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Our
Story
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| Our Story...or how we became a community. |
The Development Phase
Our Guiding Principles
The Cost
The Group
The Development Phase
From the first idea
to the day residents move in, the development phase of a cohousing community
can take up to 10 years. It took us 7-1/2 years from the first meetings: we
had initial engineering done, hired an architect (Raym deRis of Belmont, Massachusetts),
formed a development entity (C. I. Holding Corp.), took title to the property,
obtained approvals from the Village Planning Board and NYS Attorney General,
incorporated our Homeowners' Association, got financing from First Hudson Valley
Bank, contracted with Westchester Modular to build the houses, and selected
on-site contractors.
Through it all, we strived to complete our membership; the last of the initial members joined in November 1996. Our first 12 households moved into their new homes between November 1997 and June 1998. Phase I of the Common House, a 44 x 26 foot single-story structure, has been in use since August 1998. We owe thanks to so many people who have helped along the way!
In 2002, the community purchased adjacent property - affectionately called the Northwest Territories - which was subdivided into three lots. There was an existing structure on one of the lots and two new homes were built. At the same time another home was built on a piece of community land which we had been using for parking. This brought our membership to 16 families.
In 2008, another adjacent lot was purchased with an existing structure and plans are for this lot to be incorporated into the Cantines Island community, bringing our current membership to 17 families.
Our Guiding Principles Environmental
stewardship... Beauty
and harmony... The Cost Evaluation
of the price must take into consideration the significant savings inherent in
the energy-efficiency of the house designs, and in the cohousing way of life
(surveyed in the United States recently at $100-$200 per month saved by an average
household). Also, the pooling of resources enable us to have amenities such
as boat docks, extensive storage, workshops and recreational facilities, which
add significantly to the net worth of our holdings. The Group Send questions and comments
to: [email protected] Content © Cantine's Island Home Owners
Association. All rights reserved. 
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The cohousing philosopy...
In keeping with the philosophy of
cohousing, the residents of Cantine�s Island are living cooperatively, sharing
management of the community as we have successfully shared development of the
group and the project, pooling our energy and resources for mutual benefit,
and being there for each other when help is needed. At the same time, individual
and family privacy is respected. Interpersonal difficulties are resolved through
mutual respect and commitment to the community as well as to our own personal
interests. Participation in cooperative activities will always be voluntary;
we are seeking an arena for cooperation rather than a tyranny of cooperation.
Our houses are modestly-sized. Materials were chosen for minimal impact on the
environment and on the health of the people who build the homes and the peopld
who live in them. Energy efficiency was a top priority; the houses were built
to NYSTAR standards (a NYS program for super-insulated, extremely energy-efficient
houses). We refused vinyl siding, as it is extremely toxic in manufacture, uses
a non-renewable resource, and is non-recyclable and non-biodegradable in disposal.
Landscaping is being done with wildlife habitat and food in mind.
To make sure that all our buildings and spaces would be pleasing, we based our
design on architect Christopher Alexander's book A Pattern Language,
which is an analysis of what naturally pleases and accommodates people, and
how these qualities can be incorporated into new designs. In choosing our architect
one of our criteria was experience in applying these patterns to community design.
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We paid substantially below market
price for this spectacular piece of land. Houses in CoHousing communities in
the United States can cost up to $300,000; at Cantine�s Island the cost of each of the intial 12 homes plus the 1/12th share of common costs (land, development costs,
professional fees, infrastructure and building the CommonHouse) was approximately
$150,000. Some homes were more, depending on individual choices in size, materials,
facilities and design. New homes built in our community since then have ranged in cost from approx. $150,000 to $250,000, not including land and the initial membership fee, depending on the homeowners preferences. Each household pays a monthly maintenance fee to cover the cost of community operations, and maintaining the land and common buildings.Click
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A project like this succeeds when enough people unite to make it happen. Our
seventeen households include adults who are teachers, nurses, therapists, retirees, an engineer, a college professor, a physician,
three attorneys, and people engaged in other interesting endeavors. The children range in age from 4 to 18. There
are 26 adults and
9 younger residents. Each resident brings his or her own special talents, skills
and outlook, and so enriches the community. From the outset, the group decisions have made by
consensus. People who are
interested in cohousing seem to automatically self-select for their abilities
to share, compromise, trust, tolerate and maintain perspective. Click
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or to Cantine's Island Home Owners Association, Saugerties, NY 12477
Last updated April 14th, 2009