Living in harmony with nature is the idea behind this thoughtful community.
Property Profiles
Solid as a Rock
BY
Megan Felling
PHOTOGRAPHY
Courtesy of Gale Communities

Rock, water, trees. According to developer David Gale of Gale Communities, that’s what Winterset is all about.

Over the last 17 years, Winterset has built a reputation as one of Lee’s Summit’s elite communities. Consisting of five neighborhoods on more than 1,200 acres, Winterset was constructed with the promise to maintain as much of nature’s amenities as possible. That’s why streams lay untouched in densely wooded areas. Winterset was the first community in the Midwest to achieve the coveted Global ReLeaf award. A coordinated effort between American Forests and the National Association of Home Builders, David says it is “the only legitimate design element that specifically spoke to how the land and trees are handled.” Typically, developers will grade the entire parcel of land for ease of development, but trees over two feet in diameter cannot be removed from Winterset. Trees that do have to be removed are recycled into miles of wood-mulch walking trails. “We designed the envelope appropriately, planning roads, sidewalks and utilities around the trees,” David notes. “We were blessed with wonderful topography.”

Using the natural terrain as a guide, many of the roads, lakes, walking trails and waterfalls are constructed over natural rock walls pulled from the ground. Winterset is actually the namesake for much of the rock that lies deep below this community’s surface — Winterset limestone. Even some of the entry monuments have been sculpted and carved out of it.

The latest of the Winterset neighborhoods, Winterset Valley, is a neighborhood of more than 300 single-family homes characterized by a wide array of home styles situated amid natural terrain and gently winding roadways. Nestled within Winterset Valley, The Enclave features 17 premier walk-out home sites backing to the privacy of heavily wooded terrain that has not been touched for well over a century, if ever, and is referred to as the “100-Acre Wood,” an old-growth forest that connects to the walking trail system that winds through the Winterset neighborhoods. “It’s amazing to find something so private like this in the middle of the city, with so many amenities and conveniences close by,” says Leigh Anne Sirna, Reece & Nichols onsite sales associate and Winterset resident.

The available home sites, fanning around two cul-de-sacs, range from slightly larger than one-third acre to more than 1 1/3 acres and are priced from $114,000 to $210,000. Each offers the opportunity for buyers to build their custom dream home, taking maximum advantage of the views. All Winterset communities participate in an authorized builder program, welcoming members of the local Home Builders Association. Leigh Anne expects custom homes to be in the $600,000 to $1.5 million range.

For inspiration, a model recently was completed by Pfeifer King that can be reproduced or modified on one of The Enclave’s lots. The five-bedroom, 1 ½-story model boasts nearly 5,000 square feet, including a lanai and finished basement. Priced at $690,000, the traditional exterior with stone accents features a well-planned layout with many extra details. The open floor plan centers around a large kitchen that flows into the hearth, breakfast, dining and living rooms. Wide-plank, dark-stained wood floors throughout the first floor ground the high ceilings, while large windows emphasize the treed view.

Families who like to entertain will   enjoy the finished lower-level walkout. A dramatic curved staircase leads to a game area, another stone niche — this one for the television — a kitchen and bar, and two bedrooms.

Winterset offers many community amenities for its residents: three swimming pools, tennis courts, five miles of walking trails (many winding through densely wooded areas and past cascading waterfalls), a community center, a three-acre fishing lake, a chipping and putting green, common areas and pocket parks. “One of the pools has a 70-foot slide. The kids love it,” Leigh Anne says. All of this sits just a short bicycle ride away from the 5,000 acres of parkland grounds surrounding Longview Lake.

Residents of Winterset are in the Lee’s Summit West High School district, and Cedar Creek Elementary School is located at the center of the property.

Winterset provides the opportunity to build with Mother Nature to protect the land and environment and to enhance the value of the homes and the community. While several builders and developers are beginning to be more sensitive to environmental concerns, David says,  “We’ve been going green for 20 years.”

816.761.9755
www.wintersetpark.com