Westchase, Houston facts for kids
Westchase is a busy area and neighborhood in western Houston, Texas. It's bordered by Westheimer Road to the north, Gessner Road to the east, Houston Center Boulevard to the west, and Westpark Tollway to the south. The area is split by Beltway 8, a major highway. Westchase is close to other Houston areas like Greater Sharpstown and the International District.
A big part of Westchase is managed by a special group called the Westchase Management District. This group was created by the Texas Legislature in 1995. It helps with things like making the area look good, planning how it grows, and keeping it safe. Businesses in Westchase pay a special tax that helps fund this district.
More than 1,500 businesses are in Westchase. Many of them are connected to the petroleum industry, which is a big deal in Houston. Some major companies with offices here include ABB Group, BMC Software, Chevron, Phillips 66, Dow Chemical, Petrochina, and Jacobs Engineering. The Westchase district covers about 4.32 square miles (11.2 square kilometers). It has 118 office buildings with a lot of office space.
In 2006, Westchase was described as feeling like a suburban area. It has many chain stores along its main roads.
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History of Westchase
In the 1950s, a Houston oilman named Robert E. Smith bought large parts of Westchase. He was famous for starting the Houston Colt .45s baseball team.
In 1969, a company called Friendswood Development Company bought some of Smith's land. They used it to create Woodlake, a neighborhood where Westheimer and Gessner roads meet. Later, in 1973, Westchase Corporation bought 760 acres (3.1 square kilometers) of Smith's land. They started getting the land ready for companies to build offices. Chevron and Western Geophysical were some of the first companies to set up offices in the area.
Construction on Beltway 8, also known as the Sam Houston Tollway, began in 1985 and finished in 1988. It was tricky to pay for this part of the highway. This was because Westchase and Sharpstown were growing very fast at the same time. Landowners and developers in Westchase helped the state buy the land needed for the highway.
In the early 1990s, BMC Software moved its main office to a new 20-story building in Westchase. The law that created the Westchase District was passed in 1995.
In 2012, Phillips 66 started building its main office in the district. This happened after it separated from ConocoPhillips. The project was finished in 2016. Around the same time, due to changes in the oil industry, Halliburton moved out of its large campus. Also, Maersk Oil stopped its operations in the area.
Businesses and Jobs
Many companies have their main offices or important operations in Westchase.
- BMC Software
- Phillips 66
- Geokinetics
- The Men's Wearhouse
- Randall's Food Markets
- Statoil
- Jacobs Engineering Group
- Chevron Corporation
- PetroChina
- WesternGeco
- ABB Group
- KRBE, a radio station
- Compuware
- Vroom, Inc.
Westchase also has a growing number of hotels. Between 2014 and 2016, the hotel business in the area grew by 9%. Two main full-service hotels are the Marriott Westchase and the Houston Hilton Westchase.
You can find one of Houston's only Japanese markets in Westchase. It's called Nippan Daido.
In 2022, Bechtel announced it would move its Houston offices to Westchase. This move was planned for late 2023. In 2023, Mattress Firm also said it would move its main office to Westchase.
Halliburton used to have a large office campus in the area. It was called the Oak Park Campus. This complex included a division for Latin America. Halliburton closed this facility in 2015.
International Offices
Westchase is home to several consulate generals. A consulate general is like a smaller embassy that helps citizens from its country and promotes business and culture.
- Costa Rica
- Indonesia (since 1993)
- The Philippines (opened September 24, 2018)
In 2015, Saudi Arabia planned to build a new consulate complex in Westchase.
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In 2019, the Mexican government agreed to move its Consulate-General of Mexico to Westchase. This move was part of a plan to rebuild highways in Southeast Houston. The new Mexican consulate opened in June 2021.
People Living in Westchase
In 2015, the Westchase Super Neighborhood had 29,149 residents. This area is defined by the City of Houston and is a bit different from the Westchase Management District. The population grew from 21,017 residents in 2000. The area is home to people from many different backgrounds.
Education for Kids
Colleges and Universities
The Houston Community College Alief Campus opened in Westchase in 2007. In 2017, the West Houston Institute opened next to it. This institute focuses on STEM subjects like science, technology, engineering, and math.
Other colleges in the district include American InterContinental University and Remington College.
Schools for Younger Students
Much of Westchase is part of the Alief Independent School District. Other parts are in the Houston Independent School District.
Public Schools
Two public schools from Alief ISD are located within the Westchase district: Alief Early College High School and Sneed Elementary School.
Students in the Alief ISD part of Westchase usually go to Sneed Elementary, Budewig Intermediate, and O'Donnell Middle School. For high school, students can attend Elsik, Hastings, or Taylor high schools. Which high school they attend is decided by a lottery.
Students in the Houston ISD part of Westchase might go to Walnut Bend Elementary or Emerson Elementary. For middle school, they often attend Paul Revere Middle School. For high school, they usually go to Westside High School or Lee High School.
Private Schools
Westchase has several private schools. These include Alexander-Smith Academy, River Oaks Academy, Wesley Academy, and Grace Presbyterian Church and School. Westchase Methodist School is a preschool and kindergarten. The Tenney School is also in Westchase.
Public Libraries
The Judson W. Robinson-Westchase Neighborhood Library serves the area. It is part of the Houston Public Library system. The library is named after Judson W. Robinson Jr., who was the first African-American elected to the Houston City Council. The library was closed for big updates from 2016 to 2018 and then reopened.
Getting Around
METRO, Houston's public transportation system, has a park and ride station in Westchase. This station helps people who drive to Westchase park their cars and then take a bus into the city center.
Fun and Green Spaces
The Westchase District has a network of trails along a small river that flows through the area. This river is a tributary of Brays Bayou. The Brays Bayou Connector trail was built to connect different parts of the district. It helps people walk and bike easily.
In 2016, the city bought land to create a park near the library. This park, called Wilcrest Park, was planned to open in December 2022. Another park, Woodchase Park, was scheduled to open in October 2021. Before these parks opened, Westchase had fewer public parks compared to other city neighborhoods.
Harris County runs the Tracy Gee Community Center. It's named after Tracy Gee, a university student who passed away in 1990. The center opened in 1993.
The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston has the Chinese Cultural Center in Westchase. This center helps share Chinese culture.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in Texas in 2020, the farmers market in Westchase became very popular.
Congregation Or Ami, a Jewish community, is also located in Westchase.
Images for kids
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A street sign in Westchase branded by the management district.
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Deborah Sue Schatz Post Office
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Houston Fire Department Station 69
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American InterContinental University
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Judson W. Robinson-Westchase Neighborhood Library (pictured here in 2009; extensively renovated between 2016-2018)
