Groundbreaking Held for the Heartwood Commons, Tulsa’s First Proactive Adult Cohousing Community

The future residents of Heartwood Commons, Tulsa’s first cohousing development for proactive adults age 55 plus, broke ground on their new neighborhood located at 7141 S. Quincy Ave., Tulsa. The event took place in September. Speakers included Mayor G.T. Bynum and Councilor Jeannie Cue. Heartwood Commons is only the second such community in Oklahoma.
Originating in Denmark, “cohousing” balances the privacy of a resident’s own home with the benefit of living in a vibrant and connected community. Cohousing in an intentional neighborhood in which neighbors become friends and private homes are clustered around shared spaces. It is carefully designed to create a socially rich and interconnected community. At Heartwood Commons, each energy efficient home has all the traditional amenities plus built-in aging in place features. The common house includes a gourmet kitchen, a great room for shared meals and other activities, a living room for more intimate gatherings, an art room and two guest rooms. Other shared amenities include community gardens, a woodshop, green house, contemplative space and a pet park. In addition to their private homes and shared community spaces, the residents also have equity in the entire acreage.
Planning this community was a true collaboration between the future residents, the design and construction teams, supporting financial institutions, and national experts dedicated to the planning and implementation of cohousing developments. Included in this team are local Tulsa companies, Jones Design Studio and Stava Building Corporation. Designed with owner input, consideration was given to the privacy of homeowners, best practices supportive of successful aging in place, encouragement of community interaction, maintenance and security, and inspiration to a more sustainable way of living.
There will be 36-units of housing with a range of space from 750 to 1,500 square feet, in series of two, three and four residential clusters. The community is located on approximately five acres, one block east of Riverside Drive. The area is perfectly situated to provide a park-like setting within minutes of the trails along Riverside and Turkey Mountain Urban Wilderness Area, great restaurants, healthcare and shopping.
Additional information is available at www.heartwoodcommonstulsa.com.