Plans and Location
Cohousing ABQ is based on Danish cohousing communities, where families have private homes but also share a lot of common space and resources.
We have finalized the design of our cohousing community and are gearing up for groundbreaking in early 2023. All of our community members contributed to the design process, shaping everything from the layout of homes to the plans for our shared outdoor spaces. Working together, we have created a design that will bring us together sustainably and joyfully in our future neighborhood.
Just one 1-bedroom and a few 3- and 4-bedroom homes are left. Join an upcoming info session to learn more!
Our Community Design
The homes
We’re building 27 privately owned homes, from one-bedroom casitas to four-bedroom townhouses. The homes will be built to the Green Build New Mexico Standard, which prioritizes energy and water efficiency with a high quality of construction. The homes will be clustered around a shared open space.
Estimated prices for remaining homes run from $620,000 up to $728,000 and include an investment into the shared common house, outdoor areas and net-zero energy systems. Prices are comparable to newly built energy-efficient homes in Albuquerque.
Our color palette.
The location
Our site is in Albuquerque’s Vecinos del Bosque neighborhood, on a quiet road with lots of families and kids. We’ll be a short walk from the Rio Grande Bosque, several beaches along the river, and Valle Del Bosque public park. The Bosque offers hiking opportunities and provides a convenient bike path connection into town.
The land is rich in history. The previous owner, Valentin Sais, has deep roots in the neighborhood, and he and his extended family will be the community’s neighbors. Mr. Sais’ grandfather donated land on the east side of the river for the Albuquerque Zoo. Mr. Sais believes he is following the same community mission by selecting Cohousing ABQ as the next owner, helping bring in young families and a community to tend and farm the land.
The local public elementary school is within walking distance, and a selection of charter and private schools are within a short drive.
Marlies Metodi, co-founder, with the previous owner of our land, Mr. Sais.
Shared amenities
Our community is designed for safety, sustainability and collaboration. Plans include a fully equipped common house for community activities and shared meals, a pool and hot tub, nature and adventure play areas, a shared farming area with an orchard and year-round greenhouse, onsite renewable electricity generation and shared open spaces for picnicking and play.
The cohousing lifestyle also allows many opportunities for carpooling and resource sharing. Instead of 27 ladders and sets of garden tools, we’ll have just a few and share them with neighbors.
Our common house will be the hub of activity and connection in our community.
Sustainability
We have prioritized sustainability in our community designs. All homes will be built to New Mexico Green Build Standards and will include many energy- and water-conserving features. Attached townhomes provide energy efficiency and a compact building footprint. The homes will be all-electric, with Energy Star appliances, energy-efficient windows, low-flow plumbing and gray water for toilets.
We are landscaping with native, drought-tolerant plants and collecting rainwater to percolate into the soil. We’ll also have a community food garden and orchard, and a community-wide composting and recycling program.
Community gardens will include a dome greenhouse, hoop house and tool shed.
A cohousing community near the river, with other children and adopted aunties and uncles who may also be children at heart, is the ideal place. As new parents, we are already enjoying the support of this community.”
- Jessie, Cohousing ABQ member
Professional Partners
Our site plan was created in partnership with a multidisciplinary team of experienced architects, landscape architects, engineers and cohousing experts. Meet the team behind our sustainable community design.
Jim Leach, Wonderland Hill Development Company
Cohousing Development Consultant
Jim is a professional engineer with more than 40 years of experience designing, building and developing sustainable housing, including cohousing, planned neighborhoods and urban infill development. Throughout his career, Jim has led the industry in creating green building strategies and community-based housing that combine high-quality design with maximum value. His award-winning neighborhoods have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, National Association of Home Builders, National Council of the Housing Industry, Urban Land Institute, and The Congress of New Urbanism.
Peter Rehn, RMKM Architecture
Lead Architect
Peter brings over 25 years of experience in architectural design and project management. During his 22 years with RMKM, he has been integral in the design and development of a diverse range of projects, including the City of Albuquerque’s first net-zero site energy project, the International District Library. He is passionate about integrating sustainability and community into a variety of building types and is deeply committed to developing a successful model for Cohousing ABQ.
Jonah Stanford, Needbased
Architectural and Sustainability Consultant
Jonah founded the design firm NEEDBASED. For the past 18 years, NEEDBASED has focused on socially and environmentally sustainable designs responsive to need. Jonah joined the first generation of Passivhaus consultants trained in North America and completed the first Passivhaus in the Southwest, a mixed-use condominium development where the NEEDBASED offices still reside. The firm’s work commonly achieves Site-Net-Zero-Energy and PH certification and has won national awards for sustainability, including the ECOHOME design award. Jonah is dedicated to the development of economically responsible and resilient designs that improve our built environment.
Marlies Metodi, Hello Neighbor!
Project Manager
Marlies has 10 years of professional experience in landscape architecture and urban design. She served as project manager for the Courthouse Square Revitalization in Redwood City, CA, which won the Congress for New Urbanism Charter Award. She is familiar with the interpretation of zoning codes, and has experience working with and understanding the language of architects, engineers, contractors, city planners and other players involved in development projects. Marlies holds a Bachelors of Science in Landscape Architecture, Summa Cum Laude, from the University of California at Davis.
Chris Baca, Enterprise Builders
General Contractor
Enterprise Builders specializes in a range of areas including new commercial building construction, renovation/tenant improvements, interior/exterior projects, estimating and medical construction. They have built some of the finest structures throughout New Mexico and have one of the highest rates of repeat business in their field. They are committed to providing quality workmanship and innovative management techniques based on more than 30 years of experience.