influx of gay people in the Westbury area, could account for why people thought that Cozy Corner is a gay bar. I am all for it, hopefully i can get in there before property values rise too much! Maybe my husband and I should open a craft beer bar out there, those seem to do well in neighborhoods because they are more laid back and family friendly, and lots of dads love craft beers. Hmmmm, opportunity...

[houston-nomad]

Pleeeeeaaaaaaaase open a craft beer place in Westbury! Put in outside picnic tables, make it kid-friendly during the day, it will do well!

[Meyerland]

A kid friendly place would be a big hit down here. I see so many people walking and biking with their kids around here. There is a nicer part of Westbury, so ask your realtor about that. some of it is still up and coming. Maplewood South is a really family friendly area too. Stay east of Hillcroft though. You will need to drive around whatever area you are interested in. Houston is a very quirky and complicated market.

[aimeenp]

Any personal accounts of the cost of flood insurance?

Haha, i will let my husband know. He actually does want to own his own bar, either that or start a brewery.

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Originally Posted by aimeenp

Any personal accounts of the cost of flood insurance?

Haha, i will let my husband know. He actually does want to own his own bar, either that or start a brewery.

Less than $400 per yr, Meyerland.

[testmo]

westbury - 100 yr flood insurance $1,100-1,200 per year with no flood history. 2,100 sq ft home

westbury is walkable for exercise. a lot of young families are moving here. you can buy a recently renovated home for $350,000-400,000. further south while still in the nice part of westbury you can buy a newly renovated for $260,000-300,000. meyerland for a nice home i'd start my budget at $400,000. what is great about the meyerland and westbury area is there are not a lot of tear downs. those have plagued oak forest and around there. the homes here were in better shape and style than what old oak forest and gardens were

the bike path route to the med center/downtown is right along braeswood. it's an easy run/bike ride to the bike path and lots of people and families walking and riding there. there is also buffalo run (not in westbury but close by) and willow waterhole which is in westbury. the improvements being made and plans for that park will make it pretty phenomenal. they also are redoing the playground at westbury park where the community pool is. its a nice spot but could use more shade. a new much larger library and community center will be built somewhere in westbury. meyerland shares this library. there was a tiff about the new one being moved further into westbury/away from meyerland but westbury is the larger neighborhood. westbury has a VERY active civic association

the area is definitely improving as are property values and home prices. new commercial development has been happening, but at a slower pace than other gentrifying areas. i can see it picking up in the next few years.

there are non-chain places and local houston chain places. we love different ethnic food so we drive over to gulfton and bissonet/bellaire for food a lot. or up hilcroft to little india. there is stuff in meyerland plaza and bellaire. west u and rice village is a very quick drive. i can drive to montrose in 15 minutes when the traffic isn't crazy

[houston-nomad]

Great post Testmo, I agree with you about walking, exercise, restaurants, etc.

Where is there more info about the library? That's great news that I hadn't heard. Also, what's buffalo run?

What we need is one of those fancy HEBs, or some other really good supermarket. Lots of supermarket options, but none are really good. I'd love to see that whole HEB shopping center at Braeswood/Chimney Rock torn down and turned into a big, nice HEB.

[Meyerland]

That lot is too small for one of those huge HEB lots...it's too shallow. I agree that we need one though, maybe across the street or somewhere on Post Oak.

I find that I shop in all 3 of the grocery stores here. I still shop at the tiny HEB because of some HEB products I can only get there. The people who work there are really nice and know my name. I find that the Meyerland area still has a bit of a small town feel. A lot of people shop at that HEB who are on a fixed income as it is cheaper. I always chitchat with the elderly women who shop there. I think it may be the only time of the day they get human interaction.

[testmo]

the westbury crier has some past articles about the new library. they archive online. when the COH bonds passed last year the library improvement was one of them. meyer library (the current one we share with meyerland) was chosen for complete replacement. recently - i think 2 criers ago? - it was decided the new library will be in westbury vs. in meyerland. the exact location has not been selected but the civic association is trying to get it in the spot across from home depot to replace the current community center there

buffalo run is off fondren on the other side of 90. its a big park/water retention area with bike and walking paths. i never have, but i was told you can kayak there. havent tried it out yet.

i shop at all the different supermarkets as well. for something special or just to get out of the house we go to central market in upper kirby or whole foods in southside place. there is a larger HEB off bellaire but its not easy to get in and out of. i found the fiesta in the reliant park area to have the best produce of any place in houston - in terms of selection and amounts. when i need something for indian or asian dishes i go there if i dont want to drive to sugarland and go to an asian grocery.

about new commercial development - i think in the last westbury crier it was announced the shopping area around the new kohls is expanding. they are either going to start construction or are currently planning on changing water lines etc and posting land for sale. i can definitely see something else being built there. hopefully not just generic strip mall stuff. but i wouldnt even mind another chain restaurant as long as its not ****