Cohousing in Berkeley hills? Let's discuss/assess Oxford School site (virtual)

Could a cohousing group come together to build a community on the original site of the Oxford Elementary School in the North Berkeley foothills?

Gather this afternoon for a virtual conversation and exploration to see if a bid might be feasible for this city-owned 1.26-acre site for sale (Berkeleyside article), and what it would take.

It's a great neighborhood (speaking as someone who used to live not far from there) with lots of cool places a short walk away.

We've had several folks express interest since this property came on the market. This particular group is being convened by longtime East Bay Cohousing (EBCOHO) member Valerie Risk; EBCOHO co-organizer, Cohousing Coach Raines Cohen will facilitate and help the group surface key questions like:

• What would a winning bid look like? What kind of competition would there be?
• Can the two existing structures totaling 24,000 square feet be re-used?
• How long would it take and how much would it cost to demolish and build something new to modern standards, especially given its proximity to a creek and the Hayward fault zone?
• What kind of density would be necessary to make the numbers work? Do recent changes in state and Berkeley zoning laws make it possible?
• What kind of opposition would neighbors create? Would a cohousing community with known members have an easier time than an outside developer?
• What kind of risks, expense, expertise and leadership would be required to start down this path?
• What sort of group organizing would provide the necessary structure to get members onboard, committed, and through the process?
• What kind of development partner would have the resources and credibility to get a bid taken seriously?

If you can't make it in person, feel free to RSVP to express your interest; we'l be following up with notes from this meeting and additional gatherings online and in person if it looks like something folks want to pursue, in advance of the October 10 bid deadline.

Photo credit: Missy Hennings for BerkeleySide. Source