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.

On January 6 and 7, we offer you two distinct opportunities to gather with like-minded friends in the company of Frank Bruni, the multi-award-winning New York Times columnist and author of five best-selling books including his latest, The Age of Grievance. At the Times, Bruni was a metro reporter, White House correspondent, Rome bureau chief, restaurant critic, and opinion columnist. Still writing his column for the Times, he now teaches journalism at Duke University. THE PRIVATE COCKTAIL PARTY: Monday, January 6, 5- 7pm, Location to be provided upon RSVP.. THE LUNCHEON EVENT - Hurry! Almost sold out: Tuesday, January 7, 11:30am - 1:30pm, Sarasota Yacht Club. 

To learn more, visit.

A burn ban is currently in effect for Sarasota County due to local drought conditions and an increased chance of fire hazards. Under Sarasota County’s burn ban ordinance (Sarasota County Code Section 58-2), burn bans automatically go into effect countywide and prohibit almost all open burning when the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) meets or exceeds 500. All outdoor burning is prohibited unless a permit has been issued and is applicable for the unincorporated areas of Sarasota County and the City of Sarasota. Exceptions to this include cooking on barbeque grills or pits that do not exceed three feet in diameter and two feet in height, or any other valid state or county-authorized burn. For more information, call 311 in Sarasota County or visit scgov.net/fire.  

Selby Gardens presents Sarasota’s most sophisticated black-tie New Year’s Eve experience at our Downtown Sarasota campus! Enjoy private access to our award-winning Lights in Bloom® holiday light show, passed hors d’oeuvres, a seated four-course dinner, as well as a performance by Sarasota Ballet's Margaret Barbieri Conservatory and dancing to DJ Karim. The countdown to the new year culminates with a champagne toast and a perfect view of the fireworks overlooking Sarasota Bay.

New Year's Eve Gala, December 31, 7pm. to 1am., Downtown Sarasota campus. 

To learn more, visit.

Art is everywhere you look and Will Ralston is putting it there, December 2024.

Read Here!