Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: # of units

[Judy (BAXTER]

Zev wrote: 23-JUL-1996 
(Re Nyland)
Now after living here for up to four years I have mixed feeling about the
size of the community.  On the positive side we have quite a bit of diversity
given the surroundiong population and there always seems to be people around
- unless it is after 9pm when we fold up the pedway and shut off the lights.

On the negative side it is impossible to establish close intimate relationship
with everyone so you need to choose.  We find ourselves creating smaller
groups, some by interest, some by location, some by family structure.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- I live
at Monterey CoHousing, currently 14 units=7 townhouse condominiums plus 8 coop
apartments, about 22 adults and 7-8 children. We expect to have another
household soon - one townhouse is still available for sale.  Original plans
called for 23-24 units, but the additional 7-8 are receding into the future and
energy for further development is low.  We are currently busy with sweat equity
(and I mean heavy-duty sweat!) on retaining walls.

I hope we build at least a few more units, to have a larger group and more
hands to share the work. We do have a wide range of incomes, ages, and sizes of
units already.  And the site makes adding units a tricky business.  I think ,
whatever size you have, if it is at least 10-12 adults, we will have different
levels of closeness to different people in the group, and that's what I want in
Cohousing.  I can't spend time with any more good friends, even now, within the
group, in fact I don't have time now. But it's great to have co-chats in the
halls or on pathways.

Judy Baxter, Monterey Cohousing Community,(MoCoCo) Twin Cities Area, Mpls.,MN
-- e-mail:      baxter [at] epivax.epi.umn.edu
-- Resident of the "mansion"- the 1st 8 homes in a rehab Georgian building built
as a retirment home in 1924 - 
-- 7 new townhouses (additions to the community) are done! - and occupied, one
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
is rented for now, and for sale or rent Aug 1- 3 BR, 2 car tuck under garage, 
        $135,000
 Voice Mail for Monterey Cohousing - 612-930-7554