Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: commercial ventures as part of cohousing

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 6/29/2003 11:28 AM, "Rodney Elin" <elin [at] rff.org> wrote:

> Can someone site an example of a cohousing
> development anywhere where there is a commercial entity as a part of the
> common house or any other space? If so could you provide any information on
> how you manage the relationship between the residents and commercial
> tenants?

I don't have direct experience with this in cohousing but this is common in
coops in Manhattan. The first floor is commercial space and in larger
buildings even the second floor may be professional offices -- therapists
and lawyers. Many of the large townhouses that have been converted from
single family with servants residences to multi-household coops have
commercial enterprises on the bottom floor (under the steps).

The Board handles the rentals based on leases prepared by the building's
lawyers and guidelines determined by the coop shareholders.

Trust me, you do not want restaurants. There seemed to be no way to prevent
the food odors from wafting into the ventilation systems in the building.
The garlic from the Mediterranean deli and bread from the Bon Pain can make
you crazy.

For artists, you may have a similar problem with dust from ceramics studios
or smelly plastics and solvents. Only people who have never worked next to
or on top of a ceramics studio believe that walls are impermeable.

Sharon
-- 
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org

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