Central allandale By Jackie Potts

Bryker Woods

It was the physical beauty of Bryker Woods -- with its lovely old trees and charming old homes -- that attracted Jim Nelson to the neighborhood. It was the family atmosphere that kept him there.

Nelson and his wife are raising three children in the home they bought in 1984. And they are staying put.

"I love being near downtown but still away from it," Nelson said. "I can be at work downtown in 10 minutes. But because of its well- defined geography, Bryker Woods is confined. There are advantages to that."

That confinement makes him feel safe since there is little through traffic. However, some parts of the neighborhood -- such as on 29th Street -- are seeing more traffic as motorists attempt to find shortcuts between MOPAC Boulevard and Interstate 35 to downtown.

Bryker Woods is bordered by Westover on the south, 35th on the north, Shoal Creek on the east and MOPAC Boulevard on the west. It was developed between the 1930s and 1950s, mostly with bungalows and a few larger homes surrounded by large, shady trees.

"People who buy here are looking for a neighborhood like the one they grew up in," said George McGee of George Sears McGee, Realtors. "They want the charm of an older neighborhood. They tell me to exhaust looking here before they'll consider looking elsewhere."


Casis Elementary School on Exposition

McGee said the price is mainly for the land. He has started to see some tear-downs.

Buyers are mainly young professionals -- with and without children, McGee said. Many work in various medical facilities in and around Seton Medical Center which is nearby. The University of Texas and downtown offices are minutes away. Grocery stores and small retail establishments are close-by along 35th/38th streets and Lamar Boulevard.

Because of the convenient location, many homeowners stay in the neighborhood for several years before deciding to move into larger quarters or add.

Nelson said that's the issue he and his wife are grappling with now that their three children are older. Nelson said he doesn't want to leave the neighborhood.

"The emphasis has always been on family," he said. "People are always walking, including at night. A lot of people who move here stay a long time. It's stable. But there is always an influx of new families moving in."

Because of the emphasis on families, the neighborhood boasts a very active PTA at Bryker Woods Elementary as well as an active neighborhood association.

Part of the attraction for young families is the schools, McGee said. Half of the elementary school-age children attend Bryker Woods Elementary and the other half attend Casis Elementary. Of the students taking the Texas Education Agency's Texas Assessment of Academic Skills test in 1995-96 at Bryker Woods, 91 percent passed all portions. At Casis, 90 percent passed all portions.

Respective junior and high schools are Martin Junior High or O'Henry Middle and Austin High School.

When not studying, children play in the many nearby parks such as Seider's Springs Park, Bailey Park, and Shoal Creek Park.

Zone: Central

Zip Code 78703