The cottages must also face a usable landscaped commons and have parking screened from the street.įrom there, pocket communities really took off in the Pacific Northwest in collaboration with developers and builders, including The Cottage Company in Seattle, land development consultant Triad Associates in Kirkland, Wash., and Artisan Fine Homebuilding. The code allows for up to double the density of detached homes in all single-family zones - provided that the ground floor area is less than 700 square feet, and total area including the second floor is less than 975 square feet. To help this vision come to life, the municipality adopted an innovative Cottage Housing Development (CHD) zoning code. Third Street Cottages is a community of eight detached cottages located on four standard single-family lots. The idea of the pocket neighborhood is not a new idea, but rather a modernized version of the bungalow courts built in Pasadena, Calif., in the early 20th century. Forsberg Inc., an Okemos-based commercial and residential development is building the homes at the site of a former mobile home park that has been vacant for several years.The term “pocket neighborhood,” sometimes referred to as “bungalow courts” or “cottage clusters,” was first coined by Ross Chapin of Ross Chapin Architects, an award-winning firm that began this now fast-growing trend with the creation of the Third Street Cottages in Langley, Wash.

The homes will be clustered together offering some common green space area for residents. At $202 per square foot, it’s almost double the going-rate in the Eaton County hamlet. The 864 square foot home being offered today is selling for almost $174,900. At the same time, residing in a small community can offer a greater connection with one’s neighbors, writes CBS author Ilyce Glink.Ī local Realtor tells 6 News that the average asking price per square foot of housing in Eaton Rapids is about $104.

Pocket neighborhoods can be described as a collection of homes surrounding a “green” or landscaped common area. Homeowners maintain their individual privacy.

The other units will range in size from 600 to 1,100 square feet, with varying floor plans and designs. #1 went on the market today for almost $175,000. The first homes are for sale in Eaton Rapids’ first “pocket neighborhood”.

Homes for sale in pocket neighborhoods