Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: The "lot" development model

[Rob Sandelin (robsan]

>What groups have sold lots rather than homes?
>(Rob mentioned 4 others.  Who are they?)

Vashon Cohousing  206-463-2945
RoseWind Cohousing  Email Michael J. Pruitt  stoitt [at] eskimo.com
Or call Lynn at  206-385-7749
Talking Circle Cohousing (Has asked not to be bothered)
South Whidbey COhousing  360-341-1642.

Of these 4, the first two listed have homes on the land.

>How do you accommodate duplexes, triplexes, etc.?
Ask Rosewind, they are planning to have 19 single family homes and 1 7 
unit multiplex.

>How has it worked out?  Are you happy with the results?
Speaking for Sharingwood I would say it has had mixed results.  See 
Winter Issue of Communities Magazine for a detailed description of 
Sharingwood.  Generally we are pretty well established as a community 
and get along well. Some of the houses, especially the early ones, have 
very little interaction with the community and our overall site design 
for phase 1 is pretty poorly done as far as a social community design  
goes. ( such things were largely unknown when it was designed, Katy and 
Chuck were just arriving in Denmark when the binding site plan was 
accepted) Phase 2, assuming we do something similiar to the concept 
plans we have now, will be much, much better designed.  I would say 
that given the large yards and personal gardens, not much energy for 
community landscaping has been very forthcoming and we tend to attract 
people who are looking for a little more privacy than other communities 
perhaps.  I personally feel the balance between social and private is 
just right for me, I just wish we had better designed the relationships 
between the houses in phase 1.

>What kind of architectural guidelines did you impose?
Early on there were none. Much later some were developed. I don't have 
them handy other than the general concepts that the homes have to blend 
in with existing homes, doors and significant windows into the street. 
There are some others, I forget.

>Did you impose a construction completion deadline to avoid forever living in
>a construction zone?

No, we have sold one lot at a time and everyone has different schedules 
and financing for building so this would not work for us.  I personally 
think if you go with the lot development model, trying to get everyone 
to build in phases would be a better idea.  That way you can accomodate 
a variety of schedules.  One idea I heard at the conference was to do a 
design in phases, and as one phase is sold out and financed, its built. 
 One early idea for phase 2, which was later abandoned,  was 3 clusters 
of 4 lots each.  When each cluster is sold out, it is built.  Those who 
want to build early, would buy into the early cluster, those who want 
to build later, would buy into a later cluster.

>How much cost savings are forfeited by designing and building individually
>rather than all of the units at once?

No data, since ALL our homes have been individually designed and built 
I have no way of knowing.  Someone once used the figure of 15% savings 
for building a triplex over individual homes but I have no idea where 
that number came from and can't even remember where I heard it.

Rob Sandelin
Sharingwood