diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 411a6e3..4185b0a 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -8,4 +8,4 @@
 /build
 /dist
 
-/packages/api/core
\ No newline at end of file
+/packages/api/common
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/api/package.json b/packages/api/package.json
index 576e291..d972edf 100644
--- a/packages/api/package.json
+++ b/packages/api/package.json
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@
   "main": "index.ts",
   "license": "MIT",
   "scripts": {
-    "core": "cp -r ../core ./core",
-    "dev": "NODE_ENV=development nodemon",
+    "common": "rm -rf ./common && cp -r ../common/src ./common/",
+    "dev": "NODE_ENV=development && yarn common && nodemon",
     "start:dev": "ts-node index.ts",
     "start": "node dist/index.js",
-    "gcp-build": "yarn core & tsc -p .",
+    "gcp-build": "npm run common && tsc -p .",
     "production": "NODE_ENV=production nodemon"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "axios": "^0.26.1",
+    "firebase": "^9.8.2",
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
     "dotenv": "^16.0.0",
     "express": "^4.17.3",
diff --git a/packages/common/package.json b/packages/common/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5bd0970
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "name": "@nirvana/common",
+  "version": "1.0.0",
+  "main": "index.js",
+  "license": "MIT"
+}
diff --git a/packages/common/src/index.ts b/packages/common/src/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..76f132f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export const connectCore = () => {
+  console.log('CONNECTED COREEEE');
+};
diff --git a/packages/common/src/models/content.model.ts b/packages/common/src/models/content.model.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ba59f4c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/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/common/src/models/conversation.model.ts b/packages/common/src/models/conversation.model.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b5a2c72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/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 = null,
+    public joinedDate = Date,
+  ) {}
+}
+
+export enum MemberRole {
+  admin = 'admin',
+  regular = 'regular',
+}
+export enum MemberState {
+  priority = 'priority',
+  inbox = 'inbox',
+  // deleted = "deleted"
+}
diff --git a/packages/common/src/models/user.model.ts b/packages/common/src/models/user.model.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6fa5b16
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/common/src/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(),
+  ) {}
+}