Ocotillo Valley Retreat
Thanks for visiting... you're our 
visitor since July 15, 2001.
Hi, I'm Michael, trustee for La Escuela.
I am currently developing this site as an
informational clearinghouse for our Co-operative
Housing Group, La Escuela... located here in Tucson
Arizona. We have come together to develop an
alternative living group with an emphasis on quality
of space and activity. We promote and support
various group activities, including weekly bike
rides,
runs, and hikes. Additionally, we hold specialty
meals, potlucks and community event coordinations.
Our compound is located in the Fort Lowell Historic District at the site of the old school house (the source of our name, La Escuela). Visit with us here at 5301 E. Ft. Lowell Rd., Tucson, Az 85712
520-323-8485
Our interests are:
Outdoor Activity
and Recreational
Exercise.
We Celebrate:
Community
Recreational Activity
Alternative
Lifestyle
Email me at imike@theriver.com in the meantime.
Please come back soon and visit with us again.
Check out our Schedule to see what events are going on.
For Details about our Co-operative Trust, both at the Compound and at the new Cascabel Retreat...
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To return to the top of this page...
TO Read a little about our
ADOBE CONSTRUCTION
process and remodeling at the Compound...
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INFO ABOUT OUR MEMBERS:
Darien_Newman
Kathi_Moore
Michael_Jarnagin
Michael_V
MEMBERSHIP/OCCUPANCY OPTIONS:
The residency units at the compound vary from small loft efficiency space to larger, three bedroom units. While the units remain fully occupied, the process of converting from simple rental over to cooperative ownership is continuing. and with the addition of our 80 acre site out in Cascabel, we have expanded opportunity for members.
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We began making improvements to the new retreat propety out in Cascabel back in 1998... the work is all volunteer, creating unique, handbuilt spaces. The setting is high desert with dramatic mountain vistas. We enjoy a quiet, rustic atmosphere, with little or no light pollution. The space is taking shape as desired by the various workers on site. There are a couple of permanent residences going up and sleeping cabin spaces to accomodate visitors. Everyone is welcome to join in the efforts... trade a bit of labor for your room and board!
Darien Newman resides at the compound.
Darien's initial association with the property began
three years ago. He was working part time here
excavating out what was to become the kiva-tipi guest
house. From that project he progressed to doing
various interior and exterior detailings, including
sCurrently we have one rental unit available for conversion and the units owned by the McQuillan Family Trust will soon be available for new co-op owners.
Darien has focused on
cycling for many years, being an active member of the
DooDahs and The Southern Arizona Mountain Bike Ass.,
along with the Perimeter Bicycling Association of
America. His most recent cycling highlights include
completing the Markleeville Death Ride in 36th place
out of over 2600 riders, coming in third in the Tour
of the Tucson Mts, and completeing a 24 hour multiple
loop ride on Mt. Lemmon. During that period he rode
up and down the mountain four times, climbing and
descending over 50,000 feet during the 200+ mile
ride. That's a Double Century!! While continuing
to ride and define new cycling goals, Darien has
started to expand into trail running. He also has a
history of Rollerblade related events and activity.
Darien is a graduate of University High school, class of
1988. *
Kathi Moore no longer resides at the compound.
Kathi became associated with the compound activity
though her tandem riding with Michael Jarnagin on
various GABA cycling events. She later spent a year
working on property projects, eventually moving to
the compound with her son, A.J. She participates in
the A unit houseshare...though she hopes to have her
own unit at some time in the future. Kathi's
interests have shifted from just cycling over to the
more diverse world of triathlon. Training is a
constant focus around the activities of work and
raising A.J. Though Kathi no longer resides at the compound she still keeps an active affiliation with the property *
Michael V resides at the Compound.
Michael became associated with the compound through
our once associated property over on Bell Street. He
initially rented the Loft Unit (where he still
resides), but at the beginning of this year made the
commitment to become a member of the compound. We are
currently modifying space to accomodate his newly
defined participation. Unit A is receiving numerous interior detailings to personalize the space to fit Michael's unique tastes. BR>
Michael Jarnagin resides at the
Compound.
Michael first moved to the property in 1989,
relocating from Sacramento. Ca. The Compound was at
that time a cluster of three rental buildings, with a
huge, flat, gravel covered lot. The units lacked in
style, finish and detailing, but the property and
property location showed promise. Deciding to
augment the sense of historic character suggested by
the remaining ruins and the classification of the
neighboring area (Ft. Lowell Historic District),
Michael and Kathy Lynch began an extensive renovation
of the grounds that continues to this day.
The property ownership went exclusively over to Kathy
in 1993. Michael returned in 1995 as trustee for a
new ownership trust that was planning to expand the
project into a co-operative effort with shared
ownership. Michael still serves as an active trustee
in charge of planning and renovation. His initial
property philosophies are drafted into the body of
the trust guidelines. (insert hot link here)
Michael's main interests lie in the broad realm of
the outdoors... hiking, biking, running, boating, and
travel. *
Jeanne Krinsley no longer resides at the Compound.
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Jill resides at the Compound.
Jill joned us in June of 1999. She splits her time between the rural retreat over in Cascabel and the Compound here in Tucson where she will be building her own adobe yurt.
The Compound is comprised of a variety of housing units, parts of which date back to the turn of the century. The agricultural community which had grown up around the then abandoned Ft. Lowell had expanded to the west of the primary fort area at the juncture of the Pantano and Tanque Verde Wash. At our site they built their first school house for the community of "El Fuerte". The ruins of that school building form part of Brendon's C unit house... and give a pleasant accent to our central courtyard. Additional original adobe walls exist within parts of the A unit house. The school teachers small adobe living quarters formed what is now the livingroom area of that unit. Mud adobe continues to be the building material of choice on the property. We constructed a new, 1200 square feet adobe building on the west side of the lot. The only difference in the block used to build that building and the original blocks are the addition of a small amount of asphalt emulsion added to the mixture. This gives our block a bit more water resistance, allowing us the option of leaving them exposed or plastered. This same mixture is the plaster that we use to coat the exterior through out the compound. It is a simple fifteen parts sand, seven parts clay (each part being a shovel full), a couple of shovels of torn up straw, three quarts of emulsion, and water added to desired consistency. We clean out our mixture after each load, then add emulsion to water... next throwing in the sand then the clay... while the mixture is spinning we add the straw and finally we adjust the moisture level. The tendency is to add too much water. For the mixes going to be used to plaster, we screen the clay through a smaller sieve and we exclude the straw. The mixture is then poured or shoveled into 2x4 molds... and allowed to set for a brief period before the mold is removed... often within the same hour. A good gauge for proper moisture level is how well the bricks maintain their shape when the mold is lifted that soon. If the bricks are allowed to start drying in the mold it can become difficult to remove the mold. After a day or two (depending on weather conditions, the bricks are raised and rested on edge to finish drying. They are ready to use whenever they can be transported.
After the community of "El Fuerte" declined (with the dropping of the ground water levels and the drying up of the Rillito River) through the 1930's, the various buildings were abandoned and fell into ruin. During the 1940's and 1950's new improvements were added over and around the ruins... but using wood frame construction methods as opposed to the original adobe construction typical to the earlier era. The property then became cheaper residential housing out on the far edge of the ever expanding city of Tucson. Eventually, the area was enveloped by the growth in the valley. In the 1990's the city incorporated the Ft. Lowell neighborhood into the city limits proper, but for all practical purposes Tucson had long before bypassed the area, filling in to the surrouding mountains many miles away. The compound now lies comortably within what would be defined as central Tucson.
Little change was made to the property through the 1960's-1980's. But, in the 1970's the neighborhood received a focus of attention that resulted in the defining of the site as an Historic Landmark site within the developing Ft. Lowell Historic District. That, along with the Ft. Lowell Neighborhood Association began to give the property and the street the definition and flavor it maintains today. Our current goal with the property is to reverse some of the appearances developed in the 1950-1960's and augment the general feel of the property... giving it a strong flavor of "old". Our approach is simple. We are facading all of the exterior with either adobe brick or with adobe mud plaster. Additiionally, we have added numerous adobe walls and a few new adobe buildings. We have also rescaped the lay of the land to allow for a dry wash across the property... giving us additional landscaping detail opportuniites. The last six years have made a substantial difference, but the work continues.
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The small, one room adobe spaces spotted around the compound house intern workers who live and work on the compounds main adobe projects. These "intern" housings allow the students to get hands on experience with brick building, mud plastering, wall installation, and numerous other simple building techniques. The students lend a sense of authentic artistry to the finished product. From here, they may move on to the Cascabel Compound to help build the more extensive alternative housing units. We are setting up a work program that will allow members to rotate back and forth between the two settings, working and enjoying either the city setting or the rural retreat in a rotating contrast...
For more information about the residents of LaEscuala, check out their personal web pages:
Darien Newman, Kathi Moore, Michael V, Michael Jarnagin, and Jill.
ADOBE CONSTRUCTION
Casitas