What is the vision for Cornerstone Village?

Cornerstone is an urban cohousing community comprised of flats, duplex apartments, townhouses and common areas in North Cambridge, Massachusetts. Cornerstone's residents are committed to a community that:

• Promotes sensible sharing of personal, social, and natural resources
• Provides a safe, stimulating environment for the personal growth of children and adults
• Fosters beneficial relationships within the community and with the world at large

How and when did the Cornerstone group start?

During the summer of 1993, Elizabeth Locke asked Marc Daigle and John Adelberg of The Cohousing Center (at that time, called The Center for Collaborative Communities) for assistance in starting a cohousing community in the northwest suburbs of Boston. The three of them sketched out a development plan for the community and began to seek other interested people and potential sites. By the end of 1993, three other households had joined the group, and by Spring 1994, they had found a good potential site. The group has continued to plan and grow its community since then.

What has the community accomplished to date?

Most of 1999 was devoted to planning and designing the community, arranging financing, and meeting with our future neighbors to address their concerns about the construction of our community.

Construction began in August 2000 with demolition of the buildings on the site. Final financing was obtained, the foundations were poured, and framing began that fall.

Phase One of our move-in began in late November, 2001. By Christmas, all the units which had been completed by then were occupied. Phase Two was completed and occupied in March 2002. This section included our major common areas as well as the rest of the residential units. The last of our 32 units was sold in February 2002.

We are now well-settled and into the exciting and challenging process of exploring our needs and creating the structures we need to live together as a community. This is, of course, an evolving process as our community grows and changes. That evolution is one of the great joys of cohousing life.

How is the community currently organized?

The group meets frequently, in both business and social contexts. Members have formed friendships and share a strong sense of community purpose and trust.

Community members of Cornerstone belong to one or more committees. These committees do most of the work of the community. Currently, there are a number of active committees and task forces dealing the many issues of the physical plant and social community.
 

What is the make-up of the group?

Cornerstone's 32 member households include two-parent families, single-parent families, couples without children, couples with grown children, and single people. The children range in age from very young to college-age young adults with several elementary, middle school, and high school students in between.

How often does the group meet?

The community generally holds business meetings twice a month, which any member can attend. These meetings are usually about three hours long and held on Saturday mornings or Sunday afternoons. Committees meet as needed, and common meals are held three times a week. The group also sponsors social events, such as special parties, celebrations, and potluck dinners.

How do people in the community support one another?

Cohousing breaks down many of the social barriers that make it difficult to offer or receive help. The opportunities for mutual support are extensive. For example, when a member of the group is in the hospital or has a child, others pitch in with meals, chores, and resources. People also offer emotional support during times of personal crisis. In short, the people of Cornerstone support one another the way that good neighbors do: caring, offering help, but respecting privacy.

What is daily life in the community be like?

Maintaining a healthy and happy community requires the ongoing participation of every household.  Decisions that affect the whole community are made on the basis of consensus, and every member is expected to give a certain number of hours per month toward community maintenance. However, having developed the site and moved in, members now spend less time spent in meetings and more time enjoying one another as friends and neighbors. Spontaneous social gatherings are very common.

Some households may choose to lead fairly private lives, without daily contact with other members. Others may be very involved, eating common meals regularly, working in the community garden, or organizing community events.

Where is the community located?

The 1.25 acre site is located at 175-195 Harvey Street in North Cambridge. The site abuts Linear Park and is only a ten-minute walk on the bike path to Alewife Station and the Red Line. It is equally close to Massachusetts Avenue and a fifteen-minute walk from Davis Square.

What is the neighborhood like?

North Cambridge is an urban neighborhood characterized by a mix of single family homes, multi-family homes, and moderate to large apartment/condominium buildings and supporting businesses. There is some light industrial activity in the neighborhood. It is ethnically and racially diverse with many interesting restaurants and cultural events. In addition to the Linear Park and its bike path, there is an MDC pool within easy walking distance. North Cambridge is bordered to the west by the town of Arlington and is very close to Spy Pond, also accessible by bike path.

What is the quality of the Cambridge schools?

Cambridge Public Schools have an excellent reputation. There are 15 elementary schools and one high school, Cambridge Rindge and Latin. Over 8,000 students are served by the system, and in fiscal year 1997, an estimated per capita cost of $9,000 per pupil was spent. Among the programs offered by the schools are bilingual education services, English as a Second Language (ESL), special needs, School of the Future, the Graham and Parks Alternative Elementary School, the Intensive Studies Program, Literacy Center programs, AMIGOS, MILES, and the Home Based Early Childhood Education Program.

Cambridge also has a wealth of private schools including the Cambridge Friends School, Fayerweather Street School, Buckingham, Brown, and Nichols, Shady Hill School, and Cambridge Montessori.

Additionally, there are many opportunities for adult education in the neighborhood surrounding Cornerstone Village.

What is the size of the community?

Cornerstone has 32 individual homes. Nine are attached townhouses, and the others are a mix of flats and two-story apartments. The homes range in size from one-bedroom flats (average 600 sq. ft.) to large three-bedroom townhouses (average 1500 sq. ft.) with full basements. The apartment building housing the Common House has an elevator, and the second apartment building has a lift. Storage space for each apartment unit is available in the apartment house basements.

What facilities are in the Common House?

The Common House includes: 

• Full service kitchen
• Dining room
• Den/meeting room
• Children's activity room
• Arts and crafts room
• Teen room
• Workshop

Each apartment building and each townhouse also has laundry facilities. One apartment building also includes a guest room to accommodate residents' visitors, if desired.

The outdoor common areas have several community gardens, a playground, a large common deck, several small gathering spots for smaller groups, a bike rack, and a place for beekeeping.

How can I find out more about Cornerstone and become a member
of Cornerstone's waiting list for when a unit becomes available?

From time to time Cornerstone holds orientation sessions for people interested in the community. It is also possible to attend a meeting or a meal at Cornerstone. We also have a waiting list if you are interested in
purchasing a unit in the community. We ask for an annual fee of $10 to help defray our costs. Please contact Judy Adler if you would like to find out more.