Between 705 & 1200 SQ/FT The Garage at The Place in The Valley (Garage Condo 45x23x20)

This garage will be part of a new garage condo facility called The Place. It is located in the Chesterfield Valley just west of St. Louis, Missouri. Most of the locals just call it "the valley". The name "The Place" seems a bit pretentious but the developers have high goals. We started joking about taking The Car to The Garage at The Place in The Valley. Thus the name was born and has stuck for now.

First, this is a picture of the garage condo facility as a whole. The project is in two phases with the completed facility shown below. It is going to have pour and tilt concrete construction with units ranging from 747 sq.ft. all the way up to 4180 sq.ft. One of the units will be furnished as club house with bathrooms. Wi-fi will be available through out the facility. Security will include a keypad limited access gate and security cameras.


The first phase is just this smaller half. We are purchasing and finishing out unit 25. We originally were going for the even smaller 35' deep unit on the end but decided to step up to the 45' unit.


I am going to document and comment on the build of the condo facility in general as well as the build out of my unit in this thread. If you want to skip the commentary or just want to see more details, I have many more photos in a two flickr albums located here:

Flickr Album - The Place Garage Condo Construction
Flickr Album - The Place - Unit 25 Build Out
Flickr Album - The Place - Latest Condo Pics

And to lure you into the thread - I'm going to post a couple pictures here from the grand opening of The Place. Hopefully, now that you know how it turns out, you'll want to follow along.


And a couple more of the mostly completed garage (it will never be done).

Index 1

This thread is long so this post contains an index linking to some important steps in the process. This post (#2) has links to the first 1000 posts. I started a new index on post 1000 for the next 1000 links. You can now jump to a place quickly - enjoy!

Hint: This is just a list on a web browser. If you use Tapatalk it puts pictures in each post and gets crazy long to look at. Either use a web browser or in Tapatalk go to the upper right and engage web view mode.

