The Zoe Bayliss Student Housing Cooperative announced its plan to move locations to 636 Langdon Street in May 2023, according to a Tuesday press release.
“Our success is a testament to the power of grassroots communities organizing together grit, determination and a genuine care for student well being,” said the Zoe Bayliss board of directors.
The new location will allow the Zoe Bayliss Cooperative community to remain a student cooperative and continue to offer affordable rent prices. Additionally, they will expand their housing as an option to students of all colleges in the Madison area.
“I’m so excited for our move to the new location. [It] will allow us to stay close to campus with affordable rent prices,” Angela Maloney, the Zoe Bayliss president, told the Daily Cardinal. “This is the culmination of a year and a half of hard work by so many people. I’m proud of our perseverance and what we’ve accomplished. This is the power of community."
Zoe Bayliss Cooperative, a 67-year-old cooperative founded in 1955, provides affordable cooperative living on campus. Their mission is to provide an affordable living option for students while encouraging academic and personal exploration in a friendly environment.
After the university announced plans to construct a new humanities building in the current co-op location, the community suffered several months of uncertainty about the future of the cooperative. UW Housing offered Zoe Bayliss the opportunity to move to Phillips Residence Hall last spring, but the co-op voted against the proposal due to concerns regarding price and space.
Zoe Bayliss partnered with Madison Community Cooperative (MCC) to facilitate the move to the new Langdon location and is grateful for all of the care and support they’ve received over the past several months, the press release said.
The Zoe Bayliss community is accepting donations to assist with moving costs. Donations can be sent to Madison Community Cooperative at 1202 Williamson St Suite 106, Madison, WI 53703.
