WHO ARE WE?
An Urban Cohousing Community
Newberry Place is an urban cohousing community of privately-owned homes and sustainable neighborhood features.
Our intentional community fosters strong relationships among neighbors, and creates shared and private green spaces.
Neighbors also share ownership of a large "common house" where we enjoy group meals and participate in social events and other activities.
WHY COHOUSING?
• Experience stronger connections
with your neighbors
• Share resources, meals, activities,
and good conversation
• Enjoy common green spaces and
facilities, and resources
• Live & play in a safe, pedestrian-
friendly community
• Own an energy-efficient home
• Receive 50% off your property taxes
WHAT'S NEW?
Home for Sale
$154,900
2-3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths with
a great view of Coit Park!
Click here for more info.
Read about the neighborhood
"A unique place boasting sturdy housing stock, expansive public green space, a fully-restored historic elementary school and unmatched views of both the city skyline and the river valley." Read more.
ABOUT US
What is Newberry Place?
Newberry Place is a cohousing community in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We built an intentional neighborhood, or "urban village" in the city consisting of 20 homes and a group-owned and managed common house. Our community includes families with children, married couples and single folks of all ages.
Residents own private homes in a pedestrian-friendly community, with parking on the perimeter. Neighbors share ownership of a common house, where they can enjoy group meals several times a week and participate in social events, and a community playground for the children.
We have no religious, political, or other type of affiliations as a community. We simply share a common belief that people who have connections to others within a community live richer and more fulfilling lives, and we decided to build a community based on that ideal. To learn more, check out Why We Live Here.
ABOUT COHOUSING
Cohousing is a type of collaborative housing in which residents actively participate in the design and operation of their community. The concept originated in Denmark in the 1960s and quickly gained popularity in the U.S. The cohousing ideal of living community has spread quickly, and there are now hundreds of cohousing communities worldwide.
An Old-Fashioned Sense
of Neighborhood
The physical design of cohousing communities encourages both social
contact and individual space. Private, resident-owned homes contain all the features of conventional homes, but residents also have access to common facilities such as a common house, gardens, and playground areas.
The common house is the social center of a community, and is usually where optional group meals are served at least once or twice a week. Community members work together to maintain common property, building a sense of trust and support among neighbors.
There are six defining
characteristics of cohousing:
1. Participatory process
2. Neighborhood design
3. Common facilities
4. Resident management
5. Consensus-based decision-making
6. No shared community economy
To learn more, visit cohousing.org , an invaluable resource to those interested in cohousing communities.
WHY WE LIVE HERE
Just a Few of the Things We Love
• Building enriching relationships with neighbors
• Sharing resources, meals, childcare,
activities, and more
• Enjoying indoor & outdoor common spaces
• Raising our children in a safe and
community-minded environment
• Our pedestrian-friendly community
• Shrinking our “footprint” on the planet by
sharing, conserving, recycling, and composting
We love our "green" and energy-efficient homes, too. They feature:
• Solar water heaters
• Foam and cellulose insulation
• Natural ventilation systems
• Passive solar heating
• Bamboo & Marmoleum flooring
• Recycled fiber carpet
• Low E argon windows
• Energy Star appliances
According to a 2008 energy audit,
the average heating bill of a Newberry Place home will be 50 to 65% less than a federal Energy
Star-rated home.
Half-Off Property Taxes? Yes!
Newberry Place is located in a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone, meaning that all homeowners here can enjoy a 50% reduction on property taxes until 2019!
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD
Belknap Lookout Neighborhood Is:
• A growing urban neighborhood that is economically & racially diverse.
• Within walking distance to "Medical Mile", downtown Grand Rapids,
and the Grand River.
• Home to Coit Creative Arts Academy, an award-winning public
elementary school - just 2 blocks from Newberry Place!
• Full of parks and recreation - Five area parks offer playgrounds, tennis
and basketball courts, an ice hockey rink, and baseball fields.
• On major bus routes, and quick, easy access to US-131 and I-196.
• Within walking distance to Creston Corridor and North Monroe Business
District - art galleries, restaurants & bars, shopping, salons, and more!
Our Neighborhood Profile
Rapid Growth Media has written a profile of the Belknap Lookout/Monroe North neighborhood, including information about the parks, school, businesses and community members. It also includes historical information and neighborhood photos. To read the profile, click here .
The Neighbors of Belknap Lookout
(NOBL) Neighborhood Association
Address: 1042 Lafayette Avenue NE
Phone: (616) 454-8413
Email: nobl_choiceonemail.com
Web: www.NOBLGR.com
LEARN MORE ABOUT NEWBERRY PLACE
Choosing a home and community is one of the biggest decisions you will make in life, so we've developed a process which may help you decide if life at Newberry Place is right for you. We also offer an informational flyer which you can print and share. Download it here.
1. Schedule a Meeting & Tour
Learn more about cohousing and Newberry Place. Tour the site, homes, and neighborhood, and have your questions answered by the people who live here and helped create this unique community. Email us to schedule your tour, or call Steve Faber at (616) 821-8006 .
2. Research Cohousing
The Cohousing Association of the United States is a great source for information: cohousing.org . They also offer a huge list of cohousing books, articles, videos, and more, here . The Fellowship for Intentional Communities ( ic.org ) is another good source of information.
3. Attend a "Core Group" Meeting
These quarterly meetings are open to anyone considering living at Newberry Place. You'll observe how our community decisions are made and have the opportunity to ask questions of the people who live here. Email us to find out when the next meeting is scheduled.
