One of the model homes at Woodneath Farms in the Shoal Creek Valley area of Clay County.
Although worries about the economy are slightly reducing housing starts, it’s safe to say the Northland’s residential real estate market is still booming.
“We’ve seen housing starts begin to slow a little this year, but we were building at such a torrid pace, it had to eventually cool down,” says Karen Salsbury, assistant executive director of the Clay County Economic Development Council. “It’s important to remember that housing starts are still way above average. We’re seeing an increase of more than 5,000 residents annually in the Northland, so demand for new housing remains strong.”
Although residential development is booming throughout the Northland, the Shoal Creek Valley area west of Liberty off M-152 between I-35 and I-435 is one of the most active areas. Several new developments are already underway in the area and numerous others are in the planning stages.
One of the largest planned developments in the Shoal Creek Valley is just getting started. North of M-152 and the Shoal Creek Parkway, developers affiliated
with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are breaking ground in July on a 1,700- acre, mixed-use community known as the Neighborhoods of Shoal Creek Valley. It’s estimated that the development may eventually be home to between 30,000 to 60,000 residents.
In addition to that enormous development, Hunt Midwest Real Estate Development has land holdings in the Shoal Creek Valley area totaling nearly 1,500 acres.
Among Hunt Midwest’s developments in the Shoal Creek Valley area are Woodneath Farms, a 720-home community and Communities of North Brook, a five-neighborhood, 900-home master planned community. Both developments recently received Best Community of the Year recognition from the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City. Another Hunt Midwest community, The Fairways, is a 200-home community overlooking the Hodge Park Golf Course. The company’s newest planned community, Brighton Woods, will feature 164 townhomes.
Another addition to the Shoal Creek Valley is Montclair, a 300-acre upscale residential community that’s being developed by Tim Harris and Craig Porter. When complete, Montclair will contain up to 500 homes.
The Renaissance TIF district near Maple Woods Community College is a 69-acre, mixed-use development that will include 528 apartment units, 66 townhomes and a 12-acre park. The project will also include several single-family homes and a retail plaza area with fountains and outdoor restaurants.
Although new homes in the Northland are available in all price ranges, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of upper-bracket homes on the market. This is particularly true in Platte County where executives are attracted to several upscale developments including Riss Lake, Tremont, Timber Ridge, Tiffany Springs and the National Golf Club of Kansas City. Current housing starts in Platte county are on pace with last year’s high numbers.
“A recent workforce housing study in Platte county indicates there are far more
homes being built in the $500,000 and up price range than in the $150,000 price range,” says Pete Fullerton, executive director of the Platte County Economic Development Council. “The good news is, we have a lot of executive housing options. On the other hand, we’re hoping to find ways to provide more affordable housing to beginning wage earners.”
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The Fairways swimming pool is just one amenity offered by Northland neighborhoods. |