Longtime EBCOHO member
Tim Silk, a realtor, just let us know that a fourplex right behind his home just came on the market, and he's eager to find (
and represent, if you don't already have a buyer's agent) some cohousers to buy it, and potentially build connections with him and his neighbors, building community in place in the style of a "retrofit" cohousing neighborhood.
I got to visit the site yesterday at an open house and take some pictures, which I have posted in the album linked to this MeetUp. -- RainesThe property, for which offers will be accepted starting this week once the pest report is out, has 4 2-bedroom 1-bath units, half upstairs; two are occupied and two vacant. All units have washer/dryers and fireplaces, carports and storage. includes a large yard and backs up against a creek, on the border with Albany. It is down a long driveway, tucked behind some on-the-street units, so very quiet and private. It is off of
Albina street, which runs off Hopkins between Sacramento St. and Gilman (and features Berkeley's oldest home), so it is close to
Monterey Market, North Berkeley BART, many restaurants, the BART bike path.
The asking price is
$775,000. It is
not condo-ized, so a group wanting to purchase it together would have to work out their own arrangements. Our hope is that some EBCOHO members can figure out how to band together to purchase it, and then connect with neighbors to make it into a full-fledged cohousing neighborhood. I met some
North Oakland Cohousing members at the site and at least one is reportedly seriously interested.
Tim is available this afternoon to show the vacant units; please RSVP here and arrive promptly so he can do a single trip. If you are interested but can't make it today, please RSVP "No" (
if you get this before the event time) and indicate your interest in the comment, and
drop Tim a line to see about seeing it some other time.
Note: the MeetUp location is Tim's house, not the property for sale.Full disclosure: If Tim earns a commission through helping someone buy this unit, he plans to make a donation to EBCOHO. But we wouldn't be listing it here if I hadn't visited it and felt the potential as a community. - Raines
Other upcoming EBCOHO events this month include:
- Wed, 11 AM: Joanna Macy speaking via teleconference as part of a Transition movement "Heart and Soul" series - live at The Hub (Berkeley Downtown)
- Wed eve: Community Living Abroad and Afar, Cheap and Warm: Potluck at Berkeley Cohousing (Event is full but you can join the waiting list)
- Saturday: Open houses in Nevada City and Folsom for existing and forming cohousing
- Sunday AM: North Oakland Cohousing general meeting
- Sunday PM: Berkeley Townhouses 55+ co-ops open house and community discussion (South Berkeley)
- Next Monday: Virtual Tour of East Bay Cohousing Gardens (Berkeley Downtown)
- Next Wednesday: East Bay Cohousing Introduction/Orientation
- Next Saturday: Tierra Nueva Cohousing open house (San Luis Obispo area)
- 7/31 Saturday: Bicycle Tour AND workshop on talking about money in community with master facilitator/trainer Eris Weaver (of Frog Song cohousing in Cotati)
And coming in late August, the first
3-day Creating Community/EcoVillages workshop with author
Diana Leafe Christian.
Announcing a new Meetup for East Bay Cohousing!
What: Potential retrofit cohousing fourplex: EBCOHO private tour (N. Berkeley)
When: Monday, July 5, 2010 4-5 PM
Where:
Tim's house
1300 Albina St. (down the walk, last door on left)
Berkeley, CA 94706
Learn more and RSVP here:
http://www.ebcoho.org/calendar/14007565/