In this week’s edition of our series of reflections by current members, Spring offers her perspective on why she chose Phoenix Commons:

In a conventional urban neighborhood, my experience is that peoples’ energies and interests are dispersed. Cohousing members are choosing a place to live that encourages connection. This senior cohousing community creates the potential to age in a setting designed and structured for members to be part of and contribute to a caring community.

I have designed my personal/professional/political commitments around cooperative living. I look forward to us sharing parties, dinners, deep conversations, networking, lobbying, friends, and entertainment. All these with repeated flashes of insight and self-understanding, while myself and others remain deeply true to our highly individualized selves.

Here’s the next in our series of reflections by community members on why they chose Phoenix Commons. Next up, Susan:

I look forward to moving into a green building right on the waterfront. But even more important, I look forward to sharing this building with other members of Phoenix Commons, whom I respect and whose company I enjoy. I plan to learn from my neighbors, and to accomplish meaningful tasks alongside them, both within the group and out in the community. As time passes, I am confident that Phoenix Commons will be an excellent place to age gracefully, with strong support within the group.

As we inch ever closer to moving in at Phoenix Commons, final elements are being completed each day, such as the planter boxes in the interior courtyard (Pic. 1). Lamp posts on the waterfront patio will allow our members to enjoy the estuary at all hours (Pic. 2) All entrances will be opened with an electronic card, including the gateway from the waterfront patio to the courtyard (Pic. 3), providing residents with security and peace of mind.

For more photos, follow us on Facebook and Google+!

A special delivery arrived at Phoenix Commons this past week: the community hot tub! (Pic. 1) A jumbo crane was needed (Pic. 2) to lift the tub from the street and drop it into the interior atrium. With the high-tech tub now in place, our members can look forward to relaxing in the open air oasis of the atrium, or enhancing their fitness routines with extra functions such as swimming against a current or resistance rowing (Pic. 3).

For more photos, follow us on Facebook and Google+!

Just a stone’s throw from the estuary, workers are putting finishing touches on the 2nd floor patio of Phoenix Commons (Pic. 1). Meanwhile, on the street side, windows and doors to the bicycle storage and workshop room have been installed (Pic. 2). New curbs on the frontage road lead to the main entrance of Phoenix Commons and its waterfront patios beyond (Pic. 3).

For more photos, follow us on Facebook and Google+!