Two Echo Cohousing Community

Two Echo Cohousing Community

Multi-generational, Rural
93 Echo Road
Brunswick, 04011
  • Move in year :
  • 1998
  • Number of units :
  • 21-40
  • Land size:
  • 21+ acres
  • Developed acreage :
  • 11+ acres

Description:

A New Concept in Old-Fashioned Neighborliness

If you’ve dreamed of living in a safe and friendly neighborhood, surrounded by woods and fields, where residents exchange recipes, children run and play without fear of cars, and friends of all ages stop to chat in the road…take a look inside Two Echo in Brunswick, Maine.

On a typical day, residents can be seen chatting on the way to and from work, while collecting the mail or taking an evening stroll. Children gather in small groups to play among the trees, sled in the fields, and ride bikes through the neighborhood. Neighbors naturally borrow items from the people next door, share childcare arrangements, help those who are sick, discuss gardening tips, and bake cookies for new arrivals. We also join together for such events as suppers, seasonal celebrations, concerts, pick-up soccer games, and community work days. As a Homeowners Association, we manage and maintain Two Echo ourselves. Residents participate in decision-making by attending community meetings and by serving on a variety of committees designed to keep the various components of Two Echo running smoothly. Our community is continually evolving and growing as we work and live side-by-side, and as new people join us to live in cohousing.

Two Echo Cohousing Community began as an idea in 1991. For several years people interested in the cohousing concept in the Portland area met on a regular basis to dream, share, and plan. The founding group formed a limited liability company (LLC) in order to pursue purchasing land and developing a community. The property on Hacker Road was found in autumn 1994 and was purchased in early 1996, once site plan approval had been granted by the Town of Brunswick. Infrastructure construction began later that same year and the first residents moved in during the fall of 1998. The next several years saw continual home construction, including the Common House, which was completed in 2005. Since the very beginning, many, many people have participated in the process of taking this community from a dream to a sustained and evolving reality. Some came to only a handful of meetings; a few lived here a couple years and then moved on; and others put down roots that grow deeper to this day. We are happy to say that 25 years in we still have some of our founding members continuing to thrive in our community.

Two Echo is located in rural Brunswick. We are just 12 minutes from downtown Brunswick and 35 minutes north of Portland. The Two Echo property consists of 57 acres of woods, 20 developed acres, and 15 acres of rolling fields. The land was once a horse farm, and before that, the Two Echo Dairy Farm. Two Echo homes are clustered on a slight ridge just within the tree line, about 1200 feet from the town road. The interior of Two Echo consists of a winding pedestrian lane bordered by homes, a common green, and the Common House. In accordance with cohousing principles, the site design of Two Echo places homes more closely together than does the design of a modern, conventional subdivision. House lots are small, between 50´ and 65´ by 110´. Homes are designed in typical New England styles and face the pedestrian lane. Parking, and thus most vehicular traffic, is contained along the periphery of the north and east sides of the community. The design of Two Echo, with its welcoming pedestrian interior, enables us to encounter one another as we walk to and from our cars, shovel snow, sit on our front porches, play with our children, or walk our dogs. Likewise, children have easy access to playmates of a variety of ages and can play more freely and safely than in a typical residential development. The surrounding woods and fields are easily accessible through paths between houses and from the road leading into the community. In an effort to preserve the rural character of the area, the undeveloped 72 acres of our land have been placed in a conservation easement. Activities such as cross-country skiing, gardening, some wood cutting, and raising farm animals are permitted in the conservation easement area, but not additional development.

The Common House, a prominent feature of most cohousing communities, is in the center of our small village. The Common House at Two Echo provides us with space for meetings, shared meals for those who wish to participate, indoor play, craft activities, house concerts, and more. Our Common House includes a large dining/meeting room, kitchen, recreation room, overnight guest room, and living room. We have shared outdoor amenities as well. There are gardens, a small seasonal skating pond, and a mowed grassy playing field near the homes. The common green, located just to the east of the Common House, is an inviting spot for a variety of activities, from picnicking to bird watching to swinging, climbing, and playing tag. Beyond the developed area are acres of woods with winding trails and fields with a small year-round stream.

And yes, there really is an echo here at Two Echo. If you stand at the top of our first field, just after the entrance to the community on the right side of Echo Road, and shout down the hill towards the stream, you will hear a pronounced double echo.

Shared Property
  • Common House
  • Guest Rooms
  • Community Garden
  • Playground
Accessibility
  • Some units visitable
Welcomes Visitors (fee may apply)
  • Individual Tours
Decision Making
  • Consensus
Meals
  • 1-3 meals per month
Meal Participation
  • Optional participation
Vision
  • Other
Contact Information
  • https://twoecho.org/contact/
Last modified July 23, 2024

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