Banks Throw Co-Housing Project a Curveball
The design of the Brooklyn Co-Housing Group’s new home may be passive, but their bankers certainly aren’t. According to an email that went out to the 600 or people who’ve expressed some kind of interest in being a part of the cooperative living experiment, the lender has just upped the percentage of the project that…
The design of the Brooklyn Co-Housing Group’s new home may be passive, but their bankers certainly aren’t. According to an email that went out to the 600 or people who’ve expressed some kind of interest in being a part of the cooperative living experiment, the lender has just upped the percentage of the project that must be presold from 51 to 75. “We are not daunted we will just have to grow faster than previously anticipated,” said Rick, Nancy, Miriam, Victor, Rob, Joel, Sue, Brian, Trish, Elvira, Ed, Merce, Kim, Jasper, Carl, Elsie, Lissa, Gracie, JoAnn, Tiger, Caden, Ken, Hilary, Marina, Marion, Max, Kristi and Alex. In other news, the first 16 families have already picked out their apartments in the complex at 1901 8th Avenue in Windsor Terrace. If you think you might be interested, there’s an orientation session this Saturday at the Memorial Baptist Church on 16th Street at 8th Avenue at 2 p.m.
Co-Housing Building May Be ‘Most Energy Efficient’ in NYC [Brownstoner]
Brooklyn Co-Housing Lands in Greenwood Heights [Brownstoner] GMAP
Rendering from Brooklyn Co-Housing Website
Actually BrooklynGreene, The mattress factory is still in operation. From what I know the owner just wants a payday for his building and to be out of his business so yes he does want to sell. I consider this a shame. We don’t make enough things in America anymore, and this has contributed to our current economic situation.
BrooklynGreene-“the level of ignorance and the reflex for 20 and 30 somethings to flip off cutesy comments that are ignorant, loopy and/or destructive.” – does anyone’s opinion matter besides your own well researched opinion? I fail to see how these comments are destructive, ignorant-yes, loopy-sure. But destructive? Wipe the red from your eyes and take a breath. All you have to do is NOT READ THE COMMENTS! We don’t want your explanation of why co-housing is a good thing. We want to make snarky comments and give our opinions.
Can anyone explain to me how buying this old factory and completely building new passivhouse apartments inside of it is any better or more cost-effective than buying a residence and redesigning to fit your purpose.
As I live on the block, I went to a recent meeting they had in PP, and met a few of the candidates.
1. Some of then will, have automobiles. There will be on-site parking.
2. They seemed like a nice bunch of people, the kind you see in Park Slope and especially at the Park Slope food coop. You know, well educated, a bit idealistic, a bit lefty, and generally well off (note that the FAQ says basically you NEED to be well off.) But not cultish.
3. Sam says “It is nothing like a co-op. In a co-op your only communal obligation is to pay your maintenance.” It’s an interesting difference (note that legally this is being structured as a coop). When I lived in a coop it was frustrating because most people had Sam’s attitude and it was always hard to get shareholders to do the work. It strikes me that this arrangement has some improvement over that. If everyone is committed to doing the work there will be less work for all.
4. What bxgirl says about mfg, but whoever owns the building, and it may or may not be the mattress factory, has had it for sale for some time. There have been giant Massey signs for at least two years.
5. I wish them the best of luck. I fear that they are getting too deep into the environmental thing. In addition to the whole ‘passivhouse’ thing, they are doing solar panels, recycling brick, and so on down the line. Gonna need a lot of expensive talent to make all this work at one time.
BrooklynGreene, who has been razzing everyone for not knowing what they are talking about, now shows that she does not know what she is talking about (or he).
>>Goodness, BxGrl, the factory has been closed…kaput for a long time as I remember. >>
Ride your bike by there BG, it’s a working factory. Today, yesterday, and every day. Like I said, I live on the block.
factory is NOT closed. it’s operating and doing a brisk business.
personally, i think the rash of recent publicity on this is a definite attempt to boost membership, especially in light of bank’s new requirement for 75% pre sold percentage. With 31 units planned, and 16 families signed up, they still need EIGHT MORE families to sign up before bank will give them mortgage, hence the push push push. oh, and by the way, the building will be the most eco friendly, energy efficient, bad ass co-housing ON EARTH!
in there defense, i’d be tense, too, if i’d been looking for a place to live for 24 months, with a guaranteed 24 months of waiting still ahead (for construction, etc.)
i’d be interested to learn if anybody knows more specifics about their plans for the building. as i understand it, the building was sold w/plans for conversion, plans were were approved by the community board and the govt. any addtional plans or new designs of any kind will, i think, have to be sent back to the community board. no?
Goodness, BxGrl, the factory has been closed…kaput for a long time as I remember.
Frankly, knowing a bit about sustainable architecture and passive house concepts, I have to say a new building from the ground-up could be easier than a reclamation of an old brick building…but at least they’ll be using an existing structure which is already a big plus.
Using an existing heavy masonry structure presents some problems. Trying to isolate the existing walls from wicking up ground water (inserting a vapor barrier/damp-proof course…maybe there are new products?)can be tough.
And the need to insulate the existing heavy wall, thus losing their mass for passive house purposes since they’d be outside the insulation is a real loss. The design then has to incorporate/add in a lot of new mass inside the insulated shell which might entail structural changes, costs, new materials that have a high embedded energy (e.g. cement).
It does make a lot of sense to reuse a factory building. It was so much nicer when it seemed like it would happen in Fort Greene though, but that’s life. Ho’hum.
Please note that I didn’t not name-call. And I’m not “militant” or “fanatical” about this cohousing project. I just think it’s a great idea, know that the people doing this are making a huge effort and growing emotionally, socially, spiritually most probably.
What offends me and makes me see red and “sound” “militant” is the level of ignorance and the reflex for 20 and 30 somethings to flip off cutesy comments that are ignorant, loopy and/or destructive.
sam- I think I am really going crazy because I had posted something kidding around about torches and pitchforks, b’greene had posted one response about how she had looked into it and you posted a somewhat -er-rude response? I am either hallucinating or suffering dementia. Oh well- nothing new 🙂
bxgirl, i don’t hink any of my posts were deleted, they were not that interesting frankly.
I am actually not terribly interested in this whole subject although brooklyngreene’s rants make it even less appealing. What a pompous and patronizing asshat.
I did go to the website, someguy and yes, they do sound nice. But that hardl makes me or you an expert on them, or give us the ability to see into their minds or their future. reading the website doesn’t mean I know them- I just know what’s posted on the website.
We don’t know why they are buyuing the mattress factory- but I’m sure they wouldn’t be buying it if the factory were not going out of business or moving and wants to sell.
Well at least, I see
People, even “young”, can read
Some miss the content
hey bxgrl,
The property the cohousing people are buying is currently a mattress factory where workers actually make a tangible product in a city full of converted factories and industrial spaces. For that reason I would like the mattress factory to remain in production.
Yes, cohousing is a nightmare to me. That’s why I use the phrase “personally”.
And actually I do know a little about the people involved because I have been to their website and read their bios. Have you? They all seem like nice people, but then again I haven’t met them yet.
To me, it seems isolationist to set up a separate social area for adults and kids within your “compound” in an already residential neighborhood with adults and kids playing on the sidewalk right outside your co-op.
As in “yes I love living in Brooklyn, I just feel safer with Johnny playing in our locked up yard rather that outside on the sidewalk with all the other neighborhood kids.”