Cohousing-L Mailing List: Children's Access and Safety Issues

[Michael Arnott (mikearnott]

Our Cohousing group - Cornerstone in Cambridge, MA - is in the final
design stages.  If all goes well we will start construction later this
year.  I have two questions I'm hoping other cohousing groups have
already answered and can give use ball park prices on.

Children in their early years of walking find lower stair case railings
that they can reach make walking up and especially down stairs much
safer.   Are there any cohousing common houses that have double railings
- one above the other in their stair cases?  If so, approximately how
much did they cost per foot?  I understand that it's not just a question
of twice as much railing and a few more screws or bolts to make railings
secure to dry wall.

My other question concerns children's sized toilets.  We are considering
adding a children's toilet to the common house bathroom next to the
dinning room and the young children's room.  If any common house has a
two toilet bathroom we would like to know the approximate cost.

We would also be interested in any other design elements that cohousing
communities have used that contributed to the accessability and safety of
cohousing for young children.

Michael Arnott
mikearnott [at] juno.com