In one of the more bizarre moves in the Miami real estate world, developers plan to build a luxury car condo in Overtown called AutoHouse, reports the Miami Herald.
Yes, a seven-story storage facility/car gallery will house Maseratis and not their human owners. Only this isn’t your typical storage facility, with 24-hour security, a members-only social club and a restaurant on the roof.
"A lot of people that own second or third homes here in Miami, when they leave to go back to wherever they live, they take vehicles that are high in value and they store them," said developer Louis Birdman, who’s also part of the team behind ultra-luxury One Thousand Museum condo tower in downtown Miami. "We’re trying to make a space where they can display their cars in a gallery-type setting and get together with people who share their interests."
The site sits just west of I-95 at 375 NW 7th St. near the Lyric Theater. Prices for the 45 climate-controlled units range from $350,000 to more than $1.5 million. Buyers can also outfit them with wet bars and sound systems.
Some residents are rightfully not enthused.
"This is not the kind of development this community needs at all," agreed Irby McKnight, who has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years and serves on the city of Miami’s advisory board for Overtown. "We need workforce housing."
McKnight fears the new wave of projects will displace locals as prices rise.
Louis Birdman and Jay Massirman are developing the project, with the former part of the team at One Thousand Museum. Like many, I feel this kind of development in this area is in poor taste and a bit perplexing.
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