Stone Curves Cohousing Newsletter
Move-In Coming Soon! September 2004

In this issue:
Welcome!
Construction Update
Community Yard sale - October 15-16. Mark your calendars!
Great Units Still Available
The Limberlost Neighborhood Association: A Curver's Perspective
"Countdown to Community" - A Curver Looks Ahead

Greetings from Stone and Limberlost in Tucson.

It's a particularly interesting time for Tucson's newest cohousing neighborhood, Stone Curves. Much of what's been going on is described right here.

Don't miss Susan Hyne's reflections on "Countdown to Community", or Carlos Nagel's report on notable developments in our neighborhood (many of them nurtured and shaped by the Limberlost Neighborhood Association), as well as updates on construction progress, and a description of available Stone Curves units.



Welcome!

With Fall 2004 on the way, Stone Curves is approaching the final stages of becoming HOME to a community of caring neighbors. Several years in the making, Tucson's newest cohousing community is nearing the home stretch. And, if you've ever considered a serious look at this unique approach to home and community, now's a great time. Several great units are still available, some with significant price discounts (see story below); plans for regular community meals are being developed; grading and concrete work are preparing the site for the gorgeous landscaping to come. And, within weeks, the first residents of Stone Curves will be moving into their recently-completed homes.

It's easy to learn more about Stone Curves cohousing. Visit our site at Stone and Limberlost in north central Tucson any Saturday or Sunday between noon and 4:00 p.m. Take a site tour with one of your future neighbors, and ask all the questions you like. Tour the beautiful (and beautifully functional) 3800-foot common house that'll soon be a focus of community activities and programs.

It's all here, waiting for you to take a look.

Learn all about Stone Curves Cohousing at our website: www.stonecurves.com

Construction Update

Construction progress in the last month has been significant and impressive. The final touches are being put on the Common House: exterior painting is complete, kitchen appliances are being installed; three homey guest rooms have been carpeted; homeowners' mailboxes will soon be installed; the south parking lot is in place.

Housing units in Villages 1 and 2 are nearing completion, and some "Curvers" will be moving in within weeks. Village 5 is projected for occupancy in October or November, with Villages 4 and 3 to follow late this year and early in 2005.

Community Yard sale - October 15-16. Mark your calendars!

As we approach move-in, many Stone Curves members have graciously donated unneeded furniture and other household items to the community. Later this month, these items will be inventoried and put to use where needed in the Common House. Items not needed there will be sold at a community yard sale currently schedule for Friday, October 15 and Saturday, Oct. 16. The sale will get started at 6:00 a.m. each day (the best customers always come early, you know). Proceeds from this yard sale will be used to help further spruce up the Common House in the coming months.

Proceeds from our Yard Sale will benefit our beautiful Common House. Learn more about this great community space.



Great Units Still Available

Even though Stone Curves units of all types have been selling well in recent weeks and months, we still have FIVE beautiful units available.

As of 9/4/04, two "B" units remain unsold. The "B" is the smallest Stone Curves unit - a one bedroom, one bath flat. This 680 - s.f. unit also features a nifty alcove off the bedroom, and a surprisingly spacious living room/dining room/kitchen area. One of our available "B's" is also A.D.A. compliant and is discounted until Oct. 4th.

One "C" unit, a two-bedroom, one bath unit, has recently become available. This is an upstairs flat in Village 1. The 816-s.f. home will likely be available in October of this year. These "C" units are perfect for a single, a couple or a small family.

Also as of 9/04/04, two "D" units are available. These units, the largest available in Stone Curves, are magnificently roomy: four spacious bedrooms, with the master bed and bath on the ground floor. The 1621 s.f. "D's" also include a total of three bathrooms and an extra-large front porch. This is a great home for a family or someone needing a home office. And, one of these available "D's" is available for occupancy sometime in October, and is now specially discounted until October 4th.


The Limberlost Neighborhood Association: A Curver's Perspective

Editor's note: Since its earliest days, Stone Curves has benefited from the enormous enthusiasm and the many contributions of Carlos Nagel, a Stone Curves Pioneer who has been active in the project since its inception. This month, Carlos provides a look at some of the many activities and accomplishments of the Limberlost Neighborhood Association, of which he is an active member.

