Property Profiles
Solace for the Commuter
The Canyon Estates is Lee Summit’s newest choice home destination.

Near the edge of a valley just to the northwest of the Lakewood Lakes lies a 63-acre parcel of land rich with foliage and wildlife. The area is secluded and heavily wooded, with a lot of movement to the terrain. A quiet stream meanders through one section of the property and visitors — if they listen closely — can hear the sound of a waterfall year-round.

This land, located off Lakewood Boulevard on both sides of Canyon Road in north Lee’s Summit, has been owned by developer Mark Neighbors for more than 20 years. He says he has been waiting for the right time and idea for how best to develop it. The moment has come.

The recent spurt of commercial development along 40 Highway and Interstate 470, along with the new hospitals and many new medical offices on the east side of the metro, gave Neighbors the vision for his land.

What he envisioned was an oasis in the midst of a bustling city, where privacy, tranquility and natural beauty were paramount and where busy professionals could find solace and retreat from their hectic lives.

What he envisioned became The Canyon Estates, an intimate community of custom homes on expansive grounds, with plenty of natural preserve dedicated within the homesites and accentuated with 21 acres of common ground.

Neighbors formed Canyon Development Company and carved out 29 spacious homesites for custom homes priced from the $800,000s to about $2 million. The homesites are pie-shaped and range in size from just under one acre to 2.9 acres. Buyers can choose from several elevations and various lot features. Some homesites are level and treed while others are walkout lots on bluffs with superb views. One homesite can accommodate a pond while others back up to a stream or enjoy wide frontage to the winding Canyon Road. Many of them back up to common green space.

Nearly a quarter of the Canyon Estates’ homesites are sold, including three that will be spec homes built by Neighbors Group Inc., Cornelius Homes and Koehler Building Co.

“No two homes will be alike,” Neighbors says, who adds that he keeps an architect on staff to work with buyers to design their floor plans. Neighbors understands that some people have had their dream home planned for years and have only been waiting for the right site. Buyers are welcome to bring in the builder of their choice and are encouraged to bring their own architect’s design to the community’s design review board for approval. Some other items must also have prior approval. Neighbors says that the board intends to be selective about tree removal.

Homes must adhere to certain requirements to maintain the integrity of the overall community plan. A four-car garage is the minimum, for example, and only carriage-style garage doors will be allowed. Homes must have at least 3,500 square feet of living space. Only concrete tile roofs and wrought-iron fencing will be approved. Detached buildings are encouraged. Lot sizes are ideal for homes with carriage houses, detached garages, pool cabanas and outside fire pits.

“The roof lines, the materials used on the homes’ exteriors … all must reflect a feeling of ruggedness” to complement the surrounding natural terrain, Neighbors says. “The house must fit the neighborhood.”

The developer also requires extensive landscaping around the homes, with a landscaping budget expected to equal two percent of the combined price of the home and lot. That translates to anywhere from $15,000 to $40,000.

Homeowner’s association dues are expected to be modest, approximately $500 a year. Only a few community amenities will require maintenance. Those include an entrance monument, a pond and a few landscaped islands.

The community’s proximity to Lakewood means its semi-private golf course is nearby. The new Truman Medical Center is located 1.5 miles to the west and St. Luke’s East is only six miles away from the site. Several physicians have been attracted to The Canyon Estates because of its proximity to major medical facilities, some of which are only a three-minute drive away. The Plaza can be reached within 15 minutes, downtown Kansas City and Corporate Woods in Johnson County are both only a 20-minute commute and it’s only a 35-minute drive to Kansas City International Airport.

The Canyon Estates overlaps in two school districts. Children will attend school in either the Lee’s Summit or the Blue Springs school districts. The first buyers are expected to move into their new homes in 2006.

“These are private, peaceful, gorgeous settings,” says Mara Dona Wood, marketing manager for The Neighbors Group. “There is plenty of wildlife in this canyon. We’ve seen turkey, deer and little red foxes. It’s a beautiful environment to call home.”

For more information, visit thecanyonestates.com