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Copyright O 1950 The Nea Tbrk Times
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<br />Spcc•x! �o The Srw 1"oi k Timez
<br />R'LtiSLO'a', �1'ash. — In ihis toa�n 30
<br />minutes b}� terr�� from downtow•n Se-
<br />attle, tive acres of Douglas firs and
<br />big-leat maples will soon be home to
<br />the councry's first co-housing com-
<br />muniry, an expe� imenc in living bor-
<br />rowed from Europe.
<br />The project, a 53.9 million village
<br />tor 70 people that combines houses
<br />and communal space, is to bre2k
<br />ground next month in this town on
<br />Bainbridge Island in the middle of
<br />Puget Sound. Residents hope to move
<br />in nex� .lul}�, and p;ans are baing
<br />made around thz Gni;cd States for
<br />dozens of other such communities.
<br />"I'm looking for the hind oi com•
<br />munity I had as a child, w�here people
<br />looked out for one another," said Jane
<br />Trancho. �4s. Trancho, a graphic arc•
<br />is[, her husband, Timothy Young, a
<br />teacher, and their young daughcers,
<br />Courtney and .4idan, are among the
<br />families who ha��e committed [o de-
<br />veloping and li��ing in the 30-unit com-
<br />munity, called the t4'�nslow Co-hous-
<br />ing Group.
<br />Emphasison Communi[y
<br />The group em�isions day care, care
<br />for the elderl:: and a recycling center
<br />as w•ell as the optio� of a communal
<br />din^er on �he *able at ,he end a mosc
<br />days. ln this "environr.�entaily sensi•
<br />tive" n�ighborhood, as tt�e sign out-
<br />side the site proclaims, the emphasi�
<br />will be on the community ratt�er than
<br />on traditionat, single-famiiy detached
<br />houses.
<br />Tom Gomez, a director of the
<br />Northu�est Community Housing
<br />Founda[ion, a nonpro:`i[ corpora[ion
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<br />t��� ��'�itr �ark �i��e�.
<br />.�T�3 e 01� Ll��
<br />that works with fledgling co-housing
<br />groups in Seattla, said co-hoLs�r.g ha_
<br />four basic characteristics: u is dc-
<br />signed by its future residents: i; ic
<br />pedestrian-orienced; it respec�s �he
<br />need for privacy, and il of;ers sub-
<br />s[an[ial taciliues shared by a!i ,'.:e
<br />res�dents.
<br />"Co-housing has a fuiure no: as a
<br />solution to all our housing problems
<br />or sociai ills, but� as a viable op[�o�
<br />within a market system that needs
<br />far more diversity," said Gu•endolyn
<br />Wright, a professor ot architec:ure at
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<br />y.A,r.��-- _
<br />Columb�a Univ�rsitt� and the au;hor
<br />of "Build�r.g [he arc:�m� ,; Histor� 01
<br />Housing in America" (�! i.'. Press.
<br />1��1).
<br />\is. i�'right saiC that for a'r.ousir.g
<br />exper�mert to w�ork, it ttas to he dri•:-
<br />en by the midd!e class, ba!ance pn-
<br />�•a�e an� communny life and !,e :t-
<br />u-acerve. "Co•housi:ig sezms co rnest
<br />a1i �hree elemeats at this formuta,"
<br />she said.
<br />In Denniark, more tha.^, I20 co•
<br />housing communities ha�•e been buiic
<br />sin�e 19i2. Thc go�•ernmer.t is now•
<br />��;, - ::,on ro. ;r.e •.r. vn.. t� ..c,
<br />suYpor:mg sucZ pro�eccs witka lo•x-
<br />intcrest tir.anc:�g, and thcrc arc wa;!-
<br />ing I�sts fcr resa;e un:ts. Commun�-
<br />t�es ha�•e also b_•en set np in Sw�edcn,
<br />tiarway, rrance and �'esl Germar.y.
<br />r'+tcord,�g tu a Ser:celey consulti^g
<br />firm, the Co•nouztng Cumpan}•, doz-
<br />ens u( co-housia,; gzoups ha��e or�a-
<br />mzea in oche: areas oi .he country,
<br />±nciudmg Der.�•er, ti!inneapolis ar.0
<br />kochester, ti.}'. In the last yrar, a:
<br />least ?0 groups havc formed in �.ha
<br />tiortheast.
<br />T•.�•o gro�ps in th� �ew• :'Gi �C �::•3,
<br />THURSDnY, SEPTC �1BER ?i, 1990
<br />an� �r, Ya.^.�crs and or,c in �l'estchas-
<br />ter Co� ;sp, ar<- mee[�ng th:s weeY.er.0
<br />to cGr.s:•Ser mcrgzng ar.d a plan to
<br />locik i0: I3i:C. nRC[}:er group, :n ::an-
<br />hatcar,, u•;:,,ts to de�•eiop a three• [o
<br />�IL'C'Si0^: CO-ROL'S:ib'nn�Y.•L'p:tl3lG
<br />eation sutl �nder.ded.
<br />Sor.:e o; the ocher grauFs srou:�d
<br />the ceuni ry ha�•e atready b:,ug^,c lar.d
<br />b�t tGe H cr.s:�w Gro�p is the c;cses�
<br />to hRai:,r.ing construcs:on. "7n�-re is
<br />some ddference berx•et•n •xancir., ;o
<br />Co u at:d �e�;.g �t,.. satd Cha; �es �3�:
<br />re��, �.�:,o :ecer.,ly N:fSf'il[C-:� 3 ser:es
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<br />ot "Gc:ur:o S:ar,ed in Co-haus�ng p
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<br />3lajarit}• Are Prcf-rssioa,tls �
<br />..�[ firs! u::- :�•;�.a cn�!dren �
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