Property Profiles
En-deer-ing
Rockwood Falls respects nature and creatures alike while creating a resort-style community.
BY
Megan Felling
PHOTOGRAPHY
courtesy of Rockwood Falls

Imagine sitting on your back deck and watching deer stroll through the trees on a moonlit night. At Rockwood Falls Estates and Meadows, developer Dennis J. Eske has created a unique land plan concept to encourage just that.

Of the 240 total acres within this gated community, approximately 140 acres will be a nature and wildlife preserve — a fact that earned the community the Johnson County 2009 Urban Conservation award for creating a sustainable living environment. “The plan was to enhance what Mother Nature gave us and create an environment where people can go outside. Rockwood Falls is for people who enjoy nature and being outdoors in a resort-type lifestyle,” Dennis says.

More than 6,000 trees were added to the existing wooded acreage, located at 191st Street just west of 69 Highway in Overland Park. Six ponds and an 18-acre lake were built for fishing and boating, and a 2.5-mile nature trail winds through the community, lined with birdhouses and feeders, as well as plaques describing 23 species of trees. Amenities are in place “to create the atmosphere where people and nature cross paths,” Dennis says.

In the Estates, 22 private and wooded home sites, each two acres or more, are woven throughout the rolling terrain, with hundreds of feet of untouched land between lots. This ensures boundary lines do not touch, creating the secluded feeling of living in the country. The home sites were designed to follow the natural topography of the ground, with as few trees as possible removed during construction. Natural plant material in the preserved greenspace may not be removed without developer approval.

According to neighborhood sales agent Jim Gamble, nearly half the lots have been sold, priced in the $405,000 to $525,000 range. “Each lot is unique, featuring spectacular lake views or wooded private acreage. Whatever setting someone may be looking for, we have it,” he says.

Four rare, additional lots priced from $445,000 to $795,000 comprise the Meadows. “Nearly 10 acres each, the Meadows are adjacent to a 35-acre common area bermed for a two-mile horse-riding trail,” Jim adds.

Homes at Rockwood Falls are custom-designed to suit the buyers’ lifestyles. An architectural review committee approves plans and builders. Natural building materials, such as brick, stone and wood, are required. No specific size requirements exist, but the committee is more interested in homes being as energy-efficient as possible, constructed with quality materials and a landscape plan to enhance the wildlife habitat.

Additionally, a 9,000-square-foot former show home designed by architect Wolfgang Trost is available for just under $2 million. Bordering a three-acre stocked lake, it is the first completely engineered-lumber home in the Kansas City area. The hardwood floors, trim and cabinetry are all custom-made from lyptus, an environmentally friendly wood, and the bridge leading up to the front entry is built with reclaimed lumber from a 120-year-old bridge. Five bedrooms and six full and two half baths complement a large gourmet kitchen and hearth room that opens to the outdoor living area, which features another full kitchen with grill, pool and hot tub. The lower level was designed for entertaining, featuring a movie theater, exercise room, sauna, wine cellar and yet another outdoor area.

In addition to luxury living in the woods, Rockwood Falls offers a 24-hour on-site caretaker/concierge. “As well as maintaining the common areas, the caretaker provides a wide variety of services, such as lawn mowing, window cleaning, handyman chores and even having the lights on and the refrigerator stocked when you return from vacation,” Jim says.

Dennis notes that this is the only single-family neighborhood in the Midwest to offer such a service. “The caretaker is a valuable asset. Residents appreciate having someone on-site who is familiar with the neighborhood and can assist in managing the day-to-day tasks,” he says.
 
Street lights are conspicuously missing for better views of starry nights, and mowing is not allowed after 5 p.m. during the week and on weekends while residents are enjoying the lake pavilion or park benches, picnic tables and bronze statuary scattered throughout the community.

816.589.6960
www.rockwoodfalls.com

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2010 issue of Kansas City Homes & Gardens.