Check out designs for cohousing community coming to former Bellingham Schools site
With designs finalized, Bellingham’s newest cohousing community has a clearer vision for their future space at the site of the old Roeder Elementary School and former Bellingham Public Schools District Office.
The community group 4th Corner Commons plans to convert the vacant site at 1306 Dupont St. into 42 individually-owned homes for semi-communal, intergenerational living on the shared property over the next several years.
“With the participatory design phase complete, we’re excited to move forward with a plan that truly reflects the collective vision of our future residents,” 4th Corner Commons Community Coordinator Shelly Parks told The Bellingham Herald. “This is more than just housing — it’s about creating a place where people can thrive together.”
The development is expected to feature a range of sizes “to accommodate diverse households,” Parks said.
Residences will span from 650-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bath homes, 1,440-square-foot two-bedroom, one-bath homes with additional office spaces.
The homes are expected to sell at market rate, starting in the $700,000 range, according to previous Bellingham Herald reporting.
“The most meaningful part of the design process was realizing that designing our homes together was really about designing how we want to live together. Our architect and developer really listened to us and incorporated all of our ideas into a beautiful space,” 4th Corner Commons community member Laura said in a statement.
Future homeowners spent the last several months working with the community’s lead architect to shape their cohousing design to ensure the final plans “reflect shared values and everyday needs,” according to Parks.
The community is also expected to include common spaces intended to support social connection and shared activities. Parks said the design will:
- Complement and enhance the surrounding neighborhood.
- Take advantage of southern sunlight, enhancing natural light and increasing energy efficiency.
- Include a welcoming interior courtyard with every home’s front door facing in the shared space.
- Balance privacy with opportunities for casual, social interaction.
Legally, 4th Corner Commons will be set up as a condo community with an HOA. But Parks, who lives in a cohousing community herself, previously described cohousing as a more “open” way of living that encourages social interactions, shared resources and deeper relationships.
The Cohousing Association of the United States describes the style of living as an “intentional, collaborative neighborhood that combines private homes with shared indoor and outdoor spaces designed to support an active and interdependent community life.”
Other cohousing communities nearby include Bellingham Cohousing on Donovan Avenue in Bellingham, which was founded in 2000 and has 33 homes in 10 buildings. Skagit Commons in Anacortes was more recently completed in 2022 and has 30 households.
Bellingham Public Schools signed a letter of intent in July to sell the Dupont property to 4th Corner Commons, although the district still formally owns it, Whatcom County Assessor records show. The district anticipates closing in late June 2026, according to BPS Assistant Director of Communications Dana Smith.
This story was originally published March 26, 2026 at 11:56 AM.
