Briarcliff

Briarcliff-Claymont sits among the heavily forested Northland suburbs of Kansas City and stands out among its neighbors due to its proximity to major highways, its wealth of parks, its stylish homes, and its attractive home prices.

Local Realtor Jennifer Hunt describes this neighborhood as “Nestled in the trees yet closely located to major highways, only minutes to downtown, or up to the airport.” This neighborhood is, indeed, nestled in the trees: its streetscapes are marked by dark-green, grassy front yards, lush vegetation and trees along every road, and diversity in housing styles. While the eastern half of the neighborhood shares common architectural styles with its neighbors – rows of comfortable ranches, some of them raised above their garages to accommodate the hilly terrain – the western half of this neighborhood has a modern, suburban feel. These homes vary in style from eclectic contemporary homes to reimagined Tudor residences and charming Colonials, and the wide streets are flanked by sidewalks, making for a pleasant stroll through the neighborhood’s quiet streets and past scores of unique homes. One of these homes, the Frank Bott House, was built by the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and this home is open for private tours on appointment, giving visitors and locals alike the opportunity to view a masterpiece of modern architecture from within. The average home price in Briarcliff-Claymont is $196,000, well below the Kansas City average of $230,000.

This relatively affordable home price buys more than just cozy houses in this picturesque, hilly suburb. Briarcliff-Claymont stands out among Kansas City’s dozens of neighborhoods due to its wealth of parkland, putting residents in touch with the beauty of western Missouri’s natural features. Briarcliff Park, at the heart of the neighborhood, includes tree-shaded walking trails, wide open grasslands for field sports or picnics, and access to the paved trails and bridges at the Briarcliff Greenway. This trek through verdant nature takes visitors to the Waterworks Park, a hilly green area with colorful trees, a commanding view of the downtown Kansas City skyline across the Missouri River, a shelter for terrapins creatively named “Terrapin Station”, and a disc golf course. This fast-growing sport can be enjoyed in an 18-basket course, and players weave through the treelines of this park to test their frisbee skills.

Briarcliff-Claymont is located adjacent to the Village at Briarcliff shopping mall, a small shopping plaza with amenities such as a GreenAcres Market grocery store, a gym, and a few local restaurants. A local favorite is the Trezo Mare Restaurant & Lounge, a fine dining Italian eatery with a stone exterior reminiscent of the Tuscan countryside, and gourmet dishes which take Kansas Citians from the heart of America to the heart of Italy. Piropos Restaurant, an Argentinian steakhouse, offers a similar extravagant experience within a white-tablecloth setting, while also including views of Kansas City from its hilltop location.

Briarcliff is home to its very own Briarcliff Elementary School, and students there will graduate onto the North Kansas City School District’s other schools, from Northgate Middle School to North Kansas City High School or Park Hill South High School.

Residents of Briarcliff have easy access to downtown Kansas City, which is around seven miles and a 12-minute drive to the south. In addition, the Kansas City International Airport is just around 15 miles and a 15-minute drive to the northwest, allowing for residents of Briarcliff-Claymont to have easy access to adventures, both out of state and just around the corner.

Written By

Jacob Adelhoch

Photography Contributed By

John Collins

Video By

Mark Barakat