Inside the creative collaboration of 660 Stewart Avenue

By Kelly Kuehn, Student & Campus Life

It was a sweltering August day when Eliza Gifford ‘24 moved into the 660 Stewart Avenue co-op. The environment and sustainability major was heading into the fall semester of her junior year and was nervous moving into a brand new space. Her father, a Cornell alum, told her about the university’s cooperative housing options and now, here, she was living in a new place with 20 people, all from different walks of life. 

After unpacking, Eliza went downstairs and explored her new home on campus. Those nerves she initially felt were calmed once she saw photos of past house members and the unique artwork on 660’s walls.

“It seemed like such a homey, community space,” Gifford recalls. 

Adam Alnasser ‘23 had a similar move-in experience at 660. The computer science and philosophy major was looking for a different residential experience as he entered his junior year and was drawn to the camaraderie and inclusiveness of the co-ops. After moving in, he went down to the living room and started talking to his new housemates.

“It felt like I was coming home at Thanksgiving,” Alnasser says. 

Creating a sense of belonging at 660 Stewart Avenue 

660 Stewart Avenue, located at the edge of West Campus, is a spacious and charming residence housing 20+ Cornellians. You walk in and immediately feel the life that’s lived in its halls as house members gather at the dining room table to enjoy a meal, have meaningful conversations about social issues on the porch and, occasionally, partake in some friendly martial arts sparring in the living room. The 660 crew is also a creative bunch, with several artists and musicians practicing their craft and creating lively work. 

“It’s the vibrant group of people that live here,” Gifford says. “It changes so often, but I think the fact we’re able to become a little family every semester is a cool thing.” 

That little family, filled with people of diverse backgrounds, creates a culture of collaboration and belonging within 660 walls. 

“The goal of this house is to have an environment where you’re comfortable being yourself and comfortable with expressing yourself,” Alnasser says. 

660 Stewart Avenue’s influence on students

Living in a co-op with 20+ peers provides plenty of opportunities for communal growth and development. Residents split up house chores, vote on key house decisions and discuss how to encourage diversity and safety in their space. 

“You get to hang out with people as friends, but then you also get to function as a living community,” Gifford explains. 

That collaboration has also broadened house members’ knowledge of life at Cornell. Alnasser says that, in his experience with peers within his major, discussions tend to center around classwork and studies. However, hearing what his housemates are up to exposes him to things happening around Cornell and Ithaca that he may not have known about before. 

It’s also helped him realize that there are others with similar backgrounds as his, forming strong connection points that lead to tight-knit bonds. 

“It gives you a sense that you’re not alone,” he explains. 

The leadership opportunities within 660 also pave the way for personal and professional growth. Gifford is a House Manager, meaning she’s responsible for coordinating house operations and collaborating with Cornell administration for house needs. She’s developing skills in this role that she’ll use long after she graduates, including organization and communication. Living in the co-op has also helped her break out of her shell. 

“I think I’m an introvert, and so during my first few years at Cornell, I struggled to find a group where I really felt a part of,” Gifford says. “Deciding to live in 660 was a great decision that influenced a lot of personal growth.” 

What 660 Stewart Avenue offers to students 

660 has a number of residential features for students, including: 

• Single, double, and triple rooms, with shared bathrooms
• A living room with a fireplace, a library, a kitchen, a pool table, laundry facilities and on-site parking available with a parking permit obtained through Transportation Services 
• A sizeable lawn and views of Cayuga Lake 

660 also offers Cornell students the invaluable opportunity to collaborate with peers and learn from them each step of the way. 

“I think being a part of this community has been very fulfilling in the sense that I feel I have learned a lot from so many other people that live here,” Gifford says. 

It’s this unique residential experience that sets students up for success—while having some fun, of course. And for those on the fence about exploring co-op living, Alnasser invites you to ponder the following question: “Where in your life are you going to live with 20 people that are your age, that want to do what you want to do?”  

What waits for you at 660 Stewart Avenue or one of Cornell’s other cooperative living spaces? Learn more about co-op living by attending the next Co-Op Mosey on Sunday, Feb. 11 or emailing co-ops@cornell.edu.