River, trail weave through Woods Glen at Conservancy Place in DeForest

It's easy to fall in love with Conservancy Place in DeForest, from its scenic views of the countryside to its beautiful homes.

The new development is all about "building community and “respecting nature," which is even more apparent when you visit these budding neighborhoods on the village's southwest side "where nature, work, home, and recreation come together."

Once completed there will be four residential areas (Hawthorn Point, Rivers Turn, Woods Glen, and The Knolls), an office and research area (Innovation Springs), and a retail, residential, and office area (The Promenade).

Winding through them is the Yahara River, which is frequented by kayakers and traced by a paved walking and biking trail. The Upper Yahara River Trail also leads to a network of local amenities, such as parks, schools, and a library.

On the northern corner of Conservancy Place is the first neighborhood, Woods Glen, which features about 15 single-family homes. One of the most recent to be built just hit the market at 823 Woods Glen Court.

This 3,462-square-foot open concept ranch with heated 3+ car garage is surrounded by green space and undeveloped agricultural land that overlooks the wooded banks of the river. It's also on a quiet cul-de-sac that's adjacent to the Upper Yahara River Trail.

The back of the house has southern exposure and gets great natural light, and homeowner Candace Meese said she'll miss "all the windows and brightness" throughout the living areas. Her husband, Kirt Meese, said the home has "all the perks of a corner lot without the downsides," especially since there's no sidewalks to shovel in the winter.

The Meeses have raised four kids in the 5 bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home that Candace's father built in 2006. Most of the rooms, including the patio, deck, and walkout lower level look out toward the conservancy.

They designed the home themselves, including a stunning master suite with a spacious walk-in closet. There are also speakers that connect whatever's playing in the bedroom to carry over into the master bathroom, which features a jetted tub and separate shower with an adjustable nozzle on each end. 

A fireplace and tray ceiling highlight the living room, which opens up into the wood floors of the kitchen and dining area.

Lights illuminate the steps down to the basement level, which features a large family room and another two bedrooms that could be used as den and office space. And there's plenty of pantry and storage space throughout the home, too.

"We built it so it would be easily customizable as things change," Candace said, adding that they invested in things that would be more difficult to upgrade in the future. 

That includes the in-floor heating that keeps the basement nice and warm in the winter, along with the insulated walls in the garage and between the main floor bedrooms and the hallway to keep the noise at a minimum. They've also wired each bedroom for easy access to cable and internet, and the basement is hooked up for Dolby 7.1 surround sound.

At just over 1,000 square feet, the oversized 3-car garage with extra tall ceilings has plenty of room for all your vehicles, toys, and projects. The third stall "man cave area" has a separate entry door and a shop sink with hot and cold water lines. The space is insulated with tons of storage shelving and has electric heat, wiring for stereo speakers, and a dedicated air compressor circuit. The walls are finished with OSB instead of drywall and there's a 60 amp sub-panel with several 20 amp circuits, PVC air line with two hookups, and a natural gas line for future furnace installation if desired. 

Their sprinkler system also doubled as a way for the kids to cool off in the summer, though there is a splash park just down the road. At night, a flood light illuminates the whole backyard for the kids to play yard games like kick the can, tag, and croquet.

The neighborhood gets together for events during the year, including the Yahara Riverfest in September at the nearby Conservancy Commons Park, which has a splash pad, playground, shelter, and overlooks the community garden.

"We love the feel of being out in the country but being close to town," Candace said. "We like the parks, and the trails are really nice. It's just a nice community."

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