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2 bdrm, 2 bath, T-1 line

"What's cooking down at the swimming pool?"
"Wonder if there are any bridge players around here?"
"That leaky faucet is driving me crazy, got to get it fixed today, for sure."

Dealing with these urgent little every day problems is no problem in a growing number of communities, thanks to the latest communications technology. Many new subdivisions, neighborhoods, lofts and apartment developments are installing private computer networks---just for the residents---both for convenience and to create a feeling of togetherness.

The service is typically delivered to homes via high-speed, broadband connections to computers that are always on and thus handy for staying in touch.

In the most common form, these are Web-based intranet connections designed and customized for a specific community. They operate through special home pages that function like switchboards that connect to various features. Those features could range from a handy way to find a baby sitter on Friday night, to a listing of monthly social events, sports and other activities for children, or as a way to reserve a tennis court or sign up for tee times.

Community intranets are popping up around the country, as builders discover their ability to catch the eye of buyers. But experts say interest in them probably dates to the mid-90s with the prominence of Celebration, an experimental new community sponsored by Disney in central Florida. Despite the high-tech bells and whistles, Celebration was a kind of throwback to days of yore, when people lived in true communities, knew and cared about their neighbors, and shopped in stores within walking distance.

The neighborhood intranet idea is a new-tech way to rekindle the warmth, convenience and ambience of such old communities, says Amy Westwood, an Orlando consultant who helped develop the Intranet service at Celebration. "Of the greatest interest is what this convenience does, how it shapes the atmosphere---more than the technology itself," said Westwood.

One of the early local examples of such an intranet was the offering in SummerGrove, a wired subdivision in Newnan, which Westwood has visited several times and praises for its community feel. It has spawned similar offerings in metro Atlanta in new communities like Windermere and a development on Lake Oconee, along with an offering at Reynolds Plantation, an existing development that is adding an intranet service.

Soon a special wireless form of the service will be launched downtown in loft apartments run by Rick Skelton, to demonstrate the usefulness of the service in multiple dwellings as well as subdivisions.

The SummerGrove intranet service is powered by special software dubbed Neighborware, developed by a firm called elliptIQ of Fayetteville, which is now marketing the system around the country.

For SummerGrove developers, Neighborware was an amenity, not unlike the tennis courts and swim pools that are drawing cards in other communities. It featured a live, changing home page full of what's happening at the moment, an easy flowing "post-it" kind of bulletin board, and a system that allowed residents to connect with people of similar interests.

For instance, information on file in a database allows residents to pull together members for special interest groups. There is even a kids corner, where youngsters can chat, socialize, exchange birthday greetings, and get to know one another. The easy means of becoming acquainted is a boon to metro Atlanta communities like SummerGrove and others because it allows newcomers to Georgia to find friends- and a helping hand with resettlement problems.

The intranet, as organized through Neighborware, interconnects with other networks such as those operated by the schools, libraries, health care facilities, and an expandable number of outside sources of help and cooperation.

Skelton Development is installing a special wireless intranet service in its luxury lofts at 90 Fairlie St. that will be powered by Neighborware and accessed through "Internet appliances." The appliances are really tablet-sized hand-held computers that send and receive e-mail and provide information through a touch system. Also, with the touch of a button, the tablets display a keyboard that can be used to type out messages.

The system, put together by an Atlanta firm called Lifepliance, will provide all the usual friendly amenities, but eventually will be wired to stores and shops, which could take orders from residents. Eventually, residents could make dinner reservations, buy theater tickets, or order other services in the neighborhood from businesses that chose to connect with the network. Within the dwelling, the system will allow residents to connect with security forces, or the maintenance staff of the residence, to order repairs that could be done during the day.

"From a management point of view, this will be convenient for the residents, and for the management because we will have continuously updated records of maintenance requests, and progress of the work," said Skelton, the developer.

Joe Snowden, president of elliptIQ, says he thinks intown multiple dwelling developments could prove to be as ripe for Neighborware-type software as the new subdivisions. "One of the keys to the desire for intown living is the basic desire to connect, to participate- and Neighborware speaks to that," said Snowden.

Skelton agreed and added: "The owners and developers of apartment and condominium complexes need a way to add value to their communities and connect better to their residents- and this service does that."