The community of seven subdivisions collectively known as Braeswood Place was
originally developed in the late 1940s with ranch style homes of brick, stone,
wood or shingle. The region encompasses Braes Heights, Ayrshire, and several
small subdivisions that share services such
as constable patrol.
The boundaries of Braes Heights
run from Bellaire Boulevard to the north
and Braeswood to the south, with Sewanee
as its easternmost border and Stella Link to
the west. There Ayrshire begins with the
same north and south boundaries and continues
to the west ending in cul-de-sacs at
the railroad tracks.
Convenient to the Texas Medical Center, Greenway Plaza and the bike track
along Brays Bayou, developments in the area include the recent Vanderbilt Square shopping
center, which is anchored by a Randall's Flagship and Barnes & Noble bookstore.
New high-end apartments and recently
constructed patio and townhomes lie on
the northern fringes of the area.
In recent years, the scene has
changed as homeowners who want a
new house, but not necessarily a new
address, renovate or elect to tear down
and build on their lot because they like
their subdivision, their neighbors and
location. About 11% of some 2,200
original houses that make up Braeswood Place have been replaced, by owners or spec
builders, mostly in the northern part. Lot sizes in Braeswood Place are generally bigger
than those in neighboring Bellaire or West University.
The Braeswood Place Homeowners Association includes residents of Ayrshire,
Braes Heights, and several other neighborhoods. Residents raised almost $350,000 to
renovate Karl Young Park. The project
included new playground equipment,
drainage, and landscaping.
This same type of grass-roots
effort led the Stella Link Redevelopment
Association to scoop up property adjacent
to Ayrshire, located east of Stella
Link between Pershing Middle School
and Mark Twain Elementary, and develop
the multi-million dollar
recreational/educational corridor that
has become the neighborhood's crown jewel and includes Helen's Park, a Sheltering
Arms Senior Service Center, a public library, and a YMCA.
La comunidad de siete subdivisiones conocidas colectivamente como Braeswood Place, se desarolló originalmente justo antes del 1950 con casas de ladrillo, madera o piedra. La región abarca Braes Heights, Ayrshire, y varias pequeñas subdivisiones que comparten servicios tales como patrullero de seguridad.
Los límites de Braes Heights corren desde Bellaire Boulevard hasta Braeswood. Ayrshire comienza con los mismos bordes y continúa hacia el oeste, terminando en callejones sin salidas, cerca del ferrocarril.
Conveniente distancia al centro médico, Greenway Plaza y la pista de bicicleta a lo largo de Brays Bayou, los desarollos más notables en el area son el centro de compras “Vanderbilt Square” (conteniendo un supermercado Randall’s Flagship y una librería Barnes & Noble), nuevos departamentos de lujo y viviendas con patios.
En los últimos años, la escena se ha cambiado ya que algunos residentes quieren una nueva casa pero no se quieren ir del barrio. Entonces optan por renovar la casa o directamente tirar abajo y construir nueva sobre su propio terrerno por gustarles el barrio, la ubicación. Aproximadamente el 11% de las 2,200 casas originales en Braeswood Place se han reemplazado por casas nuevas, mayormente por constructores y en la parte norte de la vecindad. El tamaño de los terrernos en Braeswood Place suelen ser más grandes que los de los barrios Bellaire o West University, que están a poca distancia de ahí.
La Asociación de residentes en Braeswood Place incluye ocupantes de Ayrshire, Braes Heights, y varios otros barrios. Los residentes se ahorraron $350.000 y lo usaron para renovar el parque “Karl Young”. El proyecto incluyó unos nuevos juegos infantiles, drenaje, y nuevos jardines.
Este mismo tipo de dedicación por los residentes hizo que el grupo “Stella Link Redevelopment Association” comprara terreno en el barrio de Ayrshire. Esta tierra está ubicada al este de Stella Link entre las escuelas Pershing Middle School y Mark Twain Elementary. Ahí se desarolló un centro espectacular que es la joya del area y contiene el parque “Helen’s park” una biblioteca pública y un YMCA (centro de deportes para la familia).