Index 1 (Select Post # To Jump to Topic)
001 Start of Thread
002 Index 1 of Key Posts
004 Empty Field Pre-Construction
005 Foundations / Utilities
014 My Unit - Tri / Elevation / Plan Views
021 Slab Pour - Outer Building
028 Start of Wall Forms
034 Slab Pour - Inner Building
043 Brick Vaneer - Wall Forms
046 First Wall Pours - Outer Building
059 Center Building Wall Pours
062 First Wall Tilts
086 Pour Second Set of Walls
091 Crane Pics
093 Tilting Second Set of Walls
098 Steel Trusses
117 Aerial Photos
127 Roof Decking
141 Garage Doors
149 Stone Work
150 Windows
157 Clubhouse Studs & HVAC
164 Stone Caps, Clubhouse Drywall
180 Stamped Concrete, Studs in My Unit
195 Concrete in Entrance
206 Courtyard Concrete Forms
220 Drone Video
226 Concrete Entryway Pours
232 Clubhouse Paint
233 Electrical/Plumbing in My Unit
235 My Unit Interior Fixture & Paint Selections
244 My Unit - Final Pre-Drywall
250 Rain Canopies
256 Power On In Clubhouse
258 My HVAC
278 Fence Install
292 Gate Install
302 Clubhouse Getting Furiniture
317 Landscaping Starts
334 The Place - Grand Opening
346 SNAFU - ADA Compliance Issues
364 Alternate ADA Bathrooms
376 Vehicular History and Why I Am Here
388 Fun Facts About Our Cars
404 Official Owners of Unit 25
409 Hanging Out At The Place
415 Garage At Night
416 Premature Celebration
430 Ecobee Screens
435 Permits Go Sideways Again
440 Ceremonial First Parking
452 HVAC Issues
459 Official Throw In The Towel - No Bathroom In Unit
469 Winter WarmUp 2017
478 HVAC Issues Resolved
479 Temp WiFi Camera Installed
482 STL Porsche Club Dealer Tour
485 New - No Bathroom - Mezzanine Plans
495 April 2017 C&C - Overhead Shots
502 April 2017 STL Floods - No Issues
504 May 2017 C&C
511 Unit 25 Build Out Schedule - Bar Plans
513 June 2017 C&C
516 An Actual Permit!!!!
523 Steel Mezzanine Construction Begins
532 Plumbing Hook-ups (Sewer/Water) Begins
550 Floor Joists
551 Mezzanine Flooring
558 Concrete Pour
568 Views From Mezzanine - Stub Walls Start
570 Stub Walls
577 Electrical
579 Plumbing
582 More Electrical / Plumbing
588 Sprinklers
594 New Satellite Pic of Complex
595 Drywall
600 Mud & Tape
602 Sept 2017 C&C
608 More Mud
616 Paint Teaser
620 C&C Name That Engine
622 Paint
632 Mezzanine Flooring Install
634 Ceiling Fan & Cabinets
636 Lights On
637 Fan On
646 Concrete Repair Poured
647 Stub Wall Cap & Fireplace
650 Stripe
661 Sink & Fridge
663 Countertops
676 October 2017 Amazon Grand Tour C&C
683 QuadTV Install
690 IKEA
697 Porsche Artwork
708 AutoUrge Article
710 Epoxy Floor Install
739 Painted Conduit
740 Baseboard! - Construction Completed!
748 Husky Roller Box
754 New Age Cabinets
764 A Nice Day
769 Snow Day / New Age Wall Cabinets
786 Wash Buckets
789 Chargers
795 Quad TV How-to
799 Hose Reel / Washer-Dryer / Bench
813 Porsche Neon
818 The Place Developer Pictures
828 2018 STL Autoshow
836 Air Compressor
843 QuickJack
846 Sensors / Magnets / Tire Dollies
848 IKEA Towers / German Signs
858 Flags
862 HRE Wheels
867 PCA Garage Tour
874 Happy Hour / Cars & Coffee / AUS
875 Porsche 70th Birthday Party
876 Audi Gateway Driver Event
878 Wash and Wax
885 3 Years at The Place!
890 Porsche Parage - Lake of the Ozarks
893 Macan
903 Lift Musings
911 BRZ
920 2019 STL Autoshow
928 LA Trip - The Peterson
929 LA Trip - The Porsche Experience Center
930 LA Trip - 718 GTS Turo Rental
943 Porsches @ The Place
946 Porsche 997 & Macan AutoX
951 Summer Europe Trip & The Place Car Meets
953 Porsches @ The Place II Announcement
955 Porsches @ The Place II Stickers
964 Porsche License Plate Key Rack
972 2019 Spirit Airshow From The Place
978 Porsches @ The Place II
985 Porsches @ The Place III Announcement
987 Tin Men Movie
989 Little Things Added To Garage
999 Porsches @ The Place III Stickers!
1000 Index 2 (For Next 1000 Posts)

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

That is awesome... These are popping up, but not where I live yet(Chicago north suburb)... You mind sharing about the money on this- lease, buy, etc.. ?? Also, what's going in this masterpiece? Assume it has a sink, etc? Very cool!

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First, a pre-construction photo... I always amazed to look back at how a place looked prior to the build.



Grading of the site started on November 7th, 2015. They had great weather all summer and early fall but couldn't get all the financing in place until November - ugh.

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Foundations for the outer U-shaped building went in first.



Utilities being set for the center building:



And foundations for the center building:



Lots of utility work for multiple units in a single building:



Starting to prep for the the slab pour by creating wood forms around the perimeter of the u-shaped building.

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That's Kool. Ill be watching

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@Geos'66

It is a "buy" with a condo association fee to take care of the property and "clubhouse". The price is not cheap. It is about $130 per sq.ft. and we have one of the smaller units. And that was during the pre-construction sale that included the base unit, painted walls, HVAC (AC/Heat) and sealed concrete. The prices have already gone up and the HVAC and sealed concrete were only included in the pre-construction sale. Anything beyond that is up to you....

It is cheaper for us than upgrading to a new house to get a larger garage. We were completely landlocked in our house with only a couple feet to the property line. With 4 cars and a two car garage I was scraping ice in the winter way too much. I was literally carrying tires into and out of my basement multiple times a year. We like our house so when this property started advertising and only a 10 minute drive away it seemed like a good fit for us.

As far as what it has in it ... you can add what ever you can spend. My plan is for a full bath (w/ shower) for the loft as well as a rough in for a bar sink and utility sink on the lower level. I have some crazy ideas for a quad Tv set up that I will see if I can get to work. I really am hoping that we get a community of car loving people and it can be a place to hang out on weekends.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

Very cool. I'm out in Wentzville. I had no idea STL was getting this sort of garage condo unit. Can't wait to see what you do with it.

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Thanks... Totally agree... There is something like this in Burbia here, 60 miles away... Good for you and keep the pics coming. Again, awesome place to hang-gonna meet some really cool people, too.

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I had read about this in the Post a few weeks ago. I was hoping that one would show up here. I am out that way at ITAP once a week, but have yet to make it that far down to check it out. I might have to go out there now. I cant wait to see what you do with the space.

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Love these condo set ups. There don't seem to be any in San Diego, I assume land's too expensive to put one centrally.

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Haven't heard of anything like that here in northern Austin, would be cool if they did though.

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I rent two garage condo units. Love it, it's handy to have people of different trades around, works out well. Mine is about the same size too, 1k sq ft.

One thing I can tell you from personal experience, is it is best to get a middle unit some where. It is easier to get an adjoining unit later on if you want to (I got another, but mine is 3 doors down. Took years to get that, not a high turn over)

and it being in the middle is great for heat in the winter. Big difference in my two units, one has storage(unheated) on both sides, and the heater is constantly on. The other on has heat on the sides and I have never turned the heat on.

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I've spent quite a bit of time putting together some simple plans for our unit build out in PowerPoint of all things....

They are ideas of where I want to be now but I can't afford everything at once. Still, I am trying to plan ahead. I am working with the builder to get the loft and bathroom in the original build but probably will not get the cabinets or lifts in on day one. I'm trying to get the infrastructure in place so I can keep adding over time.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

Looks pretty cool
I just love spending time in the planning stage. It resolves a lot of problems downstream

Good luck
Don

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With your planned mezzanine and all of it's creature comforts there is no reason for you to go home when you are in dutch or thrashing on a project. You might want a washer and dryer for shop rags and coveralls. A frig on the first floor so your not running upstairs all the time when you are grilling out or scarfing delivery pizza as you work would be nice as well.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

The weather has been very cold but work continues. They are working on hooking up the sewer outlets from each unit to the main line. They are also working on the storm water drains.







It looks like there is one water main input per large building. I'm not sure if that means the water runs into each unit will be down from the ceiling or through the walls...



The framing for the forms to pour the main concrete pad is probably 75% complete on the larger U shaped building. There are joggles on the pad for each garage door and person sized door but the back of the building is just one long run. It is interesting that the re-bar bends from the foundation into the pad in the building and to the poured concrete that will be between the buildings.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

Keep up with pic updates. I'm considering a garage condo in my city too. (One unit, not as a developer lol)

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Now this is cool. I always wondered why we didn't see more of these.

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This is awesome keep us updated. I would love something like this but believe eventually I'll have enough land at my current house to build a sizable shop.

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They have started the slab pours!





There is an interesting feature where the garage doors will be with a metal frame and threshold that is lower than the floor slab.





Alas, my slab has not been poured yet. And with the temps getting in the teens this week, it may not be poured for a while.

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Interesting equipment ... couldn't help but take a couple photos.

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Congrats. I have an end unit in a 6-unit condo. I like the end because I have a 10' green space on side and 15' out back. Downside to the end is I only have one sheet rocked wall whereas the middle units have both walls sheet rocked. Always trade offs.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

That is cool. If I was a single guy and that place was a shade bigger, I could live there.

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Stopped by for my regular Saturday visit and I did not expect to find much since it was so cold this week. Instead I found lots of work going on connecting the main water supply to the buildings. I thought this had been done before because there were supply pipes coming up through the foundation. It turns out that that pipe coming through the foundation only went about a foot past the foundation.







I believe now that the main sewer, storm water drainage, and water supply lines have been installed. Some of the units in the small building need to have their units connected to the main sewer line as it had to wait for the water install (the lines cross). I believe that conduits are in place for the main electrical feeds but I am not positive. I know the conduits are in place that run under the slabs - I'm just not sure if the lines from the street to each building are in place yet.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

They also pulled the forms off the slabs that were poured two weeks ago but no new concrete was poured.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

This is awesome.

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It really warmed up in STL this week - it got to 70F today. I stopped at the construction site on my way home because I was hopeful they had used the good weather this week to pour the other slabs. No luck there. They are still working water and sewer connections.

But I did find something cool. They are laying out the walls on the slab that was poured several weeks ago. This is a "pour and tilt" building with concrete floors, concrete walls, and a steel truss roof. All of the walls will be poured concrete on the main slab. Once cured, the wall sections will be lifted vertically to be the walls. You can see the forms here for almost the entire back wall with wooden forms where the windows will be located.



They filled in the saw cuts in the main slab with foam and have small wood strips to create architectural details in the concrete once poured. I was surprised to see that the wood forms looked like there were actually nailed to the main slab. I didn't climb out and look closely so I may be mistaken...



And one more picture of the other end of the slab. Notice that they are not as far along setting up the forms here.



I only had my cell phone with me so I will try to stop by this weekend and get some more photos.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

I went down on Saturday but the job site was active so I stayed away. Today, things were quiet so I took some more pictures.

It looks like the sewer and water hook ups are almost done. They are still working the main water hookups at the street and doing the final sewer connections that had lines that crossed the water lines. If you look close below you can see the water line (blue and deepest) crossing at 90 degrees to the sewer lines (blue/green with white tee). The grey line is actually for the electrical and passes across the street to the back side of the larger u-shaped building. I think they just need to back fill some more and the utilities will be done. I'm not sure where the dirt went but there didn't appear to be any piles left to fill in the holes....



I took a couple close ups of the wall concrete forms. They really are nailing them to the concrete slab. There is also what looks like a piece of nylon string in each hole with the nail. Do you think they drill a hole and then nail in a smaller diameter nail with the nylon to keep the concrete from cracking?





I also took a close up of the foam that was sprayed into the saw cuts in the concrete. @dkroth: I have no idea what they use for a release agent. My guess is that they do not use anything. There are no release agents on the wood forms....



It sure looks like they are setting themselves up for a big pour this week. They should be able to do the slabs on the second half of the big building, the slab on the small building, and the wall forms all at the same time.

We had a decent rain last night and things are a little wet at the moment. Dealing with the elements is just part of life when building.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

Wish I had the money to build a garage condo around me. There are none that I know of but I bet it would be popular around me.

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Greg, not sure what they are using, some formers use a piece of tie wire, it makes a tighter fit for the nail and still easy to remove

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

Looks like a great project!! Can't wait to see the progress!

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Like cat06 mentioned, we use tie wire and 16 duplex nails to nail forms and bracing to concrete. It's commonly known as "bulldogging" here. Works well and is easy to strip. Keep the updates coming, I love garage condos!

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

My slab was poured today or yesterday! These are not my photos but from the condo Facebook page. The timing seems a bit odd. We are supposed to get 2-5 inches of snow tonight. It then warms up above freezing all the rest of the week. I thought they might wait a day. Anyway, it is great to see things moving along now.



Also included is a bonus picture of the pour&tilt walls getting the re-bar located. The diagonal reinforcement around the windows is a nice detail.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

A good motivator.

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Picture of the new slabs at sunset:

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Did you tip the port-a-John to get a better view of the slab

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If I bought one of these my family would never see me again.

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

@ yellowz03: Ha! No I did not tip the port-a-potty! Just lucky photo framing.

@ Average_Joe: My wife drives a 997.2 C4S and is a car person. She is an engineer and has had a Car & Driver subscription since high school. She autocrosses and has been on at least 3 tracks with me. I have two daughters and the oldest is meh about cars. The youngest goes to autocross with me, helps swap tires, bleed brakes, and loves diving under the car to help out. I'm hoping I'll get more family time out of this - not less!

Re: Garage Condo 45x23

The slabs are all done. Lots of wall work getting done. It appears they are going to get the forms/re-bar work all done and pour the perimeter walls all at once. The next four pics are a walk around the outside of the U-shaped building.









Lots of little details in the reinforcement. It looks like the vertical steel is of a thicker dia than the horizontal steel bars.



On the U-shaped building, where the front wall lines up with rear wall, there is significantly more steel going into the wall.



There are several pallets of brick veneer that just got delivered. I wonder if this will be put in the forms before the pour or if will be applied after the walls are tilted into place.