Third Street Cottages - Whidbey Island, WA

Pioneering excellence

This trend-setting pocket neighborhood is the result of the passion generated by a broad base of people who believe new housing choices are needed and took the risks to pioneer new models that build community, address sustainability & provide for 'smart growth'. People on every level paved the way for the Third Street Cottages: a forward-thinking state government, a pro-active planning director, an innovative architect, a sensitive developer, an enlightened banker, and a supportive local community.

Third Street Cottages is located in a small town on Whidbey Island, just an hour drive and short ferry ride from downtown Seattle. To preserve its character, diversity and to discourage the spread of placeless sprawl, the community adopted a forward-thinking "Cottage Housing Development" (CHD) single-family zoning code provision that made Third Street Cottages legally possible. The Third Street Cottages consist of eight detached, one bedroom plus loft cottages clustered around a garden courtyard with detached parking. Built on four single family lots (each 7,200 SF), these homes were the first in the United States to utilize a 'cottage housing development' land use code, allowing a 100 percent density increase for size-limited (all cottages were less than 1,000 square-feet) smaller homes in all single-family residential zones.

Third Street Cottages was completed and SOLD OUT in 1998.  Sign Up Here to be notified of resale opportunities in this community.

The Third Street Cottages is designed by Ross Chapin AIA, Ross Chapin Architects.

The Wall Street Journal features The Cottage Company
The Wall Street Journal features The Cottage Company in a cover story titled 'Luxury homes that come in little packages'.

Best in American Living features The Cottage Company
The Cottage Company is featured in the Winter 2014 issue of Best in American Living, published by the National Association of Home Builders, in an article titled 'The Missing Middle'.

On Common Ground's Winter 2014 issue features The Cottage Company
On Common Ground, published by the National Association of Realtors & Smart Growth, features The Cottage Company in an article titled 'Mid-Range Density'. Owners from Ericksen Cottages & Conover Commons are interviewed.

Kitsap Business Journal features Ericksen Cottages & Chico Beach Cottages architect Charlie Wenzlau
Ericksen Cottages & Chico Beach Cottages architect Charlie Wenzlau is featured in a story profiling the broad scope of his great work on Bainbridge Island and in Kitsap County.

Better Homes & Gardens magazine features The Cottage Company!
BH&G featured one of our Seattle home renovations in it's April 2013 edition. The home was completely rebuilt as new renovation that includes many energy efficient features and rain gardens that infiltrate 100% of the storm water runoff from the property!

Linda Pruitt Keynote Speaker at Delaware Housing Summit
Join Linda Pruitt and other thought-leaders for 'Planning for Complete Communities in Delaware', a day long summit on November 13, 2012.

Chico Beach Cottages a Builders Choice Grand Award Winner!
Chico Beach Cottages was selected to receive a Grand Award for single family community at the 32nd annual Builders Choice Design & Planning Awards!

Chico Beach Cottages featured in Professional Builder magazine!
Professional Builder magazine features Chico Beach Cottages in a story entitled 'Young at heart: Designing homes for the new 50+ market'. Thanks to writer Susan Bady!

U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development features Danielson Grove Case Study
Kirkland's innovative land use code that allowed our Danielson Grove 'pocket neighborhood' community to be built is profiled in a recent Department of Housing and Urban Development 'best practice' case study.

The Cottage Company is featured in 'On Common Ground's' Winter 2012 issue
The National Association of Realtors Winter 2012 publication 'On Common Ground', features coverage of our pocket neighborhood communities in an article titled 'Building Community on a small scale and at a slower pace'.

The Cottage Company featured in USA Today
USA Today profiled homeowners in our Greenwood Avenue Cottages pocket neighborhood community!

Alaska Airlines features The Cottage Company!
Alaska Airlines March 2011 in-flight magazine features The Cottage Company in an article by Jennifer Haupt titled 'Low Maintenance Living'. View the digital edition on Page 98.

Home Sweet Cozy Home
The Seattle Times featured our Greenwood Avenue Cottages in 'An Upside to Downsizing'. The cottages that have sprouted around the Seattle area are small, but don't feel that way and are part of a nationwide trend toward smaller homes.

Conover Commons wins two 2009 Gold Nugget Grand Awards at PCBC
Conover Commons was awarded two 2009 Grand Awards at the recent Pacific Coast Builders Conference Gold Nugget Awards held in San Francisco.

Conover Commons wins 2009 AIA National Housing Award
Conover Commons wins American Institute of Architects 2009 Housing Award! Conover Commons awarded in the One/Two Family Production Housing category, was one of only 17 national winners.

Lehrer News Hour
The Lehrer News Hour on PBS recently featured our Danielson Grove community as an example of 'low impact development' and more sustainable storm water quality management. View the video.

Cottage Living Magazine
Cottage Living Magazine features our Greenwood Avenue Cottages, Danielson Grove and Third Street Cottages communities.

World Changing Seattle
The online publication, World Changing Seattle, published an October 2008 story featuring our Danielson Grove & Third Street Cottages communities.

Seattle Times Pacific NW Magazine
Pacific NW Magazine features our Danielson Grove community in an article by Valerie Easton.

Completed Communities:

Project details

What homeowners say:

"At first, it was difficult to figure out what to throw out or give away.  It took several months to decide what fit into our home and what didn't. But each year we just seem to be getting rid of more and more stuff. The longer we live here, the simpler our lives become. You become truly aware of what matters most."