Photo courtesy Joanna Benante.

Car condominiums have grown in popularity in Sarasota, where collectors often need more space than home garages provide. But multiple storms that struck the Gulf coast this fall added further fuel to the growing market of housing for automobiles. 

Joanna Benante, a Realtor with Michael Saunders & Company, has led sales efforts for Car Collective, an 11-unit facility opening in January on Ciboney Court east of Interstate-75. Seven units are already sold, with the remaining listed between $495,000 and $587,000. 

Benante said the prime market for car condominiums comes from buyers downtown or living on the barrier islands, even though the Car Collective is located further inland. The location, built 38 feet above sea level and designed to withstand Category 4 hurricane winds, was strategic.

Dr. Scott Elsbree, the designer for Car Collective, lives downtown himself and said the project meets specific needs.

“We reside in downtown Sarasota, and we needed a safe and secure, high and dry location, with impact-rated construction for our own collection,” he said. “We also desired to create a small community of like-minded enthusiasts. Car Collective has covered everything on our list.”

Units range from 800 to 2,215 square feet, with each garage boasting 20-foot clearance, 12-foot wide by 14-foot high garage doors, a half bath, a utility sink and HVAC for climate control.

This is the fourth car condo Benante has marketed since 2019. She said a majority of buyers own car collections, but there is a good mix of those who desire a safe place to store cars after the storms. After Hurricane Milton flooded many coastal garages, she expects remaining units at Car Collective to fly off shelves.

“A lot of cars were lost in October,” she said. “This is a solution for those in high-rise condos who have almost underground parking, as well as people on the islands who have collections they want to store away from the salty air.” 

Photo courtesy Joanna Benante.