Cooperative Cohousing with the Pinnacle Project
Updated February 2008
The Pinnacle Project at Loch Lyme Lodge (PP @ LLL) can either be a country place that provides decades of peaceful vacations, a place to live in cohousing, or it can be both. As we see it, people should consider joining us if:
- You want to live, and “age in place”, in a private suite with an elegant shared common house.
- You want to be thoughtful about your “environmental footprint”.
- You enjoy community and cooperation.
- You’d like to be a small part of the solution to creating affordable housing.
- You would love a second home in the country but don't want the hassle and expense of buying and keeping up a place on your own.
- You want to preserve the open space of these lovely 120 acres.
Our goal is to live — now and into retirement — in Lyme, NH. We want to become part of the community, and protect and preserve the lovely Loch Lyme Lodge property. We are looking ahead to the long-term future and plan to preserve our 120 acres so that when our great-grandchildren visit they will see much the same scene one sees today.
We must balance our desire for elegance, beauty and green building practices with a budget that recognizes both real costs and economies of scale. The Pinnacle Project will have about 38 Tier I members, only some of whom will own one of our 22 private suites and 8000 square feet of shared space built in a common house with two or three closely clustered duplexes.
Lodge Members (Tier I members)
Tier I members can come any time of year — to swim, garden, walk, read, cross-country ski or just relax. Before and after the summer guest season, Tier I members may use the rustic cabins at little or no cost. During the summer season members also benefit. They get a credit toward cabin and restaurant meal use and can make reservations before non-members.
To become a Tier I member you must join the group and make a capital contribution. Tier I shares cost $50,000 but early joiners can pay as much as 20% less because joining now helps make the project a reality. Loch Lyme Lodge is a reality (the Lodge has been welcoming guests for almost 100 years). We are actively seeking Tier I members now.
Resident Members (Tier II / III Membership)
The cohousing project is a work in progress. The people who make up the group will create our final design. What we do know is that resident members will have individual ownership of their suites, in or very near an elegant common “green” house. Our 22 individual suites will be complemented by shared common space including dining room, library, kitchen, music room, workshops space etc. We estimate that a full suite will cost somewhere between $195K and $400K in 2008 dollars (in addition to the amount you pay for your Tier I membership). Tier III members are full-time residents, and Tier II members share their suites with other Tier II members.
There are many factors that will influence the final cost of a suite including the size of the suite you design (we anticipate suites of 800 to 1200 square feet), how you finish the inside of your suite, how “green” we can afford to make our building, what our septic treatment and energy systems will be, how much we can use local builders and craftspeople in our construction and design and when we build.
We will have a monthly fee that covers expenses from the cook (yes we all have a 4 hour per week coop work requirement, but we also plan on having some staff), to insurance and utilities, to common meals.
Timing
We have 10 Tier I members now (19 adults and our assorted children). We are working with the Town of Lyme on zoning to develop a plan that fits with the character of the community and the directions in which it is moving. We are also thinking about house siting, septic design, etc.. We do not plan to break ground until at least the fall of 2009. We will not begin to build until we have a commitment for 70% of the planned suites. The overall project will be designed so that it can be built in stages if necessary.
You should also read our Vision Statement for a list of our essential principles.
For more information please write us at
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or call 802-785-4124.
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