Minuteman Press Franchise in Westchase District Helps Local Businesses Bounce Back from COVID-19
The family-owned printing franchise offers products to keep employees and customers safe such as social distancing posters and mounted tablets to help with temperature checks. For long-time Minuteman Press franchise owners Paul and Sharon Rayner, the COVID-19 pandemic is unlike anything they have experienced in their 18 years of business ownership. Paul says, “We started just after the dot-com financial downturn in 2002 and we survived the 2008 financial debacle, but we had never experienced…..Read More
Family Business Crafts Empanadas with Heart & Resolve
A great empanada starts with hands. Hands to make it and eat it. Wherever you’ve had an empanada in the world – South America, Mexico, Europe or Asia – you can appreciate that what you’re about to eat is a masterfully-crafted creation. The pastry’s dough is cut into 6-inch diameter circles. Next comes the filling: pork, chicken, beef, cheese, veggies or a combination thereof. Once loaded, it’s folded and the dough’s edge is pressed into…..Read More
New Modern Bus Shelters Coming to Westchase District
If you’re a regular METRO bus customer riding transit throughout Houston, you probably pay a lot of attention to the bus shelters. Very soon, even non-transit riders will notice the shelters in Westchase District. A contemporary, newly designed shelter – both functional and attractive – will soon be coming to Westchase District. As part of its Walnut Bend reconstruction, Westheimer streetscapes and Elmside/Woodchase Side Path projects, Westchase District is completely re-designing and upgrading the current…..Read More
Westchase District Trail System Boosts Leisure Life
On March 30, 2016, Westchase District broke ground on the second phase of what is now a 5-mile trail system. The Brays Bayou Connector Trail runs between Richmond and Bellaire on the banks of the Harris County Flood Control District canal. The trail features an exercise station, water fountains, public art, informational signage, and bike fix-it station. There are emergency call boxes located along the trail for use by trail users. Check out the Westchase…..Read More
From Big Screen Features to CRE Marvel
Redevelopment in Westchase District is proof of the area’s solid commercial real estate market. The Tinseltown movie theater, which hosted 24 screens, originally opened on the Beltway at Westpark in 1996. One Westchase District follower on social media recalled seeing Spice World (The Spice Girls movie) there in 1997 while others reminisced about it being the place for youth groups to go after church for a matinee. It was closed and demolished in 2008 to…..Read More
First-ever Corporate Challenge Happened in 1998
Our first-ever Corporate Challenge was held in the spring of 1998. Approximately 100 athletes participated in the event representing a dozen Westchase District businesses. Back then, there were eight different events, including one that required participants to swim in the Quillian pools wearing a coat & tie and then take off the workplace attire and pass it to their co-worker who would continue the relay. The event generated nearly $1,500 for Texas Special Olympics. The…..Read More
In the Summer of ’95, George W. Bush Was Governor, the Houston Rockets Were NBA Champions & Westchase District Was Born
Westchase District officially turned 25 on August 28. And our incredible journey began in the summer of a year when H-town had great cause for celebration. Just days before the Houston Rockets won the NBA Championship, a little known, but historically significant occasion took place in Austin when then-Governor George W. Bush signed legislation creating Westchase District on June 12, 1995. The legislation, passed by the 74th Texas State Legislature, became effective on August 28. The…..Read More
Houston TranStar Expands Benefit of Local Roadway Flood Warning System
Anticipating an active year ahead for storms in the Atlantic, Houston TranStar reminds residents to prepare for the 2020 Hurricane Season by downloading its mobile app, a tool that shows real-time traffic data and estimates areas of roadway flooding risk during heavy rainfall. Developed in partnership with the Harris County Flood Control District and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute after Hurricane Harvey, TranStar’s Roadway Flood Warning System displays real-time data from 283 weather sensors, an…..Read More
HWCOC Leader Keeps Organization Focused Despite COVID Disruption
Like all member-based organizations that serve businesses and the community around the nation, the Houston West Chamber of Commerce (HWCOC) had to adapt. HWCOC is a professional organization that serves West Houston with engaging live events that connect members to economic opportunities. In addition, the HWCOC connects members to important community issues and helps build stronger communities, encouraging its members to stay involved in business, civic and social priorities. Events are held weekly throughout the…..Read More
Global Experiences Shape Officer’s Career Track
You could say Ana Bertens was worlds away before joining the Houston Police Department. Her unlikely path to law enforcement came while she traveled back and forth to live between two continents: North America and South America. Born in Santiago, Chile, Bertens’ parents brought her and her siblings to the United States in the 1990s where she spent half of her life between Florida and Houston. After turning 20, she moved back to Chile where…..Read More