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River Rock Commons
River Rock Commons is a cohousing community built by Sovick Design/Builders during 1999-2000. It sits between the north edge of downtown Fort Collins, Colorado and a 50 acre city park. The Poudre River and an extensive trail system are footsteps away. River Rock consists of 34 energy efficient condominium homes on a four acre site. Parking and garages are located at the two ends of the community with walkways leading to the homes.
Ancient huge hand-hewn recycled beams adorn the ceiling of the Common House which serves as an eating and gathering place for community members.
What is Cohousing?
Cohousing is the name of a type of collaborative housing that attempts to overcome the alienation of modern subdivisions in which no-one knows their neighbors, and there is no sense of community. It is characterized by private dwellings with their own kitchen, living-dining room etc, but also extensive common facilities. The common house may include a large dining room, kitchen, lounges, meeting rooms, recreation facilities, library, workshops, and childrens's space.
Usually, cohousing communities are designed and managed by the residents, and are intentional neighborhoods: the people are consciously committed to living as a community; the physical design itself encourages that and facilitates social contact. The typical cohousing community has 20 to 30 single family homes along a pedestrian street or clustered around a courtyard. Residents of cohousing communities often have several optional group meals in the common building each week.
This type of housing began in Denmark in the late 1960s, and spread to North America in the late 1980s. There are now more than a hundred cohousing communities completed or in development across the United States and Canada.
