Great Oak is the second Cohousing community in Ann Arbor, built in 2003. Great Oak consists of a total of 37 households, ranging from young families to retired couples. About half of the households have kids living at home.
Cohousing is a form of collaborative housing that offers residents an old-fashioned sense of neighborhood. In cohousing, residents know their neighbors very well, and there is a strong sense of community that is absent in contemporary cities and suburbs.
Cohousing communities consist of private, fully-equipped condominiums and extensive common amenities including a community building (or "common house") and recreation areas. They are designed and managed by the residents who have chosen to live in a close-knit neighborhood that seeks a healthy blend of privacy and community. There are occasionally opportunities to rent or purchase.
Some details:
- 37 individually-owned, complete condominiums with 2, 3, and 4 bedrooms
- Ecologically-sensitive building and site design that preserves the land's natural beauty
- An intergenerational, friendly atmosphere that is safe for children and conducive to visiting with neighbors
- A large community building, called a common house, for optional shared meals and other activities
- Scio Township location, fewer than ten minutes from downtown Ann Arbor, with city water and sewer
- Located in the Ann Arbor Public Schools district (elementary: Haisley, middle school: Forsythe, and high school: Pioneer), with various private and charter schools to choose from.
Sometimes the NotBAGO group holds meetings at the common house.
