thoughts on my low cost/artist/family co op dream

A co housing development is moving along in my very own Midwestern hometown, but I can't afford to move there. When I was very little, amongst other creative endeavors, I would plan towns, the littlest city planner that could. When I was in high school I aspired to join a commune in the mountains. As a parent I have found co housing, which my husband agrees to. I want to build the village. I've always wanted to build the village. I used to think I had to move somewhere cool or more beautiful first, but, living in a whole other country now, I'm thinking Aurora is as good a place as any. Why can't it be Chicago's Brooklyn? It has diversity, affordable cost of living, plenty of (gorgeous only to me) old warehouses that are crying out to be rehabbed. The acme artist co housing group is all filled up. I am again cycling through my "I'm gonna start my own" idea (present in the "jen's ideas for the future" rolodex, popping up about every six weeks, resident since '92)
1. write up a proposal
2. seek out people who are interested as participants
3. research people to fund this puppy
While surviving the nightmare bedtime ritual of two huge babies clawing at me and each other till they pass out screaming on the family futon, I imagined the structure of said co op. There is a restaurant/coffee house/performance space/space in the basement where i once showed a painting/some kind of living situation upstairs place called the House in Dekalb, run by a cool guy named Phresh, co-funded by some other guy. This inspires to have a business on the first floor to help fund the project, but the economy is not good in the downtown area, so that might be a weak link. I read about a project called ART LOFT? in peekskill new york that sounded cool. I think it was studio spaces and apartments. The building might have been donated. Now that's what I 'm talkin about. There is the perfect building in downtown Aurora that is 3 stories and ancient and has a big Russian creme puff on top. It's been for sale forever. I've always wanted it for this. A gallery on the first floor would be cool, but no one in downtown Aurora cares about fine art too much, I don't think.
1. condos with shared space and some shared meals
2. group studio space
3. designed for artists with children
4. walk to train to Chicago
5. way cheaper than the city
People love to gentrify depressed areas, first the artists, then the yuppies...it's ripe for the taking. I was trying to talk my local hipmama affiliates into the Aurora area before I left for Japan. No one's bought it yet...
6. best Mexican food ever, on every corner
the city just needs a little life. real estate agent i met at my ob told me that Aurora will never thrive because of all the Mexicans, I tried to tell him I felt otherwise, but he was too old to learn any new tricks. He said people go down there for the casino and get right out. loser. (i went to said casino once...at 3AM on a thursday....it was actually amazingly inspiring. I wanted to paint everybody's portrait.) I envision a low income condo co op for artists of every background, creating a village in which to raise our children, and make art in the company of other creative spirits.... Amen.