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The Region's First Co-housing Development Co-housing is a word that was created by two American architects who traveled to Denmark to study a unique approach to housing development. Upon returning to the U.S. McCamant and Durrett realized there were no similar models in North America, so they invented the word "co-housing" and proceeded to build the first co-housing community in Berkeley California in 1991. In co-housing, houses are clustered around gardens, walkways and recreation areas. Parking is on the periphery, encouraging pedestrian interaction. In addition to their own house, homeowners collectively own a community center where playrooms, guest rooms, library, office area and a great room for celebrations and shared meals provide amenities for the community. Residents identify the location of the neighborhood and design the development in concert with an architect. All decisions about architecture and community management are made by the homeowners. By the end of this year there will be 50 co-housing groups built in the U.S. and another 125 at various stages of development. Geographically dispersed groups communicate and share knowledge over the internet, through a quarterly publication, and at nationwide conferences. Co-housing is a response to suburban sprawl and urban isolation. It provides the privacy one expects in one's home and yet neighbors are far from strangers. Neighbors are known and appreciated through community activism long before moving in. Nestled in the woods, on a peninsula in the Poestenkill Creek, Creek's Bend Co-housing will be building 24 homes and a common house on Rte. 2 in Troy in 1999. Current planning activities include design, permit approvals, fiscal management and gathering households. Creek's Bend architect, Mark Mistur, who is on the faculty of the RPI School of Architecture will be giving a lecture entitled: "Co-housing, Designing for Community" on Tuesday, March 31, 7:00 pm at the Greene Building on the RPI campus. For more information about Creek's Bend, call 472-1792. In cooperation with Troy United Ink Corp., a not-for-profit corporation 
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