Limberlost Neighborhood Association (LNA) was created in 1999 as a result of neighbors joining together to support the 600-foot mural at the curve of Stone Avenue. Since then, LNA has been instrumental in a series of dialogues with projects and issues that affect our community. The boundaries for the Association are: Wetmore Road on the North, Roger Road on the South and First Avenue on the East and Oracle Road on the West. Within those confines we have approximately 1,200 households (now add 48 for Stone Curves as of 2005). Following is a brief listing of our accomplishments (in addition to the mural):

1. Home Depot is relocating to a shopping complex being developed by Bourne Associates at the SW corner of Oracle Road and Limberlost Drive. LNA was instrumental in negotiating 19 major concessions, in almost as many meetings, including a reduction of traffic on Limberlost. All truck traffic will enter and depart on Wetmore Road. We now know that Walgreen's will relocate from their current site at the Target shopping center. In addition, there will be PETsMART, Alta Cosmetics, Circuit City, Garrett's Jewelers, BJ Brew Pub (for all the barflies), and several other stores to be announced.

2. Shopping complex at the SW corner of First Avenue and Limberlost. Three neighborhood associations (LNA, AMPHI and Campus Farms) have joined to make a statement to the developer, Canyon Construction, concerning traffic on Limberlost, exits on Wetmore and First avenue, pedestrian access, landscaping and the like. There will be a hearing with Peter Gavin, Zoning Examiner on September 16. We will be well represented but anyone is cordially welcome.

3. Amphi Bus Yard: Bus traffic from the Amphi School District bus yard on Roger has increased from original 70 -80 buses in 1998 to over 120 the past school year. Air and noise contamination has created an aesthetic and health hazard and our three neighborhoods have joined to initiate and continue a dialogue with school authorities. This is a complex and difficult problem, with few immediate solutions. Nevertheless, some mitigating actions have been implemented and we continue the effort to find collaborative outcomes.

4. Dollar Family Store: We were informed that this store was to be built on the property south of the Circle K store at the corner of Roger and Stone. We have engaged in a dialogue that was limited by the zoning of the property but will continue in our attempts to make certain that the store does not detract from our immediate neighborhood.

5. The median at the Curve of Stone that is part of the Stone Avenue Corridor Project initiated four years ago by the Tucson Transportation Department, will become a reality in 2005.

Meetings of the LNA are the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Las Candelas Event Center at 401 East Limberlost Drive. Everyone is welcome.


"Countdown to Community" - A Curver Looks Ahead

Editor's note: Susan Hyne, recently transplanted in Tucson from a cohousing community in Colorado, is one of those Stone Curves residents preparing to move in to her new home within the next several weeks. Here she takes an affectionate look at what lies ahead.

For the past several years, families have been meeting together to design, plan, and create a second generation cohousing community in Tucson; during that time, I was actually living in another cohousing community. For the last few months since I've joined the community as a long-distance member and the 24th household (out of 48 total), I've watched an incredible community spirit grow stronger as new households were welcomed. For the past few weeks, I've been renting a unit at our sister community, Sonora Cohousing, participating in meetings in person, and visiting the Stone Curves site. For the past few days, I've been focusing on the final steps before closing on my unit and chatting with next-door neighbors about sleeping in our units for the first time.

Despite all this anticipation, I was amazed at my reaction when I entered our site for the first time from our newly-paved Stone Avenue entrance, glanced down the newly-poured sidewalk at my unit, and walked through the portals of our soon-to-be- completed Common House. Frankly, it took my breath away. This is my new home!

At our sales open house that day, I spent time with a university student who was writing an article on cohousing. She asked typical questions about the history of cohousing, how this community got started, what community meals are like, and what happens if neighbors don't get along. Then she asked what I most enjoyed about cohousing. That was easy-the social support. It takes many forms, it manifests in many ways, it can be pleasantly predictable, it is sometimes unexpectedly poignant, and it is always there. Knowing that neighbors can count on neighbors to offer/receive a helping hand is what makes cohousing "home sweet home."

Soon, I'll be only a few moments away from getting the keys to my unit and walking into my own condo as a Stone Curves homeowner. I'll add new keys to my key ring, make a few copies for neighbors, and start to settle into day-to-day community living. New countdowns will follow--our first community meal, the move-in of our last family, the departure of all construction noise, the birth of our first baby, the first crop from our organic garden. The joy is that we'll be embracing life together-as a community.


Stone Curves Cohousing | 4083 N. Stone Ave. | Tucson | AZ | 85705