Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: Reuse of existing buildings

[JoycePlath (JoycePlath]

Hi,  i am responding to your questions about Maaaarsh Commons in Arcata, Ca.
 We did rehab  an existing truck repair shop into our common house (about
half community space and half rental office space).  The rest of our property
is currently a gravel parking lot on which will soon appear twelve houses,
patios, a lawn and a garden.  The cost of rehabing the old building was very
close to new construction.  We could have torn it down and started over.  The
real benefit aside from   the satisfaction of recycling was the $24000 we
earned by renting to the truckers while we went through the two year process
of preparing to build. 
     I think the idea of converting  older motor inns that are off current
throughfares is a great idea.  Just don't forget that rehab is more expensive
that new construction and even simple changes can be pricey and difficult to
estimate.  The possibility of generating income during the preparation
process and giving members places to live before their permanent homes are
ready is terrilfic.  

Joyce