Breaking ground on Canyon Ridge in Lenexa

Builders are breaking ground for model homes in Canyon Ridge, a new P & L Development maintenance-provided community of stand-alone villas in Lenexa that will offer all of the amenities today’s homebuyers want without the time-consuming chores associated with owning a home.

Canyon Ridge offers only 61 home sites that long-time developer Mick Vena, owner of P & L Development, and community manager Annie Kennedy, with Realty Executives of Kansas City, expect to quickly sell. This new lifestyle community is situated on heavily treed, rolling terrain just north of Kansas 10 on Canyon Creek Parkway, providing a picturesque tranquil setting with the convenience of quick access to highways, restaurants and services.

Three long-time Johnson County builders will soon break ground on four model homes at Canyon Ridge. Cody Ptacek, owner of Red Lion Custom Homes, builds primarily in Lenexa, Olathe and Shawnee. Paul Knickrehm, owner of Wynne Homes Inc., has a long history of home building and sales. Chris Pauli, owner of Pauli Homes Inc., has over 17 years of custom home building experience, mostly in Lenexa and western Johnson County and is a certified “aging in place” builder.

These unique floor plans were distinctively designed by architect Brad Hubbard specifically to fit the home sites in Canyon Ridge. Because of the terrain, 80 percent of the home sites allow for walkout lower levels. The floor plans include ranch and reverse 11/2-story designs, but the home sites could accommodate 11/2-story homes.

“The homes offer functionality and have all of the features that buyers want without any wasted space,” Kennedy said. “They have open first-floor designs with the master suite and secondary flex bedroom and bathroom on the main floor, along with a foyer, a great room, designer kitchen with large working island and breakfast bar, and dining area. The laundry room connects to the master suite closet or bath.”

The lower levels offer one to two additional bedrooms, another bathroom, a recreation room with a bar and ample storage space. Some of the lower levels also have a game room or home gym. Each home has either a two- or three-car garage or tandem garage and a covered deck. One distinctive plan has a front private courtyard area and the others have front porches.

When the homes are completed, they will have all the popular amenities: hardwood floors, custom cabinets, granite, tiled showers and fireplaces. The homes are expected to be priced in the low to mid $300,000s, a price range that is difficult to find for ranch and reverse 11/2-story homes in Johnson County. The models are expected to be completed by fall.

Interested buyers may select their home site, plan and approved builder or bring their own builder with developer approval.

Provided maintenance will include lawn care and snow removal, as well as maintenance of the common grounds. A walking trail through the center of Canyon Ridge will have a gazebo at one end and a fountain and water feature at the other, providing a welcoming area for residents to gather.

“We expect Canyon Ridge to appeal to not only empty-nesters, but also to busy families who want freedom from household chores,” Kennedy said.

The community is in the highly rated Olathe School District and the sought-after Olathe Northwest High School attendance area. A new elementary school is planned just to the north and expected to open in 2018.

While the model row is being built, interested homeowners may visit the sales center in another P & L Development community, Brighton’s Landing, at 20920 W. 114th Place, Olathe. The sales center is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Or call Annie Kennedy at 913-481-6708 to schedule an appointment any time.

Brighton’s Landing is preparing to open its fourth and final phase of 44 lots in mid-April. Kennedy said these are among the best home sites in this popular community and are expected to sell quickly. Many of them back to green space and include walkout and level sites. Homes will be priced from $400,000 to $600,000.

P & L Development has created about 10 communities in Olathe over the past 23 years including the Woods of Bradford, Bradford Trails, Bradford Estates, Bradford Village, Bradford Gardens, the Landing of Stone Creek and Village Center Square. Before that, Vena was a developer in Tulsa, Okla.

This story was originally published March 27, 2015 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Breaking ground on Canyon Ridge in Lenexa."