Living at the ICA GreenRise
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ICA has created an intentional community made up of individuals who want to live simply and sustainably. The vision of the GreenRise Intentional Community is a diverse array of residents working together to benefit one another.
We are a diverse and inclusive community. We represent different races, ethnicities, cultures, genders, sexual preferences and abilities and are looking to diversify even more. We range in age from teens to late 70’s and everything in between. At full capacity we can handle about 33 members. We each have our own bedroom and share common living areas, kitchen, dining room, and (binary)-gendered showers and bathrooms. The bedrooms range from about 8’ x 20’ to 15’ x 20’, but no two rooms are the same. Many are a single room, some have two rooms, and occasionally, ‘suites’ with more than two rooms are available. Are you looking to live a more sustainable lifestyle in a community that believes that everyone has gifts to share? We all pitch in with chores to ensure that we have a liveable community. Are you willing to do your part? We invite you get in contact with us to find out more. |
What does "intentional community” mean?
“Intentional community” is an inclusive term for any project where people strive together with a common vision, including ecovillages, cohousing communities, residential land trusts, communes, student co-ops, urban housing cooperatives, intentional living, alternative communities, and cooperative living. We are living in the GreenRise Intentional Community to promote environmental, economic, cultural, and communal sustainability.
WHAT IS THE UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE?
Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood is known for its rich and vibrant diversity, as well as formally being Chicago’s entertainment district. Uptown is currently home to numerous music venues, nightclubs, restaurants and shops. Uptown Square, at the center of the Uptown Entertainment District, was designated as a National Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000. For more information on Uptown, you can visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uptown,_Chicago.
IS THE ICA ACCESSIBLE BY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION?
YES! ICA is located just two blocks from the CTA Red Line, and the 151 Sheridan and 81 Lawrence buses run right outside the front doors of the building. The building is just 5 blocks from the Wilson El station which also has a Purple Line stop. It’s just 3 blocks to Broadway, where the 36 Broadway bus stops. In addition to excellent access to public transport, Lake Shore Drive is just two blocks away, as is a Lakefront Trail bike and running path that spans almost 20 miles across the city. There is a DIVVY bike share station across the street.
IS THERE AN AGE REQUIREMENT FOR LIVING WITHIN THE BUILDING?
You must 19 years of age to rent a unit in the building. Children are welcomed with their guardians.
IS THERE A SECURITY DEPOSIT?
There is a non-refundable application fee of $100 to cover the costs of processing the paperwork necessary for residents to live in the building.
HOW LONG IS A LEASE FOR?
We are looking for long-term community members; some of us have lived here for going on 4 decades. The lease term is minimum 1 year.
WHAT TYPES OF PAYMENTS ARE ACCEPTED?
Check, credit card and cash are all acceptable forms of payment. Rent is due on the 1st of every month.
IS THERE CABLE AND WI-FI AVAILABLE?
All rooms are cable ready, but residents have to contact an Internet Service Provider to purchase connectivity for their unit. Yes, there is browsing (unsecured) Wi-Fi on the residential floor and there are other common spaces where Wi-Fi is available. Soon there may be other options available.
how big are the rooms?
One of the charms of the GreenRise building is that no two things are exactly the same, including the rooms! There are different room sizes ranging from 150 square feet to 500 square feet. Rent is based on the size of the room and number of occupants.
Is there parking available?
Depending on availability, parking is available on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis. The costs are:
Daily - $5.00 Monthly - $50, Yearly - $500.
Daily - $5.00 Monthly - $50, Yearly - $500.
HOW IS THE KITCHEN SET UP?
Residents share a kitchen on the 6th floor of the building, and they can also subscribe to a paid meal plan, where a cook comes in and cooks food twice a week that the food plan subscribers can heat up for meals. Each resident is assigned cabinet, refrigerator, and freezer space, and is welcome to use the equipment in the kitchen to prepare their meals. We, the community, take responsibility for keeping the communal kitchen in good condition by working with a team of folks one day each week.
HOW ARE THE BATHROOMS SET UP?
One of the items shared with others within this community will be bathroom space. These are separated by gender binary with facilities of 5 stalls and sinks in each bathroom. Separate showers are in other rooms. There is one ADA-compliant bathroom, but no ADA-compliant shower at this time.
IS THERE A WASHER AND DRYER?
There are coin-operated washers and dryers on the residential floor that charge $1.00 per wash load and $0.25 per dryer load.
WHAT IS SECURITY LIKE IN THE BUILDING?
The ICA GreenRise building values a secure space for both its tenants and residents. There is someone at the front desk 24 hours a day. The front doors of the building are locked at approximately 9:00 pm, and residents and tenants must be buzzed in through the front door. There are special elevator codes for the residential floors.
WHAT ARE THE RULES FOR GUESTS OF RESIDENTS?
For guests of residents, we offer a guest bedroom that can be rented as needed. The resident is responsible for their guests while they are in the building. One of the key foundations of making an intentional community work is respect for others you share the space with; it is of utmost importance that this respect be reflected in those who are invited into the community living space.
ARE PETS ALLOWED?
Yes, ICA is already home to furry friends; however, you may be asked to have a pet interview and there is an additional non-refundable $100 pet fee.
I’m Interested! What Next?
Getting to Know You
The best way to get started is to fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page. We’d like to get to know you and hear about your community experiences. Filling out the form will start a process that helps us get to know each other and hopefully results in your joining the community.
