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Professional Partners

We've put together a team of professionals who have experience in cohousing development.

 

With guidance from our professional partners, we know we'll have a successful project!

Development Consultant
CoHousing Solutions

Architect
MFA

Developer
Urban Development + Partners 

General Contractor
Ethan Beck Homes, Inc


Lew Bowers
Certified Cohousing Consultant

CoHousing Solutions

Katie McCamant, Development Consultant

Katie McCamant brings the depth and diversity of her 30 + years of experience as an architect, developer, and cohousing resident to her clients.
 
She is a licensed architect and coauthor of the authoritative book, Cohousing: A Contemporary Approach to Housing Ourselveswhich introduced cohousing to the English speaking world. Katie co-founded McCamant & Durrett Architects/Cohousing Company with Charles Durrett in 1987. In 2006, she and Jim Leach (Wonderland Hill Development) co-founded CoHousing Partners, a development company that partnered with cohousing groups. Today, she is the sole owner CoHousing Solutions, a development consulting firm that works with cohousing groups and developers across the US and Canada.

Katie has designed and developed dozens of cohousing communities in the United States and Canada. After 12 years living in and raising her daughter at Doyle Street Cohousing in Emeryville, she now lives at Nevada City Cohousing in the Sierra Foothills.

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Ethan Beck 
Ethan Beck Homes
General Contractor

In 2007 Ethan founded Ethan Beck Homes Inc in order to pursue his interest in sustainable and green building practices.  He is a husband and a father of three young children.  He is a former finish carpenter with a passion for building energy efficient homes. Ethan’s vision is to build responsible homes that match a family’s life style, by honing the options available.  He strives to add to the beauty and character of a neighborhood for generations to come, while reducing their impact on the environment.  Ethan and team listen to and work closely with prospective homeowners and subcontractors to ensure that all homes are built with the utmost integrity.  Ethan brings 20 plus years of diverse construction experience and holds a BA from Middlebury College in Vermont.  

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Urban Development + Partners
Erik Granum, Development Manager

Through experiences at home, abroad, and in the military, Erik developed an appreciation for community that underpins his passion for real estate development. He contributes his efforts wherever needed but concentrates his attention on UD+P's various cohousing projects. Whether organizing communities, guiding design, securing permits, or overseeing construction, Erik works diligently to ensure that cohousing clients achieve their highest expectations for value and satisfaction.

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Prior to joining UD+P, Erik served for 11 years as a helicopter pilot in the US Navy. He holds Master's degrees in business administration (UNC) and real estate development (UC Berkeley) and a Bachelor's degree in English (UVA). Erik values environmental sustainability, social equity, and architectural excellence. He's an Oregon native, a die-hard fan of the Portland Timbers, and always eager to enjoy the outdoors.

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Architect - MFA

Michael Flowers, Principal

Mike has guided a diverse array of projects, from residential to large institutional. As the founder of his design-focused studio in 2007, he realizes team coordination, cost control, and timely delivery. Feasibility studies, envelope rehabilitation, and energy efficiency measures are just some of the unique abilities Mike brings to the team. His continual eagerness to explore new technologies leads to enhanced building performance and spatial innovation.

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MFA is a collaborative design studio focusing on research, planning, and architecture. Strong design values guide every aspect of their practice, provoking them to create work that endures, inspires, and expresses the collective aspirations of the project team .Deeply rooted in the Northwest, they create places that connect them to one another and their surroundings. With projects ranging from custom residences to district planning, MFA has the expertise to resolve complex problems for diverse clients.

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Architect - MFA

Seth Moran, Principal

With roles across project types, scales, and environments, Seth has insight to clients’ needs and goals. He has an intuitive grasp of the impact of cost, functionality, public perception, and technical complexity.
An experienced designer, Seth brings a sense of aesthetic rigor and sophistication to the place-making process. As a master of process, he effectively guides projects through Portland’s Design Review and regulatory hurdles.

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Bowers & Bowers Development

Lew Bowers, Certified Cohousing Consultant & PDX Commons Founding Member

Lew Bowers and his wife – Susan Fries – were the founders of PDX Commons, where they now live after moving in in the fall of 2017. Lew was the convener of the Development Committee and was the original convener of the Coordinating Committee. He now convenes the Outreach Committee and serves on the Governance Committee. He completed a year-long course of study with Katie McCamant to become a Certified Cohousing Consultant through the 500 Communities program. Since completing PDX Commons, Lew has been working with Urban Development Partners to assist cohousing projects get started in both Hood River and North Portland. Prior to getting involved with cohousing, Lew was the Director of Development for the Portland Development Commission, which basically means that he was responsible for working with private developers to  implement the plan for the central City of Portland.

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