diff --git a/packages/api/.eslintrc.json b/packages/new_api/.eslintrc.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/.eslintrc.json
rename to packages/new_api/.eslintrc.json
diff --git a/packages/api/.gcloudignore b/packages/new_api/.gcloudignore
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/.gcloudignore
rename to packages/new_api/.gcloudignore
diff --git a/packages/api/.gitignore b/packages/new_api/.gitignore
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/.gitignore
rename to packages/new_api/.gitignore
diff --git a/packages/api/app.yaml b/packages/new_api/app.yaml
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/app.yaml
rename to packages/new_api/app.yaml
diff --git a/packages/new_api/common/index.ts b/packages/new_api/common/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76f132f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/new_api/common/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export const connectCore = () => {
+  console.log('CONNECTED COREEEE');
+};
diff --git a/packages/new_api/common/models/content.model.ts b/packages/new_api/common/models/content.model.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba59f4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/new_api/common/models/content.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+export interface IContent {
+  id: string;
+  creatorUserId: string;
+  contentUrl: string; // remote resource of file/media
+  createdDate: Date;
+
+  // visitCount
+}
+
+// ? persist length of clip for easier viewing for others...
+// ?they have to load it anyway and will get metadata anyway?
+export class ContentBlock implements IContent {
+  constructor(
+    public id: string,
+    public creatorUserId: string,
+    public contentUrl: string,
+
+    public contentType: ContentType,
+    public blobType: string,
+
+    public createdDate: Date,
+  ) {}
+}
+
+export enum ContentType {
+  audio = 'audio',
+
+  link = 'link',
+
+  image = 'image',
+}
+
+export function isUrlImage(url: string) {
+  return url.match(/\.(jpeg|jpg|gif|png)$/) != null;
+}
diff --git a/packages/new_api/common/models/conversation.model.ts b/packages/new_api/common/models/conversation.model.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3ed04d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/new_api/common/models/conversation.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+import { User } from './user.model';
+export default class Conversation {
+  constructor(
+    public id: string,
+    public createdByUserId: string,
+
+    public memberIdsList: string[],
+
+    public members: MemberMap,
+
+    public userCache: User[],
+
+    public name: string | null = null,
+
+    public lastUpdatedDate: Date,
+
+    public createdDate: Date,
+
+    public membersInRoom: string[] = [],
+  ) {}
+}
+
+export type MemberMap = {
+  [memberId: string]: ConversationMember;
+};
+
+export class ConversationMember {
+  constructor(
+    public userId: string, // NOTE: serves as the user ID
+
+    public role: MemberRole,
+
+    public memberState: MemberState,
+    public isActive: boolean = true,
+    public lastActiveDate: Date,
+    public joinedDate = Date,
+  ) {}
+}
+
+export enum MemberRole {
+  admin = 'admin',
+  regular = 'regular',
+}
+export enum MemberState {
+  priority = 'priority',
+  inbox = 'inbox',
+  // deleted = "deleted"
+}
diff --git a/packages/new_api/common/models/user.model.ts b/packages/new_api/common/models/user.model.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6fa5b16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/new_api/common/models/user.model.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+export class User {
+  lastUpdatedDate?: Date;
+
+  priorityConversations?: string[]; // id of all priority convos
+
+  constructor(
+    public id: string,
+    public uid: string,
+    public providerId: string,
+    public email: string,
+    public displayName?: string,
+    public photoUrl?: string,
+    public phoneNumber?: string,
+    public createdDate: Date = new Date(),
+  ) {}
+}
diff --git a/packages/api/config/index.ts b/packages/new_api/config/index.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/config/index.ts
rename to packages/new_api/config/index.ts
diff --git a/packages/api/index.ts b/packages/new_api/index.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/index.ts
rename to packages/new_api/index.ts
diff --git a/packages/api/nodemon.json b/packages/new_api/nodemon.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/nodemon.json
rename to packages/new_api/nodemon.json
diff --git a/packages/api/package.json b/packages/new_api/package.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/package.json
rename to packages/new_api/package.json
diff --git a/packages/new_api/routes.ts b/packages/new_api/routes.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c8b3500
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/new_api/routes.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+import express from 'express';
+
+const router = express.Router();
+
+router.use(express.json());
+
+router.post('/login', loginOrCreate);
diff --git a/packages/new_api/services/UserService.ts b/packages/new_api/services/UserService.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c480738
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/new_api/services/UserService.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+export default class UserService {
+  static async loginOrCreate() {
+    // get the user
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/api/src/socket.ts b/packages/new_api/src/socket.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/src/socket.ts
rename to packages/new_api/src/socket.ts
diff --git a/packages/api/tsconfig.json b/packages/new_api/tsconfig.json
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/api/tsconfig.json
rename to packages/new_api/tsconfig.json