We also host community potluck dinners on the last Saturday of each month from 6 pm–8 pm. This is a great way to meet the community and get a sense of what it’s like to live here. If you let us know that you’re coming, we can arrange a tour of the residential floor.
If you want to see the GreenRise community space, please fill the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll contact you to arrange a tour.
Processing Your Application
Please note that moving into any intentional community is more involved and takes more time than simply renting an apartment. We want to ensure that you are a great fit for the community and that other residents get a chance to meet you. You’ll also want to ensure that we’re a fit for you. Finally, after the community approves you, the Institute of Cultural Affairs management ,our landlord, will need to check your background and references. Plan on one or two months to complete the process.
Your application starts when you fill out the GreenRise Community Application form at the bottom of this page. Please take your time and give us as much detail as you can in the last two questions.
The best way to get started is to fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page. We’d like to get to know you and hear about your community experiences. Filling out the form will start a process that helps us get to know each other and hopefully results in your joining the community.
We also host community potluck dinners on the last Saturday of each month from 6 pm–8 pm. This is a great way to meet the community and get a sense of what it’s like to live here. If you let us know that you’re coming, we can arrange a tour of the residential floor.
If you want to see the GreenRise community space, please fill the form at the bottom of this page and we’ll contact you to arrange a tour.
Processing Your Application
Please note that moving into any intentional community is more involved and takes more time than simply renting an apartment. We want to ensure that you are a great fit for the community and that other residents get a chance to meet you. You’ll also want to ensure that we’re a fit for you. Finally, after the community approves you, the Institute of Cultural Affairs management ,our landlord, will need to check your background and references. Plan on one or two months to complete the process.
Your application starts when you fill out the GreenRise Community Application form at the bottom of this page. Please take your time and give us as much detail as you can in the last two questions.
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ICA is a strong supporter of AmeriCorps network of national service programs. AmeriCorps members commit their time to address critical community needs like increasing academic achievement, mentoring youth, fighting poverty, sustaining national parks, preparing for disasters, and more.
As part of our programmatic relationship with AmeriCorps, service members are invited to become a part of our community living at ICA. |
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What does it mean to live at ICA?
As an AmeriCorps member at the ICA, you will be more than a guest at our building - you will be a member of our community! Being a member of a community means that more than paying your rent on time (although that's important too), you are excited to engage and participate in community activities and responsibilities. You will be joining others in creating a home in this building and a sustainable culture in the world. To affect this, AmeriCorps member at the ICA agree to:
When are Community Dinners?
Community dinners are held once a month, usually on the 28th of the month. They are a chance for the community to get to know each other in an informal setting, and to celebrate and honor community members’ significant life events. Community dinners are hosted by a set of three community members and this duty rotates on an annual basis.
Is the volunteer project a Service Day or TSP?
Not exactly, volunteering with the ICA is a term of your stay with us at the GreenRise and not your term as an AmeriCorps member. In order to best suit your interests, AmeriCorps members at the ICA will coordinate with ICA programming staff to decide the details of your volunteering. The ICA GreenRise is a demonstration site for both cultural and environmental sustainability. We engage our residents and tenants in various programs which forward our mission and participant's perspectives. As an AmeriCorps member at the ICA, volunteering is another layer of our intra-building community and the work being done here. As a nonprofit service center, there are also numerous nonprofits in the building who an AmeriCorps member could volunteer with as part of our tenant cohort engagement.
What is the Customary and where can I find it?
The Customary acts as an orientation packet which outlines the resources of the community and the expectations of using them. Click here to read the table of contents for the Customary. Contact Caitlin at csarro@ica-usa.org for a copy of the full Customary.
As an AmeriCorps member at the ICA, you will be more than a guest at our building - you will be a member of our community! Being a member of a community means that more than paying your rent on time (although that's important too), you are excited to engage and participate in community activities and responsibilities. You will be joining others in creating a home in this building and a sustainable culture in the world. To affect this, AmeriCorps member at the ICA agree to:
- Attend a community dinner once a month
- Work with the programming staff on a volunteer project
- Agree to the terms of the Customary and sign the signature page
When are Community Dinners?
Community dinners are held once a month, usually on the 28th of the month. They are a chance for the community to get to know each other in an informal setting, and to celebrate and honor community members’ significant life events. Community dinners are hosted by a set of three community members and this duty rotates on an annual basis.
Is the volunteer project a Service Day or TSP?
Not exactly, volunteering with the ICA is a term of your stay with us at the GreenRise and not your term as an AmeriCorps member. In order to best suit your interests, AmeriCorps members at the ICA will coordinate with ICA programming staff to decide the details of your volunteering. The ICA GreenRise is a demonstration site for both cultural and environmental sustainability. We engage our residents and tenants in various programs which forward our mission and participant's perspectives. As an AmeriCorps member at the ICA, volunteering is another layer of our intra-building community and the work being done here. As a nonprofit service center, there are also numerous nonprofits in the building who an AmeriCorps member could volunteer with as part of our tenant cohort engagement.
What is the Customary and where can I find it?
The Customary acts as an orientation packet which outlines the resources of the community and the expectations of using them. Click here to read the table of contents for the Customary. Contact Caitlin at csarro@ica-usa.org for a copy of the full Customary.
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Members of the community
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