Brooklyn Co-Housing Moving Closer to Reality?
Co-ops, until the recent condo building boom, were once a dominant form of housing here in New York, but many found they weren’t actually that, you know, cooperative. So a Brooklyn couple is trying to bring another form of housing to the borough, a Danish model of communal living called co-housing. So says Sarah Ryley…
Co-ops, until the recent condo building boom, were once a dominant form of housing here in New York, but many found they weren’t actually that, you know, cooperative. So a Brooklyn couple is trying to bring another form of housing to the borough, a Danish model of communal living called co-housing. So says Sarah Ryley in the Real Deal. Individuals own their own units in co-housing, like co-ops, but there are shared communal spaces, usually including kitchens and dining areas where residents can eat together. Most American co-housing communities are in rural areas, but in February Alex Marshall incorporated Brooklyn Cohousing LLC. He’s got about 25 interested households, and they’re looking for property between $15 and $35 million for the group. Is Brooklyn ready for such communal living, and will the market provide?
Living Closely With Neighbors [The Real Deal]
Co-housing Sketch. Photo by matthewsargent.
Sam-
“I do love the idea of people living in styrofoam cubes held up by giant nails.”
So do 2/3rds of the architects and developers in Brooklyn.
Well, at least the cult…er commune…will have plenty of sugar cubes. Sweet model.
Can we share bedrooms, too?
Cuz I’ve got the hots for my neighbors wife.
This will NEVER fly.
Never say never?
I just did.
I lived at a commune on Staten Island (Ganas, the one in the news recently because of a shooting) and it was as close to this model as I’ve seen in the United States. It’s a great idea in theory, but the problem with these places is that the weak link in the chain always ends up causing problems for everyone else.
I think the NY housing code requires separate kitchens in each unit. Its ok in countries where people obey the rules(Danes even ride their bikes in the direction of Traffic and stop for red lights..and don’t jay walk)
so do you think the styrofoam and nail idea will catch on, sam? I thought it looked very cool, but then again, doesn’t Frank Gehry claim to crumple up paper and design the building based on that? Adjust the size of the foam cells for different rooms.
They had these growing up in the seventies in W. Philly. They were called “life centers,” and I was very grateful not to be raised in one. From my personal observations however, there was far too much talk about “feelings” and not a ton of housework. Nothing like seeing chore charts for 40-year olds.
You folks slay me.
Most of you don’t even like to share a roof with other families in an apartment building!
You prefer private houses.
And you are talking about communal living with artists???
I could not think of a worse hell.
except maybe artists and musicians.
I can see it working with like-minded groups of people, such as artists, students, single mothers, religious groups, etc. It would be a leg up on the ownership ladder, and also could save money by pooling resources, anything from food to daycare to laundry and recreational facilities.
Of course, you’d have to have rules up the wazoo, enforcement abiities written in, and most of all, a pretty harmonious group of people to begin with. It won’t fly with everyone, but it’s a viable alternative.