The most exciting aspect of cohousing is people coming together in community, and our Lodge is built to facilitate interaction. The heart of Wolf Creek Lodge will be its Common House. Located at the center of the lodge, it will be easily accessible by elevator or walkways from all of the private homes. Its 4,000 square feet will serve as an extended, multifunctional addition to each member’s home.

One of the most enjoyable activities of cohousing is coming together for meals. The group will decide how many days a week common meals will be offered, and attendance will be optional. We have learned that in all cohousing groups, common meals soon become the most popular opportunity to socialize. The thoughtfully designed, roomy kitchen in the Common House will facilitate ease and economy of movement for two or more chefs as they prepare and serve their delicious meals.

Adjacent to the kitchen will be the large dining room. This room is designed to be used for many activities in addition to dining. Here people can dance, have parties, exercise, practice yoga, hold meetings, dialog with guest speakers, or engage in a myriad of activities we probably haven’t thought of yet.

The dining room will open on to our spacious patio terrace where a fire pit, a built in barbeque and outdoor tables will provide an inviting place for cooking and eating outside. The terrace will offer an expansive view of the property and, at night, will provide the perfect place for star gazing. Below this will be a series of terraced areas beautifully landscaped with flowers, trees and paths, one of which will lead to a hot tub. All together, there will be over 8,500 square feet of decks and terraces from which we can enjoy our beautiful grounds.

The Common House sitting room will share a gas fireplace with the dining room. Here people can gather to talk, play games, read, watch TV, do crafts, or just relax. There will be room for engaging with other people or enjoying being alone, depending on one’s pref-erence at the moment. The sitting room will be a cozy place, inviting, comfortable and tastefully furnished.

We will have a coffee bar off the kitchen where people can gather for espresso or tea and informal conversation. Here, as everywhere, members can plan group activities such as kayaking, walking, and hiking, or impulsively decide to go to a movie or play, or just hang out.

The Common House will also offer boxes for mail delivery, a laundry room, an office, storage space, and a small shop. One of the great advantages to cohousing is the opportunity to share such things as laundry soap, maintenance and garden tools, copy machines, and such, reducing the need for multiple purchases of things that can easily be shared.