Staff Housing Renovations
Scheduled for this Summer
At the heart of Rowe is a group of dedicated staff, living and working together in community. We see living in community as one model of sustainability and a response to our global crisis – the accelerating destruction of ecological, social, political and economic systems. Our vision is to live what we teach. We are a community of people, united first by our shared commitment of making Rowe Camp & Conference Center the best it can be and secondly to the ideal of community itself.
Rowe is growing. We need staff who are willing to share in the vision and the responsibility of holding this sacred place in trust. Having adequate housing for staff to live in is necessary to nurture and care for the folks who nurture and care for this place. Having housing that meets staff needs promotes sustainability for staff and having long-term staff is good for Rowe.
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some excavation creates a beautiful view and turns basement apartment into a lovely terraced living space |
For the last two years we have been pursuing a dream of purchasing a neighboring farmhouse for use as staff housing. The house would have provided housing for five staff. But the dream has proven to be quite elusive, slipping through our fingers when the town outbid us and then later when someone from town finally purchased the house.
The staff housing committee has been working very hard this winter to keep the energy alive. We have interviewed 3 architects and a project management group with the thought that we would build a staff house. At this time we have two staff living in guest rooms and one staff person living in Schoenfeld cabin. With the loss of four guest rooms, due to the Orchard Guest House fire, we have been very tight on housing this year.
When staff were asked what their needs were around housing, it was really quite simple: a bathroom that they don’t have to share, a place to get away to for some privacy, space for sleeping and living, and the sooner the better. We started out with the idea of building a new staff house using green technology. As we went through the interviewing process, new ideas began to formulate.
The first architect we met with told us that one of the first things to think about in thinking green is how much space do you really need. Heating spaces in the northeast that you don’t really need is a waste of energy. The project management consultants asked us if we had considered all of the possibilities for spaces on the property to renovate. We asked ourselves how we could ask our members and friends to fund a new house for staff when our need for guest housing was so great.
Our dream for staff housing turned into a three phase plan. First we are going to renovate Fromson House, an existing building on the grounds that now has a staff apartment and 3 guest rooms. After the renovations, the house will provide 4 staff housing units. The next phase is to build a guest lodge with more private rooms with private bathrooms. The staff aren’t the only ones who are requesting more privacy. The third phase will be to put an addition on to Fromson House to create one more staff housing unit.
In the spring we hired LineSync Architecture of Wilmington, Vermont to create the renovation plans for Fromson House and they will design the guest lodge as well. Steve Betit’s Homeworks Construction began work in July and are near completion. We are still raising funds to finish the project. The septic system for the house, which was built in the early 70’s was designed for three bedrooms. At a recent inspection if failed the Title V standards. A new septic system will need to be installed. There is still much to be done in the way of landscaping and creating safe access to the laundry and utilities room, screen doors as well as replacements for the 70’s style shag carpeting are also on the wish list. To date, we have raised $55,000 for the staff housing fund. We expect the renovation phase to cost about $75,000. Let’s work to get the staff the housing they need and deserve. Donations can be made to the staff housing fund POBox 273, Rowe, MA 01367 or donate on line using this form.
