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The 21st Street Co-op is a clothing-optional student housing cooperative in Austin, Texas, housing 100 residents. It is part of the NASCO co-op system.

Located at 707 West 21st Street, the house is just a few blocks west of the University of Texas at Austin campus and The Drag. The 21st Street Co-op offers a combination of suites, walkways, balconies and landscapes.

Contents 1 History 2 Community structure 2.1 Labor 2.2 Meetings 3 House structure 3.1 Suites 3.2 Other Areas 4 References

[edit] History

The five new buildings of College Houses^[1][2] was still under construction in August, 1974, when the fall semester was about to begin.

One hundred contracts for new members had been signed and dropped off at the College Houses, Inc. offices located in the Ark Co-op. Room and board contracts for single rooms were $245 per month and a double-room was $135 per month. The Ark was 21st Street College House’s “big sister”, located 50-yards away.

With the new semester about to begin, all of the new members began showing up. The buildings still were not close to being ready. Contracts had been signed, so College Houses, Inc. rented some rooms at the former Brownstone Apartments as temporary housing. The Brownstone was half a mile away, six blocks north on Rio Grande.

Cold breakfast was available at the Brownstone. For almost two months everyone had to travel to the Ark for main meals. There were up to 225 co-opers coming to the Ark for dinner. Menus typically consisted of a vegetable like peas, green beans or brussel sprouts, perhaps a salad, potatoes or pasta, a meat dish or a meat substitute, and a dessert. In the beginning, it was not uncommon for one whole course to be missing, having been burned or otherwise ruined during preparation. Textured vegetable protein (TVP) was introduced as a cost-cutting measure.

After dinner, announcements were made.

Things went that way for several weeks until the Democratic State Convention came to Austin. They had previously arranged to rent the whole Brownstone apartment building. Everyone had to vacate the Brownstone immediately. Since the new buildings were still not ready, some members moved in with friends and family. Some moved into the new, as yet unfinished building, which had no water or electricity. Showers were available on campus or with friends at the Ark.

The Kitchen Committee appointed Ann Hague to be the first Kitchen Manager. Ann went all over the city to buy the large appliances and all the tools needed to cook for and wash-up after a hundred co-opers. New wooden tables showed up. Before being used, the tables had to be coated with four layers of polyurethane. Each coat required a day to dry. Co-op volunteers had to sand the tables between coats and then carefully apply the next coat of polyurethane without causing bubbles.

In early November the buildings were officially opened. This day was celebrated at 21st Street College House for many years.

Closets had not been designed into the rooms. So, College Houses, Inc. bought these really heavy, particle board faux closets to use as closets. It was left up to the co-opers to put them together, paint them and move them into all rooms—including up to the 2nd and 3rd floors.

The buildings waere mostly dark red cedar with bright blue trim and lots of windows. There wasn't any landscaping.

Solar collectors got installed on the rooftops. The TABC authorized College House to put in a coke machine to sell long-neck beer. At 25¢ a bottle, it became necessary to make it an official house job to keep the money-making machine full. A lot of parties were funded with the proceeds of that original machine.

Almost everyone was a student at UT. There were several Iranians, a Korean, a Peruvian, Chicanos from the Valley, white girls from Houston, Jewish kids from Dallas and Galveston, people from West Texas, rich and poor, undergrads and grads, and a few locals.

[edit] Community structure

[edit] Labor

The co-op runs on a labor system. Each resident of the co-op does four hours of labor per week coordinated by the Labor Czar officership. Cooking, cleaning, and general house maintenance are a few examples of labor. Labor keeps the cost of living down as members fix and maintain the house themselves. Residents with a desire to invest themselves more into the co-op run for officer positions.

[edit] Meetings

General Membership Meetings and Kitchen and Labor (K&L) Meetings are held every week for house members to vote on new plans and actions concerning the house, as well as to review missed labor and interview new members.

[edit] House structure

[edit] Suites

The 100 members share furnished private and double rooms joined into small suites. Lofts are common in rooms. Each suite includes a common living room, kitchenette, semi-private baths with floor-to-ceiling windows opening out onto the front and back yards.

[edit] Other Areas

The bike shed has been recently upgraded to house more bike projects and is a semi official extension of The Yellow Bike Project^[3]. A Maintenance Shed holds tools for needed maintenance. The TV Temple provides three-tiered seating for residents to watch television or movies. A Computer Lab affords residents internet access and printing capabilities.

[edit] References

Coordinates: 30°17′02″N 97°44′44″W / 30.28388°N 97.74564°W / 30.28388; -97.74564