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co-op dreams
Mar. 25th, 2005 06:14 pmThis co-op project has been taking over my life lately. But it's okay: I feel like we're on the brink of establishing something great. An archipelago of co-op houses. A long-term co-op organisation that will eventually include gigantic victorian mansions, many smaller houses, and other projects (coffee shop, bikes, hostel, etc.).
The EcoHouse people are very excited about this too. We are in parallel tracks— they're taking our lead on the incorporation and incorporating themselves. They already have a functioning 6 or 7-persion co-op house that is incredibly awesome. They have hydroponic vegetables growing on the second floor. A bicycle laboratory in the basement. A nice finished attic. And an awesome culture, a domestic operation that seems to work like a well-oiled machine, public events, interesting people.
I would very much like to start a single organisation with the mission of establishing a network of co-op houses in rochester. The EcoHouse seems hesistant to join forces with us. It's still very much "us" and "them" in discussions, where it would be very nice to have one enterprise with this common goal. Maybe things will work out with these dual efforts. If we associate more, it might organically turn into a single effort. We have very similar dreams, I think, differing in the details.
As soon as I submit the paperwork, we will have the legal entity Ant Hill Cooperative, Inc. with an 8-member board of directors consisting of four people from the "new" co-op effort, and four people from the EcoHouse. I desperately want to steer this into a general housing co-op corporation charged with the establishment of co-op houses in Rochester. I think there are many advantages to a united effort. The EcoHouse people are awesome at getting things done, about projects, networking, and community involvement. However, Ant Hill is still seen as something separate from them. (For one thing, they're not thrilled about the name.) Which it is, but I'd like it to be a fully shared operation.
There are plenty of informally "named houses" in Rochester, but they have no permanence, and they are not widely known—just groups of organisationally related people living together until they all graduate. So far we've found the "Football house," "ROTC house," and "Baseball house" (because the members of these houses are graduating, and the houses are on the rental market). A co-op house should be an established, named place that people know about. Because the house holds (quasi) public events. Sunday brunch. Film screenings. Potlucks. Bike rides. The EcoHouse has done a wonderful job of this.
I think our new house should have some kind of theme, although the others consider this completely unnecessary. True enough, most of the Berkeley houses get along completely fine without a stated theme other than "cooperative housing for students." I suppose that's enough.
In any case, this co-op operation is definitely getting off the ground. I've looked at four houses in the last two days with Chris and/or Ryan and made zillions of enquiries. There will be a corporation. Hopefully we are on our way to displacing absentee ownership, creating a richer student community. On our way to owning victorian mansions, filled with student-member-owners, hosting interesting events. Hosting independent travellers. Greenhouses. Building our geodesic domes, and, of course, having a hot tub.
The EcoHouse people are very excited about this too. We are in parallel tracks— they're taking our lead on the incorporation and incorporating themselves. They already have a functioning 6 or 7-persion co-op house that is incredibly awesome. They have hydroponic vegetables growing on the second floor. A bicycle laboratory in the basement. A nice finished attic. And an awesome culture, a domestic operation that seems to work like a well-oiled machine, public events, interesting people.
I would very much like to start a single organisation with the mission of establishing a network of co-op houses in rochester. The EcoHouse seems hesistant to join forces with us. It's still very much "us" and "them" in discussions, where it would be very nice to have one enterprise with this common goal. Maybe things will work out with these dual efforts. If we associate more, it might organically turn into a single effort. We have very similar dreams, I think, differing in the details.
As soon as I submit the paperwork, we will have the legal entity Ant Hill Cooperative, Inc. with an 8-member board of directors consisting of four people from the "new" co-op effort, and four people from the EcoHouse. I desperately want to steer this into a general housing co-op corporation charged with the establishment of co-op houses in Rochester. I think there are many advantages to a united effort. The EcoHouse people are awesome at getting things done, about projects, networking, and community involvement. However, Ant Hill is still seen as something separate from them. (For one thing, they're not thrilled about the name.) Which it is, but I'd like it to be a fully shared operation.
There are plenty of informally "named houses" in Rochester, but they have no permanence, and they are not widely known—just groups of organisationally related people living together until they all graduate. So far we've found the "Football house," "ROTC house," and "Baseball house" (because the members of these houses are graduating, and the houses are on the rental market). A co-op house should be an established, named place that people know about. Because the house holds (quasi) public events. Sunday brunch. Film screenings. Potlucks. Bike rides. The EcoHouse has done a wonderful job of this.
I think our new house should have some kind of theme, although the others consider this completely unnecessary. True enough, most of the Berkeley houses get along completely fine without a stated theme other than "cooperative housing for students." I suppose that's enough.
In any case, this co-op operation is definitely getting off the ground. I've looked at four houses in the last two days with Chris and/or Ryan and made zillions of enquiries. There will be a corporation. Hopefully we are on our way to displacing absentee ownership, creating a richer student community. On our way to owning victorian mansions, filled with student-member-owners, hosting interesting events. Hosting independent travellers. Greenhouses. Building our geodesic domes, and, of course, having a hot tub.
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