Distinctly Montana Magazine

26 D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A M A G A Z I N E • S P R I N G 2 0 2 5 S OMETHING NEW AND INTERESTING IS HAPPENING IN HAMILTON, MON- TANA. It's called Riverside Crossing, and it's a new kind of cooperative commu- nity for folks who are 55+. There, between the Sapphire and Bitterroot Mountains, are 50 planned cottages arranged in several cozy "pockets" of 8-10 cottages each on 8.5 acres of land leased from the Ravalli Coun- ty Council on Aging, the sponsor of this innovative project. There are two-story, 1.5-story, and single-story cottages. Pri- vacy is respected in the way the cottages "nest" together, with each cottage having an "open side" with windows facing its side yard and a "closed side" with high windows. In this way, priva- cy is ensured between neighbors. Each cottage has a spacious front porch adjoining a shared green living space. Folks can greet their neighbors as they go out to dinner, come home from the store, or sit on their porches and read. The cottages are architecturally appealing and offer plenty of room and storage space. Designs begin at 684 square feet and go up to 1601 square feet, and each has a one-car garage plus an additional parking spot. A to-be-built shared common house will have rooms for meetings, exercise, a full kitchen, and even accommodation for visiting guests. The idea is based on concepts from the work of architect Ross Chapin, who conceived of small pocket neighborhoods of tight-knit communities, "settings where nearby neighbors can easily know one another, where empty nesters and single householders with far-flung families can find friendship or a helping hand nearby..." In an increasingly divided world "for a growing segment of people who want a stronger sense of com- munity, pocket neighborhoods offer a welcome option." 55+ housing cooperatives have caught on in the Midwest and are now making their first foray into the Rocky Mountain West. The advantages of Riverside Crossing are not exclusively so- cial. It's also affordable. After buying a Share Certificate and a Membership Certificate for the remaining value, a monthly fee covers lawn care, snow removal, inside and outside cottage maintenance, property taxes, property insurance, and a stipend for utilities. Unlike most other housing cooperatives, Riverside Crossing has no master mortgage and is debt free. Members even HAMILTON Riverside Crossing Brings the "Pocket Neighborhood" to Montana's 55+ Residents l l

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