The Briar Club
Encyclopedia
The Briar Club is a private social club
in Houston, Texas
. It is located in the River Oaks area, at the corner of Westheimer Road
and Timmons Lane. It is between The Galleria and Downtown Houston
. As of 2004 it has 1,100 members.
As of 2004 the club annually hosts 20 to 25 weddings. Richard Lareau, the club's chief operating officer and general manager, said that he hoped to have the club perform three times that number.
In 2004 it was engaging in an expansion that had a cost of millions of dollars and multiple phases. The club anticipated that its master plan would take ten to fifteen years to complete. Phase one, with a scheduled completion date in late December 2004, had a price tag of $4.8 million. The expansion included a sports pavilion, a parking lot for 80 cars, and a new spa and fitness center. Due to the club needing space for its expansion, the Westheimer Animal Clinic was scheduled to move from an adjacent lot of Westheimer Road
to a new location in the City of Bellaire
in 2004. The club planned to move its catering and laundry operations into the former veterinarian building. The Briar Club would be able to reconfigure its kitchen so it could host larger banquets and weddings. In January 2004 the club demolished two buildings at Westheimer Road at Saint Street so a covered athletic court and a parking lot could be built. As of July 2004 the annex building had been demolished so a fitness center could be built in its place. As of 2004 the fitness center had 4500 square foot of space. The club planned to expand it to 17000 square foot of space. The club intended to install wooden lockers, massage facilities, a steam room, and a whirlpool.
The next phases were scheduled to include a clubhouse, a parking garage, an expansion of a swimming pool, and the facility's eighth tennis court. The club planned for phase two to begin around 2009. The parking garage, a part of phase two, would be built on a the site of a 198-space surface parking lot. Phase three includes the demolition of the current club house and replacing it with a new one. Phase four includes the installation of a tennis court and the expansion of a pool.
In 2010 Champion Energy received a two year contract to supply electricity service to the club.
, Timmons Street, Saint Street, and a multifamily housing development. As of 2004 The Briar Club is using 1.25 acre (0.5058575 ha) of the land.
Gentlemen's club
A gentlemen's club is a members-only private club of a type originally set up by and for British upper class men in the eighteenth century, and popularised by English upper-middle class men and women in the late nineteenth century. Today, some are more open about the gender and social status of...
in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It is located in the River Oaks area, at the corner of Westheimer Road
Westheimer Road
Westheimer Road is an arterial road in the western half of Houston, Texas, United States. It runs from Bagby Street west to the Westpark Tollway. Westheimer Road runs roughly parallel to and south of Buffalo Bayou throughout its course. The street was named after Michael Louis Westheimer, a...
and Timmons Lane. It is between The Galleria and Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
. As of 2004 it has 1,100 members.
As of 2004 the club annually hosts 20 to 25 weddings. Richard Lareau, the club's chief operating officer and general manager, said that he hoped to have the club perform three times that number.
History
The nearby Westheimer Animal Clinic had been established in 1946. Dr. E.P. Stallings had purchased a city block and started a horse practice on the property. Stallings sold land to what would become The Briar Club for $10,000. The club started in 1949. In 2001 the Briar Club acquired ownership of the Westheimer Animal Clinic building.In 2004 it was engaging in an expansion that had a cost of millions of dollars and multiple phases. The club anticipated that its master plan would take ten to fifteen years to complete. Phase one, with a scheduled completion date in late December 2004, had a price tag of $4.8 million. The expansion included a sports pavilion, a parking lot for 80 cars, and a new spa and fitness center. Due to the club needing space for its expansion, the Westheimer Animal Clinic was scheduled to move from an adjacent lot of Westheimer Road
Westheimer Road
Westheimer Road is an arterial road in the western half of Houston, Texas, United States. It runs from Bagby Street west to the Westpark Tollway. Westheimer Road runs roughly parallel to and south of Buffalo Bayou throughout its course. The street was named after Michael Louis Westheimer, a...
to a new location in the City of Bellaire
Bellaire, Texas
Bellaire is a city in southwest Harris County, Texas, United States, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 15,642 and is completely surrounded by the cities of Houston and West University Place....
in 2004. The club planned to move its catering and laundry operations into the former veterinarian building. The Briar Club would be able to reconfigure its kitchen so it could host larger banquets and weddings. In January 2004 the club demolished two buildings at Westheimer Road at Saint Street so a covered athletic court and a parking lot could be built. As of July 2004 the annex building had been demolished so a fitness center could be built in its place. As of 2004 the fitness center had 4500 square foot of space. The club planned to expand it to 17000 square foot of space. The club intended to install wooden lockers, massage facilities, a steam room, and a whirlpool.
The next phases were scheduled to include a clubhouse, a parking garage, an expansion of a swimming pool, and the facility's eighth tennis court. The club planned for phase two to begin around 2009. The parking garage, a part of phase two, would be built on a the site of a 198-space surface parking lot. Phase three includes the demolition of the current club house and replacing it with a new one. Phase four includes the installation of a tennis court and the expansion of a pool.
In 2010 Champion Energy received a two year contract to supply electricity service to the club.
Property
The club is situated on a 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) plot of land. It is bounded by Westheimer RoadWestheimer Road
Westheimer Road is an arterial road in the western half of Houston, Texas, United States. It runs from Bagby Street west to the Westpark Tollway. Westheimer Road runs roughly parallel to and south of Buffalo Bayou throughout its course. The street was named after Michael Louis Westheimer, a...
, Timmons Street, Saint Street, and a multifamily housing development. As of 2004 The Briar Club is using 1.25 acre (0.5058575 ha) of the land.