MY NAPA VALLEY a neighborhood in photographs
FIFTEEN YEARS AGO I FOUND A NICE LOT IN A NICE NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUILT A HOUSE, IN PART, FROM THE EQUITY OF MY HOME IN SEATTLE
THIS IS "MY CASTLE"
I HAD DISCOVERED NAPA VALLEY--A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO LIVE IN DES MOINES, IA
BASICALLY, IT IS AN INFORMAL GATED COMMUNITY OF ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SEVEN HOMES, SCATTERED ABOUT, ON ONE AND A HALF TO FIVE ACRE LOTS
THE STREETS ARE NAMED AFTER WINES. FOR EXAMPLE, CHARDONAY, CHAMPAGNE, BORDEUX AND BURGUNDY
FOR NOW, IT'S STILL SURROUNDED BY CORN FIELDS AND FARMLAND, BUT THAT WILL CHANGE SOON ENOUGH. MICROSOFT IS BUILDING A NEW DATA CENTER IN THE RIVER VALLEY BELOW
IN ADDITION TO THE TWO PONDS (STOCKED WITH BLUE GILS AND BASS), THERE IS A POOL, A TENNIS COURT, AND HUGE OPEN SPACE LAWNS. ALL TOLD, FORTY-FIVE ACRES OF COMMON AREAS
THERE ARE NO STREET LIGHTS OR SIDEWALKS AND THE ROADS FOLLOW THE NATURAL CONTOURS OF THE LAND
THERE ARE NO FENCES BETWEEN HOMES
THE HANDFUL OF REMAINING BUILDING LOTS BELONG TO VARIOUS HOMEOWNERS. A HOUSE WAS RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED ON THIS VACANT LOT
THE SUMMERS ARE GREEN AND LUSH AND ALMOST EXOTIC FROM INTENSE RAIN AND THUNDER STORMS. THIS IS TORNADO COUNTRY, SO THE WEATHER IS OFTEN HOT AND HUMID AND WINDY
领英推荐
SUMMER IS ALSO THE SEASON OF ACTIVITY. PEOPLE GET OUTSIDE, EXERCISE, GO TO THE POOL, GO FISHING, WALK THEIR DOGS, DRIVE AROUND IN GOLFCARTS (AND ATVS), CHAT WITH NEIGHBORS, AND ENJOY THE OUTDOORS
INDEPENDENCE DAY IS CELEBRATED WITH FIREWORKS AND A GATHERING OF RESIDENTS, AND THEN EVENTUALLY, AFTER A LONG HOT SUMMER, THE FALL SEASON BECOMES OH SO WELCOME AND BEAUTIFUL!
AND THEN WE SETTLE IN FOR A COZY AND COLD WINTER
OFTEN TOO LITTLE AND TOO LATE, SPRING FINALLY ARRIVES
* Bill Knapp, the Napa Valley Estates enthusiast, developer and name sake, still owns this lot. He is a philanthropist in Iowa and is known, among other things, to have an affinity for barns and silos
THE FIRST OF THREE PLATS OF NAPA VALLEY ESTATES WAS RECORDED IN 1988. PRESENTLY WE HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED RESIDENTS OF CHILDREN AND ADULTS OCCUPYING SOME 450 ACRES OF LAND. ALL OF IT IS PRIVATE PROPERTY, INCLUDING THE ROADS. PRESENTLY WE ARE ALSO ENJOYING A RENNAISANCE OF NEW YOUNG FAMILIIES. WE PAY MONTHLY HOA DUES AND HAVE A BOARD OF TRUSTEES WHO MAKE OPAQUE DECISIONS ABOUT THE COVENANTS AND COMMON AREAS. KNAPP PROPERTIES MANAGES THE DETAILS AND DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS- AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE SINCE DAY ONE
THERE ARE NO STREET LIGHTS, NO SIDEWALKS, NO FENCES. IT IS A MINIMUM IMPACT DEVELOPMENT ONLY TWENTY MINUTES FROM THE CITY CENTER OF DES MOINES...
... AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE STARS STILL SHINE, BUT NOT A BRIGHT AS BEFORE.
TONY ROSS, Des Moines IA
NOSTALGIA OUT TAKES - circa 2008
* Save one, every photo in this post was taken within the plat itself- forty-six of them by yours truly
Real Estate Development Professional
3 年Thanks for sharing Tony; I'm glad you shared one pic of you! Looks beautiful but ya know, for us out here, we'd need to densify that to high density condos lol rob
Real Estate Finance/Planning/Analysis (Retired)
3 年Cant believe its been so long. Looks like life has been good to you too.
Owner, CDR Marketing Group, Inc.
3 年Great photos...looks like a great place to live.
Happily retired Marketing Professional: Writer, Researcher, Content Strategist, Insights Navigator and Communicator
3 年Stunning, and looking good, Tony!!! Thank you for sharing!
Director of Legal Services and General Counsel at Delta Dental of Iowa
3 年Best neighborhood in the area. Your post captures that. Thanks.?