Over the last two decades, Matt Adam has earned a name for himself as a developer of quality upscale neighborhoods in Johnson County who looks to meet the needs of his customers.
“I look at what people like or want in a neighborhood, and then I figure out how to give it to them,” Adam says. “The biggest thing we have done that other neighborhoods will not do is place public artwork in common spaces that people can enjoy year-round. I think people take pride in our landscaping and public art work as it makes their neighborhood feel different than others as soon as you drive in.”
In fact, if you drive around the 84-lot Mills Ranch development, one of Adam’s latest projects in south Overland Park, you will likely notice variety among the homes and landscaping that gives it the feel of having a park-like setting. In addition, public artwork including a Belgian draft horse that was commissioned from an artist in Colorado give it a distinct feel. Amenities such as a pool and a modern residence club with the architectural feel of an old-style barn provide a sense of community to the neighborhood.
Currently entering its second stage of development, lots are still available in Mills Ranch from $160,000 and up with an overall price range of $700,000 and up. The community is surrounded by trees on three sides and is near a park.
While Mills Ranch is one of the latest developments for Matt Adam and his namesake development company, he first began his career in selling land to developers for residential real estate. Given this background, becoming a developer himself was a natural next step.
His first upscale neighborhood was the 78-lot Glen Eagles neighborhood, which was completed in 2001. For the success of this neighborhood, he took concepts of architecture, landscaping, design and building requirements to attract buyers who appreciated the rules as well as detail and good looks in home design.
One of his largest developments to date has been Mills Farm, which includes 477 lots. Throughout the neighborhood, nine bronze horse statues are along streets that include landscaped islands, boulevards and roundabouts. Another recent development for the company is Mills Crossing, which includes 54 lots and has many of the same features as the other similar developments.
Adam grew up working on Mills Dairy, his uncle’s farm in southern Johnson County, and that name and experience have become the inspiration for naming these developments.
Adam says he works with specific builders to initially build out some homes in his neighborhoods. Then he sells lots to customers who do build jobs, and these customers can choose from a pool of builders to design and complete their homes. He said this formula helps with variety, and they have a design review committee who reviews every plan and analyzes how the homes look on all four sides.
“We don’t try to tell everyone they have to be the same,” Adam says.
He’s also currently working on a more upscale project, Hallbrook East Village, which includes 33 lots parallel to State Line Road, and Arbor View, which is near Overland Park Arboretum and contains 129 lots. Arbor View has a lower price point than some of the other developments, with pricing in the mid-$400,000s to mid-$700,000s. A Blue Valley School District elementary school and a covered cabana with a fireplace round out the community.
In the future, Adam says he is trying to bring the same ideas to a lower price point to serve younger buyers. To this end, he has land near downtown Spring Hill where that may become a reality.
Given the variety and breadth of Matt Adam communities in southern Johnson County, his developments will likely have an impact for years to come on both the kinds of homes that come to the area as well as what buyers expect from these homes.
