BrykerWoods Neighborhood in the news
Bryker Woods has smallish lots and friendly feel
By Clayton Stromberger
SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Sunday, November 18, 2007
As one of Austin's venerable "A-list" neighborhoods, Bryker Woods has managed to maintain its aura of classy simplicity, even as other established neighborhoods such as Tarrytown face ongoing battles with teardown mania.
A key to its survival — along with a well-organized neighborhood association — is what some home buyers might see as a disadvantage: smallish lots. It's hard to squeeze massive new homes on lots traced out somewhere between the 1880s and the 1930s for single-family cottages.
Many newcomers have done modest remodeling jobs to add space for growing families, but most feel the snug fit is well worth the tree-lined streets and proximity to the University of Texas and downtown.
"You're a little closer to your neighbors," says 16-year-resident David Weiser, "but in our experience that comes across as cozy and friendly."
The area still has a tucked-away residential feel. Kids walk to the elementary school, and families cross West 35th Street to dine at Kerbey Lane Cafe.
Another supposed disadvantage — a lack of plentiful sidewalks — also has its silver lining, says Mary Crouter, Weiser's wife. There isn't a lot of cut-through traffic, except from folks coming through at rush hour to get to MoPac Boulevard from North Lamar Boulevard, so the streets become a more public space. "People walk in the streets, people walk their dogs, so there is a lot of socializing, a lot of passing people in the street and saying hello," Crouter says.
About Bryker Woods
Boundaries:Between Shoal Creek, MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1), Westover Road, the Seton Medical Center and West 35 Street.
Schools:Bryker Woods Elementary School, O. Henry Middle School, Austin High School
Amenities:Tree-lined streets, proximity to the University of Texas and downtown.
The market:September sales of single-family homes in the real estate zone that includes Bryker Woods were down 41 percent from a year before. The median price was $525,000, down about 10 percent. On average, it took 74 days to sell a home there.
