Turning Vision Into Reality: How Gratitude Village Is Coming to Life

Every great neighborhood starts with people. At Gratitude Village, our mission is clear: to create a connected, sustainable, mixed-income community where neighbors truly know one another and share in building something extraordinary. But bringing this vision to life isn’t a straight line—it’s a carefully planned process guided by collaboration, expertise, and the future residents themselves.

With every step, we’re not just planning homes—we’re designing a neighborhood where affordability, sustainability, and community are built in from day one.

“When you design for community, you don’t just create housing. You create a place where people thrive.”
— Michael Tavel, architect

Step 1: Building the Core Founders Group

Before we even look at land or blueprints, our first priority is gathering the core group of 15–20 individuals and families who will be the heart of Gratitude Village. These early members will help shape everything—from site selection and shared spaces to governance and culture.

This step is what makes cohousing unique. Our founders aren’t just future homeowners; they are collaborators, visionaries, and the driving force behind a neighborhood built on connection. By investing their time, ideas, and commitment now, they’re ensuring that Gratitude Village will reflect the values of the people who will live here.

Step 2: Finding the Right Location

With a strong founders group in place, the next step is securing the land that will become our village. We’re focused on Denver’s west side—an area that offers the perfect balance of natural beauty, accessibility, and proximity to schools, jobs, and transit.

This process involves feasibility studies, zoning research, and partnership-building. But more than that, it’s about creating a place where shared gardens, walking paths, and front porches invite connection. Choosing the right land sets the stage for a neighborhood that doesn’t just function—it feels like home.

Step 3: Designing for Net Zero Living

Once the location is selected, the design phase begins. Working with award-winning sustainable architect Michael Tavel, we’re crafting a Net Zero community where homes generate as much energy as they use. From solar panels to energy-efficient systems, every choice we make supports environmental stewardship and long-term affordability for our future residents.

But design isn’t only about technology. It’s also about creating human-centered spaces: a Common House for shared meals, car-free courtyards where children can safely play, and pathways that naturally bring neighbors together.

“True sustainability is more than solar panels. It’s about building places where people want to live for a lifetime.”
— Charles Durrett, cohousing architect and pioneer

Step 4: Co-Creating With Future Neighbors

What makes cohousing special is that it’s designed with the people who will live there. Our Explorer Members and future founders are already helping shape the vision—deciding what matters most, from potential amenities like a makerspace or teen lounge to community gardens and shared green spaces.

This collaboration builds more than just great design—it creates relationships. By the time construction begins, our future neighbors will already be connected and working together to bring their shared vision to life.

The Gratitude Village Roadmap

Here’s a simplified look at what’s ahead:

1️⃣ 2025 – Core Founders & Planning: Form our initial 15–20 founders, begin land search, and start feasibility studies. Ideally purchase our land before year's end.
2️⃣ 2026 – Design & Membership: Finalize architectural plans, refine our vision together, secure financing, and prepare for construction.
3️⃣ 2027 – Approvals & Financing: Complete city approvals, break ground and begin building Colorado’s first mixed-income, Net Zero cohousing neighborhood.
4️⃣ 2028 – Move In: Welcome our first residents into a thriving, connected community.

Why Join Us Now

Gratitude Village is still in its early stages, which means this is your chance to get involved at the very beginning. As an Explorer Member, you’ll help shape the design, meet your future neighbors, and join a pioneering effort to create a new kind of neighborhood—one where connection is just as important as construction.

This isn’t just about homes. It’s about creating a better way to live, together.

Help Us Build the Village

Our founders group is forming, our plans are growing, and our vision is becoming reality. Now we’re inviting you to be part of the story.

👉 Become a Founding Member today and help us co-create Colorado’s first mixed-income cohousing community.

Because the best neighborhoods are built by neighbors, not developers.

💡 "Our founders are more than future homeowners—they’re the heart of Gratitude Village."