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In the fall of 1982, a number of people came together with a common goal of developing a housing co-op in downtown London. In December, the group became formally incorporated as the Central London Housing Co-operative Inc.
Throughout the following year the group met regularly, reviewing organizational by-laws and policies, investigating different parcels of land, and suggesting names for the Co-op. In October of 1983, the members at that time voted in favour of changing the name of the Co-op to: Mary Campbell Housing Co-operative Inc., in honour of Mary Campbell, a well known feminist and social activist in London, who had died the previous year. (See "Who was Mary Campbell?" for more information about our namesake.) In February of 1984, the Co-op officially changed its name. In May of 1983, the Co-op negotiated the purchase of the Cleve Court apartments, located at Central and Talbot Streets in downtown London. After some delays in Ottawa, approval was finally received on December 21, 1983, and construction began in 1984. Three of the Cleve Court buildings were torn down to make way for a new seven-story highrise (the "Talbot" building) and parking. The remaining two buildings (renamed "Lichfield" and "Old Kent" by the Co-op membership) were gutted and renovated. On June 22, 1984, the Co-op celebrated its official model suite opening. Shortly after that, the first members of the Co-op moved in. Thus was born the Mary Campbell Co-op.
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