Glenbrook Valley is a subdivision located in Houston, Texas, United States.
Glenbrook Valley was developed by Fred McManis, Jr.
History
Glenbrook Valley was developed from 1953 to 1962. Hare and Hare, architects from Kansas City, Missouri, designed the community for Fred McManus, the developer.
The first section opened in 1954; the original six homes were featured in the 1954 "Parade of Homes," a program sponsored by the Greater Houston Builders Association. At one time in the neighborhood's history, it was known by Houstonians as the "Little River Oaks." Better Homes and Gardens referred to one of the six "Parade of Homes" model houses as "the model home for all America". The Houston Press said "Glenbrook Valley was a showpiece suburb, a mod vision of the glorious George Jetson age to come."
As time passed, Houston's development focused westward. The Houston Press stated that this phenomenon caused "affluent east side outposts like [Glenbrook Valley] to wither in obscurity for decades." The 1980s oil bust started an economic decline in the community. Many older residents left their houses, causing many of them to have a lack of maintenance.
In 2007 Ruth Samuelson of the Houston Press said that "According to several members of the Glenbrook Valley Civic Club, Thai Xuan Village is like a mini Vietnamese nation state smack-dab in the middle of Houston. Residents live by their own laws, and no one intervenes," In February 2007, residents of Glenbrook Valley complained to Mayor of Houston Bill White about the condition of the nearby Thai Xuan Village condominium complex. Robert Searcy, a realtor and a member of the Glenbrook Valley civic club, said that Thai Xuan Village was impacting the property values of Glenbrook Valley.
Glenbrook Valley was, in the Houston Press's 2009 rankings, the "Best Hidden Neighborhood" of Houston. During that year, the Houston Press stated that "hip, young-ish Houstonians" began focusing on eastside neighborhoods because many westside neighborhoods had become expensive. In 2010, the Houston Press nominated Glenbrook Valley as one of Houston's Most Underrated Neighborhoods. Richard Connelly, of that publication, said "The neighborhood's webpage embraces the `60s feeling, and residents there have been resolute in preserving the history of the place."
In 2008 members of the Glenbrook Valley Civic Club and Searcy began a campaign to make Glenbrook Valley a municipally-designated historic district. It would be the first designated historic neighborhood in the state of Texas consisting of post-World War II structures. Volunteers asked residents to sign a petition approving or not approving the designation; According to Marlene Gafrick, the director of the Planning and Development Department of the City of Houston, 54% of Glenbrook Valley residents signed the petition; a 51% approval was necessary to approve the historic district designation. Accusations of foul play among the pro-historic district and anti-historic district sides caused political turmoil within the community. In June 2011 the Houston City Council designated Glenbrook Valley as the city's first historic neighborhood outside of the 610 Loop.
Cityscape
Glenbrook Valley has 1,256 houses in thirteen sections. It is located on the south side of the Sims Bayou. The neighborhood has four quadrants, divided by the intersection of Bellfort Avenue and Broadway Boulevard. William P. Hobby Airport, the Sims Bayou, Telephone Road, and Interstate 45 (Gulf Freeway) roughly form the community's boundaries. The Houston Press stated in 2009 that "it reminds us of a much more stylish Sharpstown, with houses that would do a Mad Men character proud set on lots practically the size of small farms." Ruth Samuelson of the Houston Press said "The quiet, winding streets behind Broadway are lined with mid-century modern houses and neatly trimmed lawns."