St. George residents are designing St. George’s first cohousing community, founded by retired real estate developer Dale Joel who was attracted to a construction concept that considers people before cars.
“Bringing together multiple generations will secure a vital community and will keep us all young,” said Joel.
Cohousing neighborhoods are designed to offer a healthy balance between social and private spaces. Typical communities include both private dwellings and a common house. Originating in Denmark, the cohousing concept offers a creatively designed neighborhood with the infrastructure to live sustainably, both environmentally and socially. Cars are relegated to the side of the community so that the space between houses is left for residents to walk and interact. The common house is used for regular dinner gatherings and other community activities.
There are about 150 cohousing communities in the USA. Some are coupled with the concept of ecovillages, some are urban, and others are revived, long-forgotten village centers.
St. George’s cohousing neighborhood will take the shape its residents create. Before beginning the physical design, residents will develop a shared vision for the project. That process starts during the twice monthly workgroup and potluck gatherings where prospective residents come together to share a meal and their individual ideas for the project.
As part of the design and development process, residents will engage in a participatory design workshop with an experienced architect who will make sure that the project reflects the interests of its founders. Ultimately, the neighborhood will consist of 20 to 25 units including some rentals, which Joel hopes will attract residents from a variety of life stages.
Interested parties can contact Joel at (612) 244-6460, come to one of the upcoming workgroup and potluck meetings, or visit facebook.com/cohousingSTG.
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