A NEW trend is coming to the homes of wealthy car owners across the US – and it’s causing an eyesore for their neighbors.
It’s what’s dubbed a “man-cave-meets-Storage Wars revolution”, gearheads with a collection of fancy vehicles are having complex garage condos built to store their large toys.
When a regular garage isn’t quite big enough for all the cars, boats, snowmobiles, or RVs, some are turning to luxury storage spaces – complete with all the comforts of home.
That includes Bret Bailey, a 64-year-old retired IT manager, who found his three-car garage in Minneapolis wasn’t quite cutting it.
He was even forced to keep his racing Porsche in a trailer outside – through the brutal Minnesota winters.
But one March, Bailey discovered the wheels of the trailer had frozen to the ground.
“For two weeks, I’m throwing salt out there,” he said.
Now, he keeps his two Porsches, Ferrari, custom Harley, dune buggy and racing trailer in a nearly 2,700-square-foot space.
It also has a tequila bar, heated floors, bathroom with a shower, giant TV, leather sofa, stack of racing tires and a car lift.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, these car barns, barndominiums, toy sheds, garage mahals or shouses (for shop houses), are becoming a big hit.
Bruno Silikowski, who developed the Chanhassen AutoPlex and the even larger AutoMotorPlex Medina, while also starting a new complex near Indianapolis, said: “Whatever the weather, it’s a way for somebody to enjoy their passion.”
He’s also in talks to help start projects in Texas, Florida, New Jersey and New York.
But one homeowner’s dream garage is another’s backyard nightmare.
In recent times, these mega-projects have sparked lawsuits, zoning battles and moratoria.
That includes in Victoria, Minnesota, where dozens of home owners signed a petition to reverse city approval for a plan for a five-bedroom house with a 6,000-square-foot garage.
That’s a space big enough to hold at least 20 cars.
Chris Keppel, 60, a semi-retired real-estate agent, said: “It’s giant.
“I can’t describe it any other way than it looks like having a Tires Plus in my backyard.”
The crux of the debate is whether the garage is free-standing, which would limit its size under city rules, or attached by means of a covered walkway.
But Victoria Mayor Deb McMillan said: “I know that the neighbors are not happy about it, and I sympathize with them, but you can’t arbitrarily deny something because somebody doesn’t like it.”
Another high-profile dispute in the Twin Cities area involves a yearslong legal battle over a waterfront home in Wayzata.
A judge called IT a “garage mahal” with more than 1,600-square-foot detached structure large enough to hold a tour-bus-style RV and other vehicles.
“It’s a big deal,” the judge said in a 2022 hearing.
“It’s not like the little squatty garage I have at the edge of my property where I park my Honda.”
The neighbors sued, alleging the project violated city codes and environmental regulations.
Bill Skolnick, attorney for the homeowners, defends the project, including the main house, which has an attached garage for cars, and the separate garage for the RV.
“It’s a subterranean garage; all you see is this door, and by the way, it’s a beautiful door,” Skolnick said. “My people spent $18 million; they haven’t built a shack.”
The plaintiffs lost their battle against the now-finished project but are considering an appeal, said their attorney, Jack Perry.
About the Tesla Cybertruck
There are three trim levels to the esteemed EV pick up, starting from $81,000 and going up to $101,000 depending on the trim level.
With either the single or tri-motor configuration, the Cybertruck is more than just funky looks and sharp angles. The EV pickup boasts 600 horsepower with the dual-motor configuration, and the tri-motor goes up to 834 horsepower. With 100 percent torque at zero RPM due to electric motors, the truck can reportedly tow up to 11,000 pounds.
The range, despite the heft, is an average of 340 miles, and the Supercharger network can add between 128 and 136 miles within just 15 minutes of quick charging. Zero to 60 times for both the dual and tri-motor variants are under four seconds.
While the starting price for the dual and tri-motor configuration is steep at $81,895 and $101,985, a rear-wheel drive version is coming in 2025 that will start at $62,985.
Source: Car and Driver